How much does bricklaying & masonry cost in Canada?
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Key takeaways
- Most bricklaying & masonry jobs in Canada land between CA$500–CA$18,000 — known locally as masonry (brick and block work).
- Canadian retaining walls above municipal thresholds (commonly 1m) need permits and engineering, and freeze-thaw exposure dictates SW-grade brick and air-entrained mortar practice. Quebec licenses masonry contractors through the RBQ; other provinces rely on municipal permits and WCB standing.
- Prices below are researched national ranges, updated July 2026 — not quotes.
Bricklaying & Masonry prices by job size in Canada
| Job size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repair / repointing patch Repoint or rebuild a damaged section | CA$500 | CA$1,000 | CA$2,000 |
| Garden or retaining wall Masonry wall with frost footing and drainage | CA$2,500 | CA$6,000 | CA$12,000 |
| Chimney rebuild / large project Chimney rebuild or large veneer repair | CA$4,000 | CA$9,000 | CA$18,000 |
Per-unit rates
| Unit | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| per hour | CA$50 | CA$75 | CA$110 |
What affects the price
- Job size and scope — bigger or more complex jobs move you up the ranges above.
- Access and condition — hard-to-reach areas, older properties or neglected maintenance add labour time.
- Materials and quality level — where materials are involved, the grade you choose often matters more than labour.
- Urgency — same-day or out-of-hours work usually carries a premium.
- Where you live — large metros in Canada typically run above the national range; smaller towns below it.
How to save
- Get at least three quotes and compare like-for-like scopes, not just totals.
- Be flexible on timing — off-peak slots are often cheaper.
- Bundle related tasks into one visit to spread call-out costs.
- Agree the scope in writing up front to avoid change-order surprises.
How to hire a bricklaying & masonry pro in Canada
- Confirm liability insurance and WCB/WSIB coverage; Quebec requires an RBQ licence for this work
- Footings must go below frost depth — ask for the number
- For retaining walls, check your municipality's engineering threshold (often 1m/3.3ft)
- Ask about drainage detail behind retaining walls
- Freeze-thaw rated brick (SW grade) for exterior work
- Get references from walls through several winters
Red flags
- Footings above frost depth
- Interior-grade brick proposed outdoors
- No drainage on retaining walls
- Cash-only pricing
- Large deposit upfront
How Handld researches prices
These are researched estimates, not quotes and not our transaction data. We compile ranges from published sources — national statistics, trade bodies and incumbent cost guides — normalise them to CAD, and adjust city pages by a population-based cost tier. Last updated July 2026. Basis: HomeStars masonry cost data; Canadian masonry contractor quotes.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my brick wall cracking?
Stepped cracks along mortar joints usually mean foundation movement; vertical cracks through bricks suggest thermal movement or missing expansion joints; horizontal cracking on retaining walls means soil pressure. Small hairline cracks can be monitored, but widening or stepped cracks deserve a structural opinion before cosmetic repair.
Do garden and retaining walls need foundations?
Yes — a concrete footing sized to the wall's height and the soil. Retaining walls also need drainage behind them (weep holes, gravel backfill) or water pressure will crack or topple them. Most retaining-wall failures trace to missing drainage, not weak bricks.
What does repointing cost and when is it needed?
Repointing — grinding out failed mortar joints and refilling them — is priced per square metre and needed when mortar crumbles, washes out, or lets damp through. It is far cheaper than rebuilding, but matching the mortar mix and joint style to the original is what separates good work from patchwork.
How many bricks can a bricklayer lay in a day?
A skilled bricklayer lays roughly 300-600 standard bricks a day on straightforward wall runs — fewer on detailed work, arches, or restoration. That is why fiddly small jobs cost more per brick than long straight walls.
How much does bricklaying cost?
Bricklayers price per thousand bricks laid, per square metre of wall, or by day rate. The total depends on brick type, wall thickness (single or double skin), height and access. Foundations, damp-proof courses, copings and scaffold are separate line items that quotes must state.
Can old brickwork be matched in a repair or extension?
Usually, with effort — reclaimed bricks, brick-matching services and tinted mortars get close. An exact match matters most on street-facing walls; ask to see a sample panel before committing, since a bad match is permanent and obvious.
Why does Canadian brickwork spall?
Water freezes inside under-fired or wrongly graded brick and pops the faces. Repair means replacing damaged units with SW-grade brick and fixing the water source (copings, flashings, failed pointing) — otherwise the spalling simply continues.
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