How much does a mow strip cost made of brick?

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Mowing is not the most enjoyable garden job at the best of times. The continuous cutting schedule throughout the season can be a little inconvenient, especially on weekends.

Therefore extra clipping and edging work around your lawns perimeter really is a pain! The only real way to conquer this little dilemma once and for all is with a mow strip. The most effective mow strips are built from solid materials like brick, concrete and paving.

This prevents weeds and grass from growing and allows for easy and clean mowing with no need for edging. One of the most favoured ways to build mowing strips is with bricks laid level with the lawn on mortar.

Therefore the question is ‘how much does a mow strip cost to build with bricks’? 

​The method

In order to work this out we will quantify all of the materials you will need to buy for the project. We will also include labour rates and time frames to complete a typical project.

For the purpose of this article we will price a 50 linear metre stretch of brick mowing strip on existing grass. We will lay out all the data into the table below.

The aim is to establish a linear metre price to hire a landscaper or do the work yourself.  

Work specification

Brickwork which needs to take the weight human traffic and subject to ground movement should be well based. Therefore lawn mowing strip edging built with bricks should be based up like a patio.

The work will include excavating a channel 250mm wide and 170mm deep for the 50 metre length. The spoil should be removed from site making sure there is no loose soil left in the trench. Supply and spread an 80-90mm layer of compactable sub base to the foundation evenly.

Compact this well with a tamper or sledge hammer until well compacted. Now lay your bricks on a 15-25mm 1:4 mortar mix with a bricklaying trowel, spirit level and rubber mallet. 

Table costs based on 50 linear metres of brick soldier course mow strip (215mm wide)

​No	​Item	​Specification	​Unit cost	​Total cost
​1	​6 yard skip	​3 cubic metres soil	​£250	​£250.00
​2	​Type 1 sub base	​2x 850kg jumbo bag	​£50	​£100.00
​1	​Building sand	​1x 850kg jumbo bag	​£50	​£50.00
​7	​Cement	​25kg plastic bags	​£6	​£42.00
​450	​bricks	​500 pack Ashdowns	​£1.80	​£900.00
​1	​Cement mixer	​2 days hire	​£25	​£50.00
​1	​Labour	​1 man 5 days	​£250- 400	​£1,550.00
​	​	​	​Materials total:	£1,392.00
​	​	​	Grand total:	£2,942.00

Therefore a 50 linear metre long brick mow strip edging (215mm wide) will cost £2,942.00. That’s £58.84 a linear metre if you use a contractor. If you build it yourself the materials will cost £1,392.00. That’s £27.84 a linear metre.   A 50 linear metre long brick mow strip edging with a single stretcher course (102mm wide) will cost £2,125.00. That’s £42.50 a linear metre is you use a contractor. ​ If you build it yourself the materials will cost £750.00. That’s 14.50 a linear metre.

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