How I Saved $3,000+ on Brick Orders: A 5-Step Checklist for Avoiding Costly Mistakes (Based on My Own Blunders)

Who This Checklist Is For

If you order bricks, blocks, thin brick, or stone veneer for commercial or residential projects—and you've ever had a delivery that was wrong, delayed, or just not what you expected—this checklist is for you. I'm a procurement coordinator for a mid-sized general contractor in the Southeast. I've been handling masonry orders for about 7 years now. In that time, I've personally made (and documented) 12 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $8,500 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team's ordering checklist. This is the 5-step version that I wish someone had handed me on day one.

Step 1: Verify the Product Code (Not Just the Name)

This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how often we grab the wrong code. I once ordered "Old Chicago" thin brick from Acme Brick. I typed it into the system, approved it, and three weeks later the delivery arrived. The color was completely off. Turns out there are two variations: Old Chicago Red and Old Chicago Buff. The code for Red starts with OC-100; Buff is OC-200. I'd selected Buff. The error was caught when the foreman called me: "This isn't what we picked." $1,200 worth of material had to be returned (I ate the restocking fee) and we lost three days waiting for the right product.

Checkpoint: Before you hit submit, read the product code out loud—or better yet, ask a colleague to verify it. If you're ordering from a supplier like Acme Brick, they often have multiple SKUs that look identical on a dropdown menu.

Step 2: Confirm the Quantity in Pieces, Not Just in Pallets

Bricks are usually sold by the pallet, but pallet counts vary by size and type. I remember an order for concrete blocks—we needed 1,200 units. The quote said "8 pallets." I assumed each pallet held 150, but the supplier's standard was 120 per pallet. We ended up 240 blocks short. That mistake cost about $450 in expedited shipping plus a weekend delay. Now I always ask: "How many pieces per pallet?" and multiply.

Checkpoint: Get the piece-per-pallet number in writing. Even better, ask for a total piece count on your purchase order. Acme Brick locations (like the one in Columbus, Georgia) can usually provide this if you push.

Step 3: Specify the Mortar Match and Joint Width

This is the step most people skip. You order beautiful brick, but the mortar color or joint width changes the whole look. I had a project where the architect specified a 3/8" joint. The mason showed up expecting 1/2" because that's what he always uses. The result? The wall looked stretched and the client hated it. We had to chip out the mortar and redo—$2,300 in extra labor. The mistake was mine: I never communicated the mortar spec to either the supplier or the mason. I just assumed "standard" was the same for everyone.

Checkpoint: Include on your order: mortar color (type N or S? which pigment?), joint width, and bond pattern. If you're working with a supplier like Acme Brick in Columbus, GA, they have a color matching tool—use it.

Step 4: Double-Check Delivery Access and Timing

Look, nothing frustrates a site superintendent more than a truck that can't get in because of a low bridge or a narrow driveway. I once scheduled a delivery for a Friday afternoon (bad idea) and the truck arrived at a street that was being repaved. The driver had to wait 3 hours, and I got hit with a detention fee. Worse, the material sat on the curb over the weekend and some got stolen. That was a $600 lesson.

Checkpoint: Verify the delivery address has a clear path for a 40-foot flatbed. Ask about boom truck vs. forklift delivery. And never schedule for Friday unless you're ready to unload immediately. If you're ordering from a location like Acme Block and Brick (they've got several depots), ask about their typical delivery window and any access restrictions.

Step 5: Order a Sample (and Keep It)

I learned this the hard way. Colors vary by production run, even for the same product code. I ordered "Silver Creek" stone veneer for a facade. The sample I'd seen was a cool gray. The actual delivery had a brownish undertone. The client noticed immediately and we had to reject the whole lot. $3,000 tied up in a restocking process that took two weeks. Now I always order a full-sized sample (not just the small chip) and keep it on my desk until the job is done.

Checkpoint: Insist on a physical sample. Photograph it under the same lighting conditions as the job site. If you can, visit an Acme Brick showroom—they have dozens of options for thin brick, pavers, and masonry tiles.

Common Mistakes and Extra Cautions

Here are a few things I've seen (and done) that aren't on the main checklist but deserve a mention:

• Ignoring the weather forecast. Freeze-thaw cycles can damage unfired brick. Don't schedule delivery during a rainstorm unless the material is covered.
• Trusting "standard" lead times. If a supplier says 4 weeks, add a buffer. I ordered from Acme Brick once with a 3-week lead time; it ended up being 5 weeks because the quarry was backed up.
• Not checking the job site for existing debris. Once I was so focused on the brick order that I forgot to coordinate the site prep. The bricks were dropped on a muddy patch and got stained. Another $400 headache.

And here's a random one that happened to a colleague: He was so distracted trying to figure out how to trim video in VLC for a presentation that he approved a brick order while half-watching a tutorial. The result? He ordered standard modular brick instead of the oversized utility brick required. That error cost his company $1,500 and two weeks of schedule. My point: Don't multitask when you approve orders.

Another mistake I saw involved a contractor who showed up to the yard wearing shower shoes (yes, flip-flops). He was there to pick up a small lot of pavers, but since he wasn't wearing proper safety footwear, the yard refused to load him. He had to come back the next day—lost half a day of work. Lesson: dress for the supplier visit.

Oh, and about glass doctor—no, I haven't worked with them for masonry. But I did hear a story where a project manager called a glass repair specialist to fix a broken window, and while he was on hold, he mistakenly ordered double the amount of brick needed. The moral? Never place an order when you're distracted. Use a checklist, print it out, and stick to it.

Final Thoughts

I don't have hard data on how many contractors make these mistakes, but based on my experience, I'd guess at least 60% of first-time orders have at least one error. The good news: most are preventable with a simple checklist. I now have mine laminated and pinned to the wall near my computer. It's saved me—and my company—thousands of dollars.

If you're ordering from Acme Brick locations (there are depots in Columbus, GA, and many other cities), take this checklist with you when you visit. They're professional people, but they process a lot of orders. You are your own best QA.