WA's brick shortage has a would-be newcomer asking whether now is a bad time to move to Perth for bricklaying work. The honest answer is that there's plenty of building going on, but not always enough bricks to keep every crew busy.
Why bricks are short
WA has by far the highest share of new double-brick homes of any state, the State Government said in September. Housing commencements have grown to more than 24,200 homes since Austral's Cardup brickworks was mothballed in April 2023, and about 19,500 of those are detached homes, up more than 50 per cent.
Midland Brick, the state's main maker, has moved builders onto annual allocations, and industry reports say that has now extended to the maxi bricks used for internal walls.
The Government has committed up to $4 million to restart the Cardup plant, which is expected to lift WA's brick supply by 10 to 15 per cent. The deal includes an incentive payment for resuming operations by March 2027, so relief is unlikely before then.
Photo: Sam Wilson via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo of brick stacks at a Midland Brick yard.
What it means for brickies
Bricklaying has been one of the hardest trades to fill in Perth for years. But locals said earlier this year that some bricklayers were waiting around between jobs, with plenty of work booked but not enough bricks on site. Local job ads are pitching the opposite, promising steady work with no downtime from shortages.
Anyone thinking of making the move should talk to Perth builders and bricklaying contractors before packing up, ask how their brick supply looks over the next few months, and check what work is on offer. HIA's supply update is a good place to start.
Sources: WA Government; HIA; The Good Builder; comments from Perth locals.
Hero photo: Sam Wilson via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo of a strapped pallet of bricks at a Midland Brick yard.
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