Brick veneer is a beautiful and durable exterior siding for your home, but there are a lot of factors that can affect the cost of having it installed--it's easy to go over budget quickly if you're not careful. Brick veneer siding has more components involved than many other exterior sidings, and each component can have a big impact on your home's appearance and your wallet.

Brick Veneer Siding Cost Considerations

Deciding on vinyl or fiber cement siding is usually just a matter of choosing a style and color, but with brick veneer siding there are other considerations that play a part in how your home looks when completed and how your siding cost tallies up at the end of the project. Brick veneer prices are determined by:

• Brick type: Brick is delivered in cubes and is usually priced by the thousand; there can be a big difference in the prices of various brick styles, such as those available from companies like General Shale and Lawrenceville Brick.


• Mortar: Standard mortar is usually gray, but there are several other mortar colors are available for additional cost, although the mason may charge more to use them.


• Sand: Masonry sand is brown, but white sand can subtly change the color of your mortar and does cost a little more.


• Shapes: Architectural brick shapes such as jack arches and watertables can really make your home stand out, but your labor and material costs can skyrocket in a hurry.


• Labor: Most masons price their work per thousand bricks installed, but labor-intensive work such as soldier courses and rowlocks are often pricier.

Brick veneer is a little more costly than many other siding materials, but it can last several lifetimes. If you're careful with the many options, you can keep your project and siding cost within your budget.