Estimate how many bricks or blocks you need for a wall and what the units might cost in pula. Enter the wall dimensions, the area of doors and windows, the supplier’s units per square metre and your waste allowance. Keep a copy of the measurements and the product specification so you can ask different suppliers to quote on the same basis.
Brick and block quantity estimate
Estimate units for walls of one height and material. Use the supplier’s coverage rate for the chosen brick or block, including mortar joints. Estimate each wall type separately. The price calculation covers units only.
Measure one wall type at a time
Measure the total length of the walls using the same product and height. Multiply that length by the wall height to obtain the gross face area. For a door or window, multiply its opening width by its opening height and subtract that area once. Add the areas of all openings in the walls you included. Use metres for lengths and square metres for areas. A 900 mm opening is 0.9 m wide.
Separate walls with different heights, block thicknesses or bond patterns. Estimate stepped walls and gables as separate shapes rather than averaging heights without checking the drawing. A double-leaf wall needs a count for each leaf. For corners, intersections, returns and structural details, ask the person preparing the take-off to confirm which length to measure and whether any units are already included elsewhere.
Use the supplier’s coverage rate for the chosen product
Bricks and blocks are sold in different sizes. Ask the supplier for the number of units per square metre for the selected product, laid in the intended orientation with the specified mortar joints. If you compare products, calculate each one using its own coverage rate. A larger unit can need fewer pieces even when its price per piece is higher. Comparing the estimated delivered cost per wall area gives you a more useful basis for choosing a supplier.
Set the waste allowance for the work you actually plan to do. Cutting, corners, patterns, handling and breakage can change the allowance. Ask your builder to review the product, drawings and expected losses before placing an order. The calculator rounds the estimate up to a whole unit. If the supplier sells full pallets or packs, ask how many units are in each and how the order will be rounded.
Work through a sample order
A 10 m wall at 2.4 m high has 24 m² of gross area. If one door and one window together occupy 3 m², the net area is 21 m². At an example coverage rate of 50 units per m², that gives 1,050 units. Add 10% waste and round up to 1,155. If the quoted rate is P2.50 per unit, the estimated units cost P2,887.50. Use actual dimensions, product coverage, waste and quote prices for your own job.
The optional price gives the cost of the units only. Ask separately about delivery, offloading, deposits for pallets and any applicable tax. Allow for mortar, ties, lintels, reinforcement, labour and other items required by the drawings. Your supplier’s quote should identify the product and quantity, and your contractor or designer should verify the construction specification.
Compare quotes and plan delivery
Send each supplier the same product specification, quantities and destination. Ask whether the stock is available in one batch, whether you can buy partial packs and what happens if damaged units arrive. Confirm how much notice the supplier needs and whether the delivery vehicle can reach the unloading point. Keep the order and delivery notes so the receiving team can check the quantity and condition before accepting the goods.
Frequently asked questions
Do I subtract doors and windows?
Yes. Add the opening areas for the walls included in the calculation and subtract them from the gross wall area.
How many bricks or blocks do I need per square metre?
Use the coverage rate for the actual unit, orientation and mortar joint size. Ask the supplier to confirm that rate before ordering.
Can I estimate several walls together?
Combine their lengths when they have the same height, product and coverage rate. Calculate walls with different dimensions or specifications separately.
What waste percentage should I use?
Ask your builder to account for cutting, layout, handling and breakage. The starting value in the tool is an example you can change.
Does the cost include mortar and delivery?
It multiplies the estimated units by your price per unit. Request separate figures for mortar, labour, delivery, offloading and other materials.
