BRICK
Facing brick is natural choice as part of a cavity wall masonry build, offering an affordable route to an attractive, good-quality finish – but it’s equally at home as an external finish for other systems, such as timber frame, oak and more. There’s a huge amount of choice out there in terms of colours, textures and bonding (laying) patterns.
Standard bricks start from around £400 per 1,000, rising to £750+ per 1,000 for handmade versions (plus labour). The main considerations come down to brickwork being a wet trade: it’s slow to install and work can’t proceed in bad weather. Be sure to use an experienced bricklayer for intricate work (you can expect to pay a premium for their skill and time). An alternative is brick slips – a lightweight, hassle-free alternative to solid units. The material costs may be a little higher, but these thin slices of masonry are super-quick to install onto a backing panel.