Brick ios the top pick for cladding according to RICS

The findings are especially valuable at the present time, given that contractors are experiencing soaring costs and longer lead times for many competing cladding materials.

“The RICS are the experts on costs, of course, so their conclusions are highly significant,” says Katherina Lewis from the Brick Development Association (BDA), which commissioned the research. “It wasn’t the basic unit cost of brick that the RICS examined – but its installed cost.”

“There is a popular misconception, fuelled by the off-site lobby, that brickwork is an expensive external finish,” says BDA Director Michael Driver.  “But the RICS study clearly concludes that brick is a competitive option for the external skin.”

Brick has long been a favourite among architects, developers and the public.  Its warm and humanising character brings buildings to life. An external brick wall adds scale, colour and texture.  Then there’s the choice – 1200 different varieties of brick are produced in the UK alone – and it blends so easily and naturally with its surroundings.

What the RICS investigation shows is that you can have such qualities, without paying over-the-top prices.  It analysed a wide range of data, from major price books to bills of quantities for live projects submitted to them last year. The projects, which covered a selection from across the UK, ranged in value from £356,000 to £10.5 million.

The study compared the installed cost per square metre for brickwork against a string of rival external finishes.  These included simple fibre cement sheets, different types of rendered blockwork, timber weatherboard, PVC cladding, plain tile cladding, ashlar stonework, and, at the top end of the price range, curtain walling and patent glazing. 

Here are some of the highlights:

• Facing brick came in at £59 m².
• That’s less than pebbledash, proprietary render systems and some sheeting.
• Just two thirds the price of timber weatherboarding.
• Barely one third the price of ashlar stonework.
• Curtain walling is nearly eight times more expensive, patent glazing nearly nine times.

According to the RICS, the materials that came in for less than brickwork included options with a lower life expectancy or high life cycle costs, such as single fibre cement sheeting and painted render.  In its conclusion, the RICS notes: ‘Brick is a competitive option for the external skin. Most of the options that are less expensive in the study fall within the range of available facing bricks.’

Compare that with, say the price for timber, which rose over one quarter for imported softwood last year, thanks to surging demand in Asia, or glazed cladding, which has been hit by soaring costs for glass, aluminium and stainless steel.

Moreover, brick scores on ‘cost in use.’ With reasonable maintenance a brick wall will last indefinitely.  Repointing might be necessary after 70 years but apart from that no regular maintenance is required. What’s more, brickwork weathers gracefully and mellows with age.

Brick also wins high marks for its environmental cost – an increasingly influential part of building design.  BREEAM’s Green Guide scores all brick construction ‘A+’ or ‘A’, the best ratings.  And its carbon footprint? A square metre of brickwork produces produces 28 kg of carbon dioxide by the time it is delivered to site.  That equates to 0.000233 tonnes per square metre a year, over 120 years.  A very small footprint.

“However you define cost, brick is good value,” says Katherina Lewis. “It has not only stood the test of time.  The RICS report shows just how well brick stands-up against its modern-day rivals.”

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