Gifts for brickies sit in the $30–$100 bracket: a funny bricklayer tee ($34.95–$39.95), gear that protects knees and hands, and nothing engraved on a trowel. A brickie's trowel is a personal relationship formed over years — gift around it, never at it.
1. A brickie tee (straight-ish lines guaranteed)
Our brickie tees run $34.95–$39.95 on heavyweight 220gsm AS Colour cotton, printed to order in Melbourne. The trio: Straight Line — Straight-ish, a grinning roo whose course is tracking somewhere near the string; Big Lay Day — Laid Down Instead, a koala asleep on the pallet; and Brickie's Labourer — Cheapest Forklift Going for the bloke who's hauled the hod and has the spine to prove it.
2. Knees, hands, sun — in that order
Quality knee pads and gloves by the multipack are the brickie equivalent of flowers: unglamorous, adored. Add proper sunscreen and a box of marking pencils and you've covered the consumables he burns through and never buys ahead of time. $30–$50 well spent.
What not to buy
An engraved trowel (see above — it's like buying a chef a knife with a joke on it), a spirit level (personal, calibrated, already loved), and "World's Best Brickie" mugs — the site mug he's got has been through more than most marriages.
FAQ
How much should I spend on a bricklayer gift?
$30–$100. The tee works standalone at $34.95–$39.95; tee plus knee pads and gloves lands a complete, daily-use gift near $90. Sorting a whole gang? Three tees saves $10, four saves $15, automatic at checkout.
What size tee should I get?
Size up if you're guessing — brickwork is a physical trade and the tee goes over layers half the year. Every shirt is printed to order, so change-of-mind returns, wrong sizes included, aren't covered. Check the size chart before locking in.
When should I order for Christmas?
First week of December, no later. Printed to order in Melbourne, standard delivery 8–15 business days door to door, and the pre-Christmas queue stretches it. Express at checkout is there when the deadline's already been laid.
Mixed trades on the list? The general tradie guide covers everyone, and the full wall of options is in Tradie Tees & Smoko Gear.