Moving bricks from A to B seems simple enough. But there are several challenges that you will need to contend with when transporting bricks. Due to their size and weight, proper planning is essential to ensure there is no risk of injury or property damage.
Most of the time, the responsibility falls with the buyer to assess the delivery point beforehand and provide accurate information on the surroundings. If the truck is unable to access a road or find a suitable parking spot, your delivery can be delayed or even cancelled.
That's why it's essential to be aware of all the challenges associated with brick transport and offloading methods to ensure a prompt and successful delivery every time.
Request a quoteThe challenges
Transporting bricks safely and efficiently can be a difficult task. Each delivery location is different, and it will ultimately come down to the driver's discretion as to whether it's safe to unload. Here are some of the things you need to be aware of when ordering bricks:
1 Site access
Access to your delivery point is extremely important. Are there any potential obstacles that may impact access, such as bridges, narrow lanes, road weight limits, or hills? Is your street narrow or a dead end? Are there low-hanging branches or telephone wires? Delivery trucks are very large, so it's important to make sure that they can enter and leave your street safely. While they will try to offload the goods as close to your delivery point as possible, it's always better to advise of any obstructions on your street or the approaching roads that could impact your delivery.
2 Busy streets
Is your delivery point situated on a busy road or main street? The delivery vehicle will need to park while unloading is taking place, which typically occurs within a 20-minute window (large brick lorries can have a 60-minute delivery window). Therefore, you'll need to check surrounding signs and determine if there are any restrictions within your street (which will vary depending on your area). It's important to check each of the signs around your delivery point and advise accordingly so alternative arrangements can be made if your delivery is impacted.
3 Permits
Are you planning to leave your bricks on the kerb for a few days? Be aware that some areas of the UK may require a permit for any items left kerbside - check with your local council for details. It will be your responsibility to obtain any permits and move your bricks from the delivery point into your property (e.g. moving them up paths and into rear gardens, etc).
Delivery trucks are very large, so it's important to make sure that they can enter and leave your street safely
Delivery methods
At Brickhunter, we use specialist vehicles to safely transport bricks to your preferred delivery site. Some offloading methods may be more suitable and cost-effective than others, depending on the size of your delivery and site location.
1 Pallet truck
For smaller orders, the most cost-effective option is to use a small lorry with a rear tail lift and offload the goods using a pallet truck. This type of delivery is used mainly for residential addresses and is ideal for sites that have restricted access (narrow streets or dead ends). You can also generally organise a next-day delivery and even choose an allocated time (at an extra cost), which can be very helpful if you need bricks in a hurry.
However, the downfall of using a small lorry is that it can only carry a small number of bricks so you might find yourself needing a larger truck or paying for multiple deliveries. Manual pallet trucks can also only be used on hard, flat surfaces (free from gravel) at a location where the goods can be manually manoeuvred off the tail lift to the kerbside without causing any damage. Therefore, if your property is situated on a steep hill, grass, or gravel, alternative delivery arrangements might need to be made, unless there is a forklift on site that can offload for you.
2 Crane offloading
If you need more than a few packs of bricks, it's likely that the best method of delivery will be with a specialist crane vehicle. If you're building an extension or working on a large construction site, you will most likely need quite a few packs to complete your project so this will be the recommended delivery method.
Crane offloading can be suitable for most residential addresses, although you will need to ensure that access isn't restricted in any way as there will need to be sufficient space to unload off the side of the lorry safely. You will need to be aware of any overhead power or telephone lines that might impact the crane (generally 3 metres from overhead obstructions).
3 Articulated lorry with forklift
Another offloading method is to utilise an articulated lorry. This would be an ideal delivery method for a full housing development or large-scale project where a forklift is available to offload the bricks. This provides a lot of flexibility on site. For instance, you can easily move pallets or packs of bricks (as long as there is suitable access), stack them on top of each other, and offload them where access is restricted.
The lorry, however, will require a suitable parking space close to the delivery location. This can make it a little more difficult for residential addresses. It's also more expensive than other delivery methods, although it does offer more flexibility. If you don't have a forklift on site already, we can have your bricks delivered by a vehicle containing a moffatt - a small forklift often used to unload in tricky locations.
Checks and balances
Delivering your bricks safely and efficiently is our top priority. Here's a handy set of questions to consider when placing your next order:
Site access
⦿ Are the roads narrow, or is it an unmade track?
⦿ Are parked cars likely to obstruct access?
⦿ Is your road a dead end and can the truck safely turn around?
⦿ Are there any low hanging branches, low bridges, single narrow lanes, road weight limits or steep hills at (or approaching) your delivery point?
Offloading
⦿ Are there suitable parking spaces near your delivery point?
⦿ Can the truck safely park during offloading?
⦿ Do you require delivery on a red route or restricted unloading road?
⦿ Do you need to apply for any permits? (unloading or leaving items kerbside)
⦿ Is the delivery area flat, and free of gravel or uneven paving?
⦿ Can bricks be manoeuvred into a suitable location?
Communication
⦿ Have you provided us with the correct location details?
⦿ Will you or somebody appointed by you, be on site to sign for the goods?
We're here for you...
There you have it! Everything you need to know about brick transport. If you have any specific questions - make sure you mention it to our team when you contact us.
If you need help choosing the right type of brick for your project, our free Brick Selection service could be just what you need. Or if you'd prefer to browse bricks for yourself, we have more than 3,600 options to choose from - with fantastic cheap and reclaimed lines - in our Brick Library!
Plus, our expert Brick Advisors are standing by to help you figure out how many bricks you'll need to buy for your project, then source them and find you the best price - we'll even arrange delivery too.
