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    Thread: How many blocks per hour??

    1. #1
      anthonym's Avatar
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      How many blocks per hour??

      Can anyone tell me how many blocks an hour an experienced block layer can do? I am trying to estimate what it might cost me to hier someone to do my block work. I think I will be needing about 400 blocks.
      I have someone to do the work at $30/hour, but I have no idea how long this job should take .
      Thanks

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    2. #2
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      Did you ask this guy how many blocks he could lay in a hour? Is he a block layer by trade? Seems like a good price to me..

    3. #3
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      Ooooh, most masons here work per block, but that's doing basements and such. With a pond you probably have some more surves, corners etc. I know good masons can do 300+ per day depending on what kind of help they have.

    4. #4
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      He does all kinds of work, I do not know how many blocks an hour he can , but if it is 1 I do not want him . He told me his is experienced with block work, he does alot of work for us , from plumbing to framing etc... So guessing that he is average at laying block.

    5. #5
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      Block masons here charge per block also. I forget the going rate? Anyways to answer your question. A mason paid by the hour can lay half the amount of blocks as a mason paid by the block. Probably doesn't help much
      Last edited by Ryan S.; 07-24-2006 at 12:56 PM.

    6. #6
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      Quote Originally Posted by Ryan S.
      Block masons here charge per block also. I forget the going rate? Anyways to answer your question. A mason paid by the hour can lay half the amount of blocks as a mason paid by the block. Probably doesn't help much


      If he's doing it all by himself, he wont be nearly as fast as he could be if someone were mixing mortar for him. If you trust him and know his ethics....that is worth something.

    7. #7
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      OK, so the way to price block work is per block, that makes more sence, per hour might be some slow blocks going up. Now I just need to find out how much per block the average is.

    8. #8
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      Off topic a little. There is another way. It takes less skill to dry stack the blocks. Its fairly easy to spread exterior motor on the walls, like a surewall product. This is easier for a DIY method, and you can due labor yourself. A wall with surewall is stronger than a mortored block wall. Just another option. When I get around out our next house, unless shotcrete comes in very cheap, this is how I'm doing it, and just using a sealer over it as a liner.

    9. #9
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      Thats another idea I thought of, I was not sure if using something like Pond Armor over this type of cunstruction would work? I would like to just dry stack, then use surewall, but my pond will be oval not square, so if I filled all block holes and filled the back V that would be created by the oval formation could I then just use sure wall on the inside and then seal with pond armor?

    10. #10
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      I just layed the blocks out to see how many I need, it is 33 blocks per row. would be very easy to dry stack.

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    11. #11
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      The reason I didnt do it that way is becuase I figured it was easier to do all the calculations working with even numbers on the mortared blocks. Standard blocks are actually 7 5/8" (7.625") tall to leave room for the 3/8" mortar joint. Same with the length...they are 15 5/8" long. I did my filter pit first and the pond later I needed to match finished levels for each, I took the easy math way out. My muscles are better than my brain. Ha!

    12. #12
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      It will still work on turns but it uses more material. I am planning on laying them without mortar, liquid nails, backfill with dirt inside voids, and surewall on both sides. Maybe mix a waterproofing agent in with the surewall. Then haven't desided on a sealer option yet.

    13. #13
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      What is "surewall"? Have a link. I wouldn't trust dry stacked walls for a pond over 3' deep myself. That is my impression only and my personal opinion. There is a reason why they put mortar between layer of blocks when they build buildings and not just dry stack. If drystacking was close to the strength of a mortar built wall you would see comercial projects going up this way. Horizontal and vertical rebar in a mortared wall all appropriate for a pond project. Just my opinion.

      I would also like to do shotcrete or gun in a rebar cage, just too expensive and not a DIY project for cheap guys like me.

      Luke, I was thinking of you when we poured the floor in the pond. Some guys refused to wear gloves even though I told them of concrete burns. Some tough guys just have to feel the pain before they are believers.

      Rick

    14. #14
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      Alot will depend on the mixing that is avalible? Mixing the concrete takes a good amount of time so having good mixing available is paramount.

    15. #15
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      Quote Originally Posted by Clay
      What is "surewall"? Have a link. I wouldn't trust dry stacked walls for a pond over 3' deep myself. That is my impression only and my personal opinion. There is a reason why they put mortar between layer of blocks when they build buildings and not just dry stack. If drystacking was close to the strength of a mortar built wall you would see comercial projects going up this way. Horizontal and vertical rebar in a mortared wall all appropriate for a pond project. Just my opinion.
      Rick
      Rick,

      Dry stacked walls with surface mortor are stronger than mortared walls. Mortar actually weakens the vertical load of a wall, so just dry stacking blocks is stronger than a mortored wall. The surface bonding cement is nessary for horizontal loads of course. This method excedes the strength of mortored walls on both planes. This construction method is catching on fast. You can fill the walls as well but since the walls are stronger its slightly less nessary than with a mortored wall, but still a good idea.

      Surewall - Think of it as stucco with fiberglass mixed in

      Search for "surface bonding cement", a lot of people refer to it as surewall, b/c that was one of the first brands.

      Here is another that Lowes carries:
      http://www.quikrete.com/diy/QUIKWALL...ingCement.html

      This was used on the pillings of my parents house after it was raised (out of flood zone) I used the leftovers for my pond construction.

      Ryan
      Last edited by Ryan S.; 07-24-2006 at 02:36 PM.

    16. #16
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      Ryan, any links to commercial properties done with this method? I could be wrong and admitted to it. I also can change my opinion with the proper evidence. Until I see something done on a high rise or something though, I have a hard time thinking that drystacking is as strong as conventional mortar. Again, no expert in this area and this is my perception.

      Any links to homes being built this way? Anything being built this way?

      Rick

    17. #17
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      Cross posted. Search for surface bonding cement. You will get millions of results on google. Yes, I have seen it, only on commerical construction in person. Concrete block homes are not that common. This has been covered several times in Dwell Magazine, my favorate, modern construction/living. You will see it commonly used with insulated blocks, which are also catching on in commerical and residental construction. The blocks have foam inserted in, the blocks and surewall are an all-in-one construction.

    18. #18
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      Thanks for the info Ryan.

    19. #19
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      The person I am getting an estimate from just picked up my plans, he is going to give me an estimate based on mortaring the blocks together, digging the hole, pouring footer and the floor. If it is too much I will look into the drystack method.
      I also just got a call from Zoning office today, i dropped my plans off to them 3 weeks ago to see if I need a permit, they had to show it to their attorney . Final decison was NO PERMIT NEEDED all i need is to do is give them a letter of intent that it is for fish and not people. I have been waiting for that answer , now plans are moving into fast forward.

    20. #20
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      Why not DIY it with mortar?

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