How Do I Get Cheap Bricks? – Brickhunter

How Do I Get Cheap Bricks?

One question that a lot of people ask is: Can I get bricks cheaper?

If you’re about to start a building project you will understandably be conscious of the price, especially if it’s a big one.

One way of cutting down costs is getting cheaper bricks.

The good news is there are a number of options when it comes to this. Of course, there will be some downsides (which we will cover below) but if your main concern is saving pennies, then you may be able to look past them.

In some cases, the brick you’re looking for, to match an existing property, will be one of the cheaper ones – so it’s a win-win.

Here is everything you need to know about cheap bricks and what to look for.

What Are My Options If I Want Cheap Bricks?

There are a number of different ways you can get cheap bricks. Obviously, if you just want a slight discount it’s worth looking at the most popular, mass-produced bricks.

Mass Produced

Some bricks are cheaper simply by virtue of being the most popular ones on the market. Brick manufacturers will make a lot of these which will bring the cost down.

You’ll be able to find these types of bricks pretty much anywhere and certainly in most brick merchant chains and brick suppliers. They’ll never be in short supply so you shouldn’t have a problem getting them.

Now, their popularity will mean that they won’t exactly be exciting. They’re often used for large residential developments to keep the cost down.

If you want something more interesting or are hoping to match an existing property, you’re less likely to find what you’re looking for at this price point.

Site Clearances Or Discontinued Products

Other options for cheap bricks include site clearance and discontinued bricks.

Pallets of bricks come in set numbers. Sometimes builders will need a certain amount of bricks that falls somewhere between the number they have. As such the remaining unused bricks become clearance stock.

They’re brand new and in perfectly good condition, they’ve just been exposed to the outside world before you get them. Because of this you won’t get them in large quantities, which could be a downside if you’ve got a big building project.

Discontinued bricks are those that have come to the end of their line and are simply not being manufactured any more.

They are therefore likely to be cheaper, to get rid of the remaining stock. Unsurprisingly, just like clearance bricks, you run the risk of not having enough.

There is going to be a limited amount and once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Non-Bests

These are what they say on the tin really. Non best bricks are any brick that didn’t quite meet the manufacturer’s quality check.

This might be down to imperfections in shape, texture, colour or something else.

We’ll go into a bit more detail about different kinds of non-best brick below, and why some might be best to avoid – depending on your situation.

Before We Go On, A Warning…

Of course, getting bricks cheap isn’t always the best option, just because they’re cheap.

When shopping around for bricks, it’s important you always consider what you will be using these bricks for, and what they will need to do.

Sometimes you can save a lot of money by going for non-best bricks, but you often sacrifice quality along with that price.

The danger with some non-best or clearance bricks is that the poorer quality actually ends up affecting the structural integrity of the building.

That’s the worst-case scenario of course but they may also be less durable, discolouring quicker and wearing easier in bad weather conditions.

Having said that, we can definitely see the appeal of getting cheap bricks, and we’re certainly happy to offer the option ourselves on our Clearance Page.

What Makes A Brick Non-Best?

Any brick that doesn’t come out as the manufacturer intended is considered non-best. This could include bricks with imperfections or variations in size. All of these go cheaply, since money can still be made off these products – just nowhere near the perfect product.

These are some of the most common examples of non-best bricks.

Off Shades

Many bricks are perfectly fine when it comes to the makeup of the brick and will do their job in a wall, they just have a slightly off colour.

Most of these will be brand new but the colour didn’t turn out the way that the manufacturer intended.

This could be because of inconsistencies in the clay or the firing conditions. Manufacturers can’t sell these at full price for obvious reasons so they will go for a lot cheaper.

Even if they’re no good for an extension or new building, it may be that they work well for other structures such as freestanding walls or garden sheds, giving it a rustic aesthetic.

Trial Batches

Some bricks are non-best because they were originally part of test batches or trials.

Manufacturers will often trial new colours and textures and produce a number of bricks in this way. Because of the inconsistencies of a trial they won’t be able to sell these as normal so will add them to clearance.

They may have defects if the test was unsuccessful but most will be fine. In most cases, there’s nothing wrong with the bricks – the manufacturer just decided not to make any more of them. Of course, the stock will be limited so bear that in mind.

Cheap Bricks Aplenty If You’re Not Fussy

So, if you’re willing to put up with the obvious downsides of cheaper bricks, there are a number of options available.

In many cases they’re not even bad quality bricks and are actually brand new, they’re just in limited supply.

It’s definitely worth considering, if you’re on a tight budget or want to make some savings.

Who knows, you may even find your dream brick among the rejects!

We have our own clearance section in our brick library, so make sure to check that out by heading here.

We’ve made it extremely easy to find the deal you want – filter by quantity, colour, size and price to browse our deals with ease!