When planning a brick slip project, it’s important to consider both the material costs and the installation (labor) costs, as well as long-term value. Here’s a breakdown of key cost factors:
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Material Costs (Brick Slips): Brick slips are typically sold by the square meter or per box (with a certain coverage per box). Basic clay brick slips often start around £20–£30 per m² for a supply-only basis (these might be machine-cut from common bricks or large-volume produced slips). More premium slips, such as handmade or reclaimed varieties, can range roughly £40–£60 per m². Highly specialized ones (e.g., rare reclaimed bricks, or custom glazed slips) could be even more. One retailer notes that prices can exceed £50/m² for premium products, whereas lower-cost plaster-based imitation slips might be as cheap as £20/m² – though those budget options lack the durability and warranty of real clay. On average, many good-quality brick slips hover around £40/m² in the UK market, which is in the same ballpark as mid-range facing bricks. Remember to include corner slips in your budget if your design has external corners or returns – corner pieces are usually priced per piece and cost more than a standard flat slip (since they are larger L-shaped units).
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Ancillary Material Costs: In addition to the slips themselves, you will need adhesive and pointing mortar. Specialized brick slip adhesive (flexible, often cementitious glue) might cost on the order of £20–£30 per bag, with one bag covering around 4 m² (usage varies by thickness applied). Pointing mortar mix similarly might be ~£10–£20 per bag, covering a few square meters depending on joint width. If using any backing boards (cement board, insulation boards) or mechanical systems, include those costs: cement board can be £10–£15 per m², while proprietary cladding systems can add significantly (some systems are dozens of £ per m² for rails or panels). Don’t forget small tools and accessories: tile spacers (cheap), possibly a mortar piping bag or gun, sealant (masonry sealer ~£5–£10 per m² coverage). These miscellaneous costs are usually minor compared to the slips themselves, but they add up on larger projects.
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Labor Costs: The installation labor cost will depend on the method and region. If you hire a professional tiler or brick slip installer, they might charge per square meter. Reports suggest a range of £35–£50 per m² for labor is common for installing slips (this would include adhesive application and pointing). This rate can vary: a simple interior wall might be at the lower end, whereas a high exterior wall or complex pattern could be higher. Using prefabricated brick slip panels can reduce on-site labor time but those panels themselves cost more to purchase – it’s a trade-off (often used in commercial scenarios where time is money). If doing a DIY installation, you save labor costs entirely, which makes brick slips quite attractive financially for small areas – many homeowners successfully install a few square meters over a weekend. However, DIYers should be prepared for the time it takes to place and point the slips carefully.
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Comparison to Alternatives: It’s useful to compare the cost of a brick slip wall to other ways of achieving a similar look. One alternative for interiors is brick-effect wallpaper, which is very cheap (perhaps £10–£30 per roll covering several m²). Wallpaper is clearly not as authentic – it’s 2D and can be easily damaged – but if budget is extremely tight, it’s an option. Another alternative are brick veneer panels (sheets that have a brick pattern, either printed or made of a thin molded material). Some 3D textured panels or fiberglass sheets with a brick pattern exist around £22–£54 per m², which can be cheaper than real slips. However, these tend to repeat patterns and lack the genuine texture, so they may look fake over large areas. In terms of real materials, using full bricks: if an interior wall is accessible, a bricklayer could potentially build a ½-brick-thick wall, but the cost would likely be higher when you factor in the masonry labor and possibly structural reinforcement (and it would eat up floor space). For exteriors, render or siding is often cheaper than brick slips; one source noted an insulated render was ~£100/m² vs £150/m² for slips on the same insulation. So if a simple render finish is acceptable, that saves money, but if only brick will do aesthetically, slips are the way to get it without building brickwork.
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Long-Term Value: In the long run, a well-installed brick slip feature or facade can add value to a property similar to actual brickwork, because of the visual appeal and perceived quality. It’s a durable finish – unlike paint or wallpaper, it won’t need frequent refreshing. So the initial investment tends to hold its value. If using slips enables you to insulate externally (thereby lowering energy bills) or to avoid a costly structural alteration, those are indirect financial benefits. Also consider that brick slips may allow a project to be completed faster (saving project management and financing costs for large builds).
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Waste and Overages: It’s advisable to purchase a bit more than needed (typically 5–10% extra) to account for cuts, breakages, and spares. This is similar to ordering extra tiles. Having a few leftover slips is useful for future repairs. The cost impact of a 10% overage on a small feature wall is minimal, but on a large project it should be noted.
In summary, brick slips are not a “cheap” material but they are competitive in cost with other high-quality finishes. Expect material costs roughly on par with mid- to high-end tiles or mid-range brick, and labor costs somewhat less than or similar to bricklaying (depending on your scenario). The total project cost for a brick slip wall will usually be lower than building a new brick wall (especially indoors), but higher than simply painting or wallpapering – reflecting its status as a premium, permanent finish. The consensus from sources is that up-front, a brick slip installation might be a bit pricier than some alternatives, but it pays off in labor savings and versatility, and yields a timeless look. As one analysis put it: you pay a little extra to get the real brick look without the hassle, which for many is well worth it, since brick slips “enable you to easily create the look of an exposed brick wall… without the headache”.
