Bricklaying Services
Bricklaying in Gateshead
You cannot price bricklaying in Gateshead honestly without asking what the ground is doing, and here Gateshead sits squarely in the old Durham coalfield and a good proportion of the borough falls inside a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area, which matters as soon as you are digging footings rather than working above ground. Gateshead is a borough that runs from the quayside up through dense terraced streets at Bensham and Saltwell to the higher, greener ground at Low Fell.
Call 07854 366464Get a Free QuoteBricklaying done properly in Gateshead
Andy is a time served general builder with more than 25 years behind him, and no Gateshead job is priced from a phone call alone. We look at the property first, then put the figure in writing.
Bricklaying Services
Our bricklaying in Gateshead cover
- Stonework and stone cladding: natural and reconstituted stone laid to match the surrounding work
- Structural brickwork: load bearing walls, piers and openings formed to the approved details
- Repointing: raking out and repointing in a mortar mix suited to the wall rather than the strongest available
- Steps and pathways: brick and block steps, thresholds and paths finished to fall correctly
- Brick matching: sourcing the closest available brick and proving the match before ordering the load
- Chimney building and repair: rebuilding, repointing and reflaunching where the stack has weathered
Local Knowledge
Local considerations for bricklaying in Gateshead
Gateshead falls under Gateshead Council for both planning and building control, which is the practical starting point for bricklaying here. Saltwell and parts of Low Fell fall within designated conservation areas, and if that applies to your property Gateshead Council will look closely at brick, mortar colour and window detail on anything facing the street. None of that is a reason not to do the work. It is a reason to establish the constraint before a design is finalised rather than after it has been drawn twice.
Ground conditions are the second thing we look at. Gateshead sits squarely in the old Durham coalfield and a good proportion of the borough falls inside a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area, which matters as soon as you are digging footings rather than working above ground. A garden or retaining wall is only as good as what it sits on, so ground conditions here decide the footing before they decide anything else.
Property types vary across Gateshead more than the name of the town suggests. Around Saltwell Park, Bensham, Low Fell you will typically find Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Bensham, Saltwell and Deckham, while further out there is later estates through Chowdene, Wrekenton and Beacon Lough. For bricklaying, the older stock generally needs a lime based or weaker mortar so the joint fails before the brick does, whereas the newer housing takes a standard modern mix. The back lanes behind the Bensham and Saltwell terraces are the practical route in for materials and muck away, and we check access down them before pricing the job. None of this changes how we price, since every Gateshead job is quoted in writing after a visit, but it does change what goes on the van and how the week is planned.
Recent work
Our Approach
How we work in Gateshead
Site visit first
Every job starts with a proper look at the property. Quoting from a description alone is how a figure ends up changing halfway through.
A written quote
You get a written, no obligation quote that states the scope. If something is excluded, it says so rather than leaving it to be argued about later.
Regulations handled
Most brickwork is a building regulations question rather than a planning one, but free standing walls have their own height rules at a boundary, and repointing a property in a conservation area can attract more scrutiny than the same job on the next street.
Kept informed
We keep you updated as the work goes on rather than disappearing for a week. It is the least complicated part of building work and the part most often done badly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bricklaying in Gateshead: your questions
How long does repointing a wall take?
A single elevation on a typical house is usually a matter of days rather than weeks, though weather has a real effect because pointing should not be carried out in frost or in heavy rain.
What sort of properties do you carry out bricklaying on in Gateshead?
All of them. Around Saltwell Park and Bensham the stock is mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces around Bensham, Saltwell and Deckham, and further out Gateshead has later estates through Chowdene, Wrekenton and Beacon Lough. The right approach depends far more on the age and construction of the individual property than on the town.
Can you repair a chimney rather than rebuild it?
Often yes. If the brickwork below the roofline is sound, a rebuild above the roofline plus new flaunching and flashings is the usual and much less disruptive option.
Can you take on small brickwork jobs?
Yes. A short garden wall, a set of steps or a single pier is perfectly normal work for us and gets the same standard as a larger contract.
Which council handles bricklaying applications in Gateshead?
Gateshead comes under Gateshead Council for both planning and building control. That is where a building regulations application is made and where the inspector who signs the work off comes from. Boundary wall height rules and, in conservation areas, mortar and joint specification is what they will be looking for.
Do garden walls need foundations?
Yes. A wall without an adequate foundation will move, and on clay ground it will move noticeably within a couple of winters. The foundation depth depends on the wall height and the ground it is sitting on.
Do you cover the areas around Gateshead as well, such as Whickham and Felling and Birtley?
Yes. Alongside Gateshead we regularly carry out bricklaying in Whickham, Felling, Birtley and across the wider North East, working from our base in Blaydon-on-Tyne.
Do ground conditions in Gateshead affect bricklaying?
They can. Gateshead sits squarely in the old Durham coalfield and a good proportion of the borough falls inside a Coal Authority Development High Risk Area, which matters as soon as you are digging footings rather than working above ground. We raise it at the quote stage rather than after the digger arrives, so you know whether an investigation or an assessment is likely to be needed.
How high can I build a garden wall without planning permission?
As a general rule a wall up to two metres is permitted, dropping to one metre where it adjoins a highway used by vehicles or a footpath beside one. Different limits apply to listed buildings and some conservation areas, so it is worth confirming before the foundation goes in.
Are there any planning restrictions I should know about in Gateshead?
Possibly, depending on exactly where the property sits. Saltwell and parts of Low Fell fall within designated conservation areas, and if that applies to your property Gateshead Council will look closely at brick, mortar colour and window detail on anything facing the street. If your property is affected, the design is shaped around that from the start rather than revised afterwards.
Also covering near Gateshead
We carry out bricklaying across the surrounding area as well as in Gateshead itself.
Other building services in Gateshead
Whatever else the project needs, it is the same team and the same standard.
Planning bricklaying in Gateshead?
Get in touch and we will come and look. Every quote for bricklaying in Gateshead is written down, based on the actual property, and carries no obligation.
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