Bricklaying is building work — so above the state threshold, contracting direct to a homeowner needs a licence, and unlicensed structural masonry cannot even be sued for if you are not paid. Add the AS 3700 standards every inspector checks, and here is the year-one reality.
Licensing — and the unlicensed trap
The base is a White Card plus the trade qualification (CPC33020 Certificate III in Bricklaying/Blocklaying). Most states require a contractor or trade licence when you contract directly with homeowners above a value threshold:
| State | Threshold (direct-to-client) |
|---|---|
| NSW | > $5,000 (Fair Trading) |
| QLD | > $3,300 (QBCC) |
| VIC | structural masonry over $10,000 (VBA registration) |
| WA | builder registration if contracting as builder, residential > $20,000 |
| SA/TAS/ACT/NT | licence when contracting direct above threshold |
Below the threshold you subcontract to a licensed builder (under their licence) or take small private jobs on your ABN (still complying with codes and the White Card). The unlicensed-structural-masonry trap is real: beyond fines and prosecution, courts refuse to enforce contracts entered while unlicensed — so you cannot sue for unpaid work — plus rectification or stop-work if non-compliant, and insurers can deny claims linked to unlicensed work.
The standards every inspector checks (AS 3700)
Masonry is governed by the NCC plus AS 3700 and AS 4773.1/.2 — and the things that fail an inspection:
- Cavity and ties — a clean 50mm+ cavity (not bridged with mortar droppings blocking weepholes), with wall ties generally no more than 600mm horizontally and vertically, closer (~300mm) at openings and edges.
- Mortar and joints — the right mortar class for the exposure, consistent 6-10mm joints (a defect if much thinner or thicker), filled perpends, neat tooling.
- Line, plumb and tolerance — within roughly 10mm over 3m (or 25mm over a full single-storey wall), bow under ~5mm over 2m.
- Flashings and weepholes — correct flashings at lintels and DPC, weepholes clear and spaced.
Load-bearing masonry (retaining walls, structural block) needs engineer design and sign-off of reinforcement and footings before the pour (see Construction Standards Register).
Starter kit and hire
Own day one (~$1,800-3,000): brick trowels ($150-250), levels ($150-250), profiles, poles and string ($150-300), jointing tools, bolsters and hammers ($200-350), a cordless drill ($250-500), an angle grinder with diamond blades ($150-350 plus blades), and PPE (~$150-300). Hire (~$150-300/job): a water-cooled brick saw (buy $1,500-3,000+ or hire $80-150/day), a cement mixer (buy $600-1,200 or hire $60-100/day), and scaffold/trestles (booked through scaffolders or the builder — compliance-heavy). See Tooling Up.
Rates, piece-work and tax
Indicative 2025: $45-100/hr (avg $50-65), a self-employed day rate of $350-650 ($600+ for a competent metro brickie on volume), and piece-work of ~$1,100-1,800 per 1,000 bricks (~$1.10-1.80/brick; Perth's face-brick boom $2.70-3.00). First year sits at the lower band until your speed and quality are proven. Job benchmarks: a garden wall $1,100-2,700, brick veneer $50-80/m², double brick $80-120/m². The tax-and-super shock is the usual one — no PAYG withholding, instalments hitting year 2, GST over $75k, self-funded super — so bank 25-30% of every invoice into a separate untouchable ATO and super account (see The Money Reality and Setting Your Charge-Out Rate).
Landing the first jobs
Without a track record, start as a subcontractor — get onto one or two small builders' lists, take a day-rate slightly below top-of-market to build references and photos, and let inspection-friendly work ("the brickie who lays to standard and fixes defects without drama") win the repeat work faster than any marketing. Build a credible presence (ABN, a one-page site, a Google Business Profile, ute signage with the licence number) and proof not puff — photographed joints, corners and curves (see Building Your Reputation).
Common mistakes
- Contracting structural masonry direct above the threshold without the licence (and being unable to recover payment).
- Dirty cavities, wrong tie spacing or inconsistent joints — the classic AS 3700 inspection failures.
- Load-bearing or retaining work without engineer sign-off.
- Not ring-fencing tax and super from each invoice.
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