Can I measure wall areas and deduct openings?

Yes. Measure external and internal wall areas from the elevations, then measure and subtract each window and door opening to get the net area, which is what your brick quantity is based on.

Can I estimate brick quantities from the area?

Once you have the net wall area, apply your standard bricks or blocks per square metre to get the quantity. Keeping each elevation in its own layer makes larger jobs easy to total.

Is it accurate enough to quote large jobs?

With the scale set to the plan and snapping on corners, measurements match the drawing, so you can quote sizeable brickwork without scaling off paper or guessing.

How do I work out brick numbers from wall area?

Measure the net wall area in square metres after deducting openings, then multiply by your bricks per square metre, around fifty for standard bricks. MetreMate gives you the area, so the brick count is a quick multiply from there.

How do I measure blockwork separately from brickwork?

Put block and brick on their own layers as you measure the elevations, so each area totals on its own. That keeps your block count and your brick count clean when a job mixes both.

Can I count the number of window and door openings?

Yes. Use the Count tool to tally openings across the elevations while you measure their areas to deduct, so nothing is missed and your net wall area and lintel count both add up.

MetreMate for Bricklayers

Measure wall areas and openings from plans

Work out bricks, sand, and labour from wall areas, deduct openings, and cut wastage, all from architectural plans.

Try MetreMate, it's free See how it works

No credit card needed. Free plan to start, works on Windows and Mac.

Under 90s to your first measurement

Why bricklayers choose MetreMate

Bricklayers use MetreMate to work out bricks, sand, and labour by measuring wall areas straight from elevations and floor plans. Measure the gross wall area, deduct the window and door openings, run the Perimeter tool for the lineal metres of brickwork and damp proof course, and count the windows for sills. Put the numbers into the free MetreMate brick calculator and you cut wastage and wasted money. It runs in your browser, so you can price a job from the plan without counting off a printed elevation.

See how MetreMate compares

Free calculators for your trade

Quick numbers before you open the plan. Every one shows its working.

Quote in minutes, not hours

Set the scale once and measure straight off the PDF. Your first measurement takes under 90 seconds, and it's free to start.

Try MetreMate, it's free

No credit card needed

The slow way, or the smart way

What changes when bricklayers measure in MetreMate instead of off a printout.

Without MetreMate

Counting bricks manually from elevations
Errors in opening deductions
Quoting large jobs without accurate wall areas

With MetreMate

Area tool for bricks, sand, and labour
Perimeter tool for lineal metres and damp proof course
Count tool for windows and sills
Layers Manager to organise by elevation
Pencil tool for freehand mark-ups, and to add your initials or signature by hand

500+

Tradies using MetreMate

50,000+

Measurements taken

90s

Average time to measure

Everything you can measure off the plan

Set the scale once, then pull the quantities bricklayers actually quote on.

Lengths & lineal metres

Any distance, edge, or run measured straight off the plan.

Areas in m²

Trace rooms, slabs, and zones for instant square metres.

Perimeters

Boundary and edge runs totalled for you, no maths.

Counts

Tap to count fixtures, fittings, and symbols with live totals.

Step by step

How bricklayers use MetreMate

1
Bricks, sand, and labour
Use the Area tool on the elevations to work out how many bricks, how much sand, and the labour to price.
2
Lineal metres and damp course
Run the Perimeter tool for the lineal metres of brickwork and damp proof course, then put the numbers into the MetreMate brick calculator.
3
Windows and sills
Count the windows with the Count tool to work out sills, and deduct the openings from the wall area.

Read our how-to guides