National Average Improvement and Repair Cost
Pro
DIY
Hours:
16
45
Cost:
$ 2028
$ 1260
Would you do this project? According to our survey, 51% of respondents preferred DIY compared to hiring a pro.
The average price to Install a Brick Patio noted above is cost data to compare a contractor’s estimate with doing it yourself.
What’s the cost to build a brick patio? A contractor charges $2,028 to build a brick patio or do it yourself for $1,260 and save 53 percent.
One of the nicest additions to our home is a brick patio that creates a place to enjoy being outdoors, whether it’s to sit and read a book or enjoy eating and entertaining. A patio made of bricks offers traditional appeal and appearance in an understated way. With today’s growing selection of pavers and a variety of design patterns, you can create a custom brick patio that’s uniquely your own.
Laying a brick patio involves digging and hauling, not to mention working on your hands and knees for long periods of time. In general, the process begins with laying out the space, digging up the soil, then leveling the area to a depth of about 5 inches. Add 3 inches of sand, tamp down then relevel. You can lay the bricks freehand or use plastic grids set on the sand to help align the bricks in a basket-weave pattern. Then put more sand on the bricks and sweep it off the bricks into the cracks. Then lightly mist the bricks with a garden hose to clean them.
You can buy the materials for a 15-by-20-foot brick patio for $1,260 and do it yourself and save 53 percent. A mason will charge $2,028 to do the job, which includes the labor and material. Figure that it will take about 45 hours for you to do the job. Laying bricks can be strenuous work. To take the strain off of your knees while kneeling and setting the bricks in place, wear knee pads. For nudging the bricks into tight spots, a rubber mallet comes in handy.
Before you begin, decide what you’ll do with the lawn and landscape material you remove from the location of your new patio. If there’s good lawn, consider renting a sod cutter for 65 dollars a day and save the sod, and plan to reuse any shrubs or plantings elsewhere in your yard. For a professional-looking job rent ($65 dollars a day) a wet masonry saw for trimming the pavers.
To watch a video of building a patio with brick pavers click here www.ronhazelton.com.
The bottom line: compare the price of a contractor’s bid to install a brick patio with what it costs to do it yourself and make your decision.
Want to do more projects with bricks? Here are some additional cost breakdowns:
