Coping stones - how long to replace?

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Hopefully someone can help with this!

I am trying to get the coping stones on my garden wall replaced. There are about 40 stones to remove, to be replaced with less than 30 stones which will be larger than the existing ones. I’ve had difficulty trying to find a bricklayer and getting them to quote because it’s such a small job. I managed to find someone who could do it - and they have said that it is a full day’s work for 2 bricklayers and 1 labourer. Without wishing to devalue the work bricklayers do, this seems excessive, doesn’t it? Does anyone have any idea roughly how long it should take to remove 40 stones and replace with 30 please?

I recognise I’ll probably have to pay for an entire day’s labour even if it will take less than a day, especially as bricklayers seem to be in high demand at the moment. I just don’t want to be ripped off…

Grateful for any advice on this!

I'm sure I read somewhere that a good bricklayer would aim to lay up to 1000 bricks on a big commercial project, or at least about 500+ on a more fiddly project like a house extension. On that basis allowing a whole day for three people to remove and replace a few dozen coping stones might seem a bit ... generous.

On small jobs though, you need to consider that getting materials, setting up on site with sand, cement, mixer, coping stones etc. all takes a while, clearing everything up at the end of the day will also need a bit of time, disposing of the old coping stones will need time too.

Bearing all this in mind, allowing a day starts to seem reasonable. Even if they finish at 2 or 3pm, it'll be too late to start another job the same day.

The only thing I'd possibly question is whether a second skilled bricklayer is needed on the job - one brickie and a labourer are making short work of building our extension at the moment.

Thank you - I thought the same. I’m not sure why a second bricklayer is needed either. I expected 1 bricklayer and 1 labourer would be able to do it comfortably in less than a day, which obviously reduces the cost significantly! As an aside - is £190 a reasonable day rate for a bricklayer and £110 for a labourer? We’re in the South East. It looks to a sensible rate.

I agree - one brickie and one labourer. And yes I think those rates are reasonable.

Is it a stone laying or a brick laying job? Making or repairing a wall is very different to new build bricklaying. Skilled stone workers are difficult to come by and charge accordingly.

I really don't think a bricklayer is required for a few coping stones. Any small builder would be more than capable of doing this.

I'm no brickie and I'd happily do this small job myself.