Can I open a wall between two rooms myself?

It depends on the type of wall. A non-load-bearing wall is simpler to deal with, but a load-bearing wall requires a civil engineer's calculation and often a permit. If in doubt, have the wall identified before anyone swings a sledgehammer, and check with your municipality.

Do I need a permit for a garden wall or a small extension?

Often yes, especially for an extension, but the rule depends on the municipality, the zone and the canton. Depending on the canton, the application goes through the municipality, the prefecture or a cantonal platform. Check with the municipality or the relevant cantonal office before you start.

What training does a Swiss mason have?

The trade is learned through a CFC (federal vocational certificate) as a mason, a recognised initial vocational training in Switzerland. This qualification does not replace checking the contract, the insurance and the company's references, which you can ask for in the quote.

How long is a mason liable for their work?

The Code of Obligations (CO) provides five years for defects in a building work (art. 371 CO) and two years for a movable work. If the contract refers to the SIA 118 standard, its provisions apply in addition. Report any defect in writing as soon as you notice it.

Why can two masonry quotes be very different?

Because the scope is not always the same: rubble removal, propping, finishes, site access, the engineer's calculation. Compare what each quote includes and excludes before comparing the total.

Does a concrete or stone repair justify a quote?

Yes, because the cause of the crack or chip matters as much as the repair itself. Damp, ground movement or ageing of the material do not call for the same treatment. A professional needs to see the work in order to propose a suitable solution.

Masonry in Western Switzerland: walls, slabs, foundations

Masonry covers all work on the masonry structure of a building or its surroundings: walls, openings, foundations, slabs, low walls, small extensions, and concrete and stone repairs. It is a structural trade, where a mistake often costs you years later.

On sos-travaux.ch, you describe your project online; the request is passed on to craftspeople and companies in your area, who contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote. This page presents the trade, the rules that matter in Western Switzerland and how to prepare your request.

What masonry covers, from the cellar wall to the garden wall

A mason works with brick, block, concrete, and natural or reconstituted stone. The most frequent jobs are the following:

Building or repairing walls: masonry partition, dividing wall, retaining wall.
Opening in a wall: a passage between two rooms, a new door, a large opening, whether the wall is load-bearing or not.
Foundations: for an annex, a shelter, a garage or underpinning.
Slabs: terrace, garage or cellar slab, or a concrete floor during a conversion.
Low walls: masonry fence, garden border, retaining wall for a slope.
Small extensions: conservatory on a base, technical room, enlarging a room.
Concrete and stone repairs: cracks, chips, deteriorated joints, damaged facing, repairing an outdoor staircase.

These jobs overlap with other trades: a sloping plot calls for a carefully built retaining wall and drainage, old stone needs a hand used to traditional materials, and almost any major conversion raises the question of a building permit.

When to call a mason rather than do it yourself

Some tasks remain within reach of a good DIY enthusiast: repointing a small section of wall or filling a superficial crack. However, a professional is needed as soon as the structure is involved:

you want to open or remove a wall and do not know whether it is load-bearing;
a crack is widening, runs through a wall or reappears after repair;
you are pouring foundations or a slab that will carry a load;
the ground is sloping or unstable and the wall holds back earth;
the work touches the boundary of the plot or a neighbouring building.

In these situations, mistakes do not show straight away: settlement, water ingress, cracks on the upper floors. It is better to have the structure examined before starting the work.

Load-bearing walls in Western Switzerland: engineer’s calculation and permit

Opening a load-bearing wall cannot be improvised. It requires a civil engineer’s calculation that determines the replacement beam or lintel, the supports and the temporary propping during the work. The operation also often requires a permit. If you are a tenant, the landlord’s agreement is essential; in a co-ownership building, the wall may be part of the common areas and require a decision by the owners’ meeting.

A reliable mason does not start without these documents. If a company offers to open a load-bearing wall without involving an engineer, that is a warning sign.

The mason’s CFC and standards: what governs the trade in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the trade is learned through an initial vocational training leading to a CFC (federal vocational certificate) as a mason. This qualification attests to basic training, but it says nothing about experience with your particular type of job. For old stone, a concrete repair or a retaining wall, ask for comparable projects.

The contract may refer to the SIA 118 standard (from the Swiss society of engineers and architects), which sets general conditions for construction work. If so, it is among the documents you sign; read it or have it read before committing.

Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Jura, Biel/Bienne: different procedures

Permit and energy rules vary from one canton to another. The points below are guidelines, to be confirmed with the municipality or the relevant cantonal office.

Canton of Geneva

Building permits are issued by the canton, through the Office des autorisations de construire. On energy, the cantonal energy law (LEn) and the cantonal energy office (OCEN) govern the work, and the subsidies of the Buildings Programme in Geneva depend on them. The many rental buildings are managed by property agents, who should be informed before any work. The old town and protected districts add constraints.

Canton of Vaud

The building permit is issued by the municipality’s authorities; the file goes through the cantonal permit centre (CAMAC) when cantonal services must give an opinion. Energy falls under the Vaud energy law and the cantonal energy department, with a cantonal subsidy programme. Old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a World Heritage site, call for particular attention, notably for vineyard walls.

Canton of Valais

In a building zone, the permit is issued by the municipality; outside a building zone, by a cantonal commission. Energy depends on the cantonal energy and hydropower service, with a cantonal subsidy programme. For chalets and second homes, the federal law on second homes applies in the municipalities concerned.

Canton of Fribourg

Building permit applications are submitted through the cantonal FRIAC platform, and the permit is issued by the prefecture or the municipality depending on the type of work. Energy falls under the cantonal energy service, with a cantonal subsidy programme. A bilingual canton, it also has protected old towns.

Canton of Neuchâtel

Applications go through the cantonal SATAC desk, with the decision remaining with the municipality. Energy depends on the cantonal energy and environment service, with a cantonal subsidy programme. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, listed by UNESCO, may affect work visible from outside.

Canton of Jura

The permit is issued by the municipality or by the canton depending on the size of the project. Energy falls under the cantonal energy section, with a cantonal subsidy programme. The old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne call for care with stone walls.

Biel/Bienne and the canton of Bern

In Biel/Bienne, the building permit is issued by the municipality or the prefecture depending on the project. Energy depends on the cantonal office for the environment and energy, with a cantonal subsidy programme. Biel/Bienne is officially bilingual, French and German: your documents and correspondence may exist in both languages.

Preparing your masonry quote request

A reliable quote rests on a clear description. Before filling in the form, gather:

the nature of the work: opening, foundation, slab, low wall, repair, extension;
the address and type of property: house, flat, co-owned building, commercial premises;
your status: owner, tenant (with the landlord’s agreement), co-owner;
photos of the wall, the crack or the planned location;
access constraints: floor, narrow courtyard, slope, no lift;
your plans or existing documents, if any, as well as any engineer’s report;
the desired schedule, without presenting it as a requirement if your project is still flexible.

For a project that affects the structure, say whether an engineer has already been appointed and whether a permit has been applied for.

What a reliable masonry quote should detail

A good quote does not fit on one line. It distinguishes:

the precise description of the work and materials;
site preparation: protecting the rooms, propping, demolition;
the handling and removal of rubble;
finishes included or not (plaster, rendering, repainting);
excluded services, for example the engineer’s calculation or the permit application;
payment terms and how changes during the work are handled;
any reference to the SIA 118 standard.

Compare quotes line by line. A lower total sometimes hides removal or finishes left to you.

What makes the cost of a masonry job vary

No reliable price can be given without seeing the site. The main factors are:

the scale and complexity of the work, which also depend on the type of wall;
the material (brick, concrete, stone) and its condition;
site access and the transport of materials;
the nature of the ground, particularly if sloping;
the need for an engineer, propping or a permit;
the care required for finishes, notably on exposed stone;
the time of year and the company’s availability.

Only a quote prepared after a description, and often after a visit, reflects your situation.

Legal guarantees after masonry work

The Code of Obligations governs the contractor’s liability. For a building work, the five-year period provided by art. 371 CO applies to defects; for a movable work, it is two years. If your contract refers to the SIA 118 standard, it sets out the details; reread the contract to know what applies to your job.

In practice: inspect the work at handover, note any reservations in writing, keep the quote, the invoice and the correspondence, and report any defect as soon as it appears. In the event of a dispute, these documents matter.

Masonry near you: pages by town

Find the local details for your town:

Cantonal rules are detailed on the pages for the canton of Geneva, canton of Vaud, canton of Valais, canton of Fribourg, canton of Neuchâtel, canton of Jura and canton of Bern.

Is your project ready to be described? You can request a quote: the request is passed on to craftspeople and companies in your area, who contact you for a free, no-obligation quote.

Updated 29 October 2026

Masonry in Western Switzerland