Construction & estimating · Masonry & finishes
Brickwork & blockwork calculator
Bricks or blocks, mortar, cement bags and sand for a wall, with openings, waste and cost.
Standard: Unit count from face size + joint · mortar mix by volume
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Inputs in the worked example
The live calculator starts with these values; change any of them and every result, check and diagram updates instantly.
| Input | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Wall length | 12 | m |
| Wall height | 2.7 | m |
| Openings area | 4.5 | m² |
| Unit length | 230 | mm |
| Unit height | 76 | mm |
| Joint | 10 | mm |
| Skins / leaves | 1 | |
| Waste | 5 | % |
| Mortar per m² per skin | 0.02 | m³ |
| Mix sand : cement (1:x) | 5 | |
| Unit price | 1150 | $/1000 |
| Price basis | per 1000 | |
| Cement bag (20 kg) | 11 | $ |
| Sand | 75 | $/m³ |
| Labour | 65 | $/m² |
Worked example — results
| Result | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Net wall area | 27.90 | m² |
| Units per m² (one skin) | 48.4 | |
| Units incl. waste | 1420 | |
| Mortar | 0.59 | m³ |
| Cement | 187 kg (10 bags) | |
| Sand | 0.65 | m³ |
| Units cost | $1,633 | |
| Labour | $1,814 | |
| Total | $3,605 |
Method, formulas and assumptions
- Units/m² = 10⁶ / [(l + j)(h + j)]: 230 × 76 bricks ≈ 48/m², 390 × 190 blocks = 12.5/m²
- Dry mortar volume ≈ 1.33 × wet; cement ρ ≈ 1440 kg/m³
- Rates are example inputs only. Replace them with current supplier quotes and local labour rates.
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For preliminary design and education. Check every result against the current standard and your own engineering judgement before use.