What an masonry estimate is for
An estimate is not a quote, and the difference matters legally and financially. An estimate is your best assessment before everything is known — which means the document has to say, in writing, what could move the number and by how much.
For masons selling to homeowners, builders, and commercial properties, the estimate is usually the only thing the customer compares side by side against two competitors. It is doing sales work whether you designed it to or not.
The unit that trips this trade up: Masonry is priced per square foot of face or per unit laid, and access plus scaffolding is a real line item.
What every masonry estimate must have
- The word estimate on the document, not quote — the distinction is legal in many states
- What specifically could change the price, named rather than implied
- A percentage or dollar range the final figure may vary within
- The conditions that would trigger a revised figure
- Whether the estimate converts to a firm quote after inspection, and when
What masons bill for
These are the lines that show up on most masonry estimates, with the unit each is normally priced in. Ranges are illustrative planning figures, not market data — your own costs, region, and margin decide the real number.
| Line item | Unit | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Brick or block laid | sq ft | $25–$60 |
| Stone veneer, installed | sq ft | $28–$75 |
| Retaining wall | sq ft face | $35–$110 |
| Tuckpointing and repointing | sq ft | $12–$35 |
| Chimney repair or rebuild | each | $1,200–$9,000 |
| Paver patio | sq ft | $14–$42 |
| Scaffolding and access | each | $500–$3,500 |
| Labor — mason | hour | $65–$145 |
Typical deposit convention: Materials deposit at scheduling, progress payments on larger work.
Masonry estimate example
A realistic job, priced line by line, with the arithmetic shown the way a customer sees it:
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface prep, lath and scratch coat | 320 | $7.50 | $2,400.00 |
| Natural stone veneer installed | 320 | $42.00 | $13,440.00 |
| Corners and sills | 48 | $28.00 | $1,344.00 |
| Scaffolding and site protection | 1 | $950.00 | $950.00 |
| Subtotal | $18,134.00 | ||
| Tax (7.75%) | $1,405.38 | ||
| Total | $19,539.38 | ||
Notice that every assumption is a line rather than a conversation. That is the whole difference between an estimate that holds up and one that gets renegotiated in a driveway.
Three mistakes that cost masons money
Forgetting scaffolding
Anything above one story needs access equipment, and it is not free. Price it as its own line so it survives a customer's request to 'trim the bid'.
Not stating efflorescence and color variation
Natural stone varies and masonry can bloom. Put both in writing as normal characteristics, or answer for them as defects.
Assuming the substrate is sound
Veneer over failing sheathing fails. Name the substrate condition assumption and what happens if it is not met.
How to send an masonry estimate in about a minute
A template is only half the job — the estimate still has to reach the customer in a form they can act on. With SendQuoteNow you add the customer, add your line items, and hit send. Your customer gets a branded PDF plus a link where they approve or decline with one click, and you get an email the moment they do.
- Your branding, not ours — your logo, business name, contact details, and terms on every document.
- From your phone — build and send the estimate before you leave the customer's property.
- One-click approval — no login or account needed on your customer's side.
- Automatic math — subtotal, tax, and discounts calculated as you type.
- Estimate → invoice — convert accepted work into an invoice without retyping it.