especially if the brickwork will be hidden by render or plaster etc?

i guy i knew told me he learnt how to be a bricklayer through an evening course and then built his own extention.i saw the extention and it looked greatb ut i found it hard to belive he had done it!

I think there is a surplus of Brikies at the moment what with the lack of building going.

My Dad started building our extension after having asked his colleague how it was done. Built the first few rows with the bricks upside down, whcih we had to knock down 🙂 The rest was fine though, said colleague helped him out with the rest of it due to sheer workload mind. And my Dad's bricks were mostly low down out of sight 🙂

With a bit of practice most people can lay bricks/blocks slowly and they'll look OK. A good brikkie can do it fast and it'll look great, but they're hard to find.

If you're doing it yourself, can take the time and are prepared to knock bits down if they look rubbish then go for it.

I did a garage conversion at my last house. I basically had to key the bricks into the existing walls and then brick around to make a window that took up most the top half of the hole left by the garage door.

Breeze block outer skin, thermal breeze block inner from memory.

Got the plasterer who did the walls inside to render the outside wall to match the rest of the house. Easy.

Plasters only comment was that for one of the blocks I had the 'cut' end facing the window frame instead of into the wall. I had spotted that when I was three courses higher but couldn't face taking it all down again when it would be hidden anyway.

Contemplating doing the Kitchen extension at the new place.

My father in law son of brickie helped me build a garden wall. First time I'd done it, he'd not done it for 30 odd years. He laid about 10 blocks for my every 1. His bits looked pretty neat, even, and were spot on level 3 ways. My bits were a little messy and a bit wonky. But it all got rendered over and nothing has fallen over yet.

What you need is the Bricky Tool. I mean, how hard can it be 🙄

love some of the comments on u toobe

Built the first few rows with the bricks upside down, whcih we had to knock down

Brickie school, year one: finding the top of your brick…

My dad built their extension as his first project. Looks as good as the rest of the house and has been stood for 30 years. He taught me how but I've never used it in anger!

would ringing a builder be far more easier then learning to build?

I F you gonna render it then so longs it's plumb and bonded no worries. The skills come when it's blues, butress, arches, corbelling etc.
For your basic build tho, if you set your corners right, again plumb and to gauge it's pretty much straight forward from there with your line!
Oh and for your first lesson at night school all you will do Is learn how to roll mortar on your boards!
Enjoy 😉

Oh and for your first lesson at night school all you will do Is learn how to roll mortar on your boards!

so top identification is year 2 ?

English bond or Flemish bond though?

I have discovered a new niche. building igloos. My brick walls curve, lift and bow. I swear that if I kept going long enough I could build St Pauls dome!

English garden wall! Classic, queen closures and all! And yes Simon it honestly feels as tho a year has passed when your're finally allowed to put brick upon brick!!!!

LOL mattsccm 😀

Ive found it makes better sense to leave bricklaying to the guys that can do straight lines.

I, on the other hand, have spent part of this week doing bends:

And then getting someone else to cover my purty work all up again 🙁

And yes Simon it honestly feels as tho a year has passed when your're finally allowed to put brick upon brick!!!!

only for everyone to laff when they realise it's upside down 🙁

Welcome to my specialist area. Where to start? The attempts at learning i see in my job would either inspire you or scare you off completely.

If it's a garden wall or something, go for it, anything else get some serious advice and realise exactly what you are letting yourself in for.

Or let me teach you :-). We're not cheap but we are good!

p.s. lesson 1 is about an hour of rolling muck and then you're away and laying.