What workers' comp costs masonry contractors in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Masonry businesses in Broward County

The Census Bureau counted 61 masonry contractors (NAICS 238140) establishments in Broward County in 2023, with 729 paid employees on their payrolls.

That is 4.4% of the 1,392 such establishments statewide, and the sixth highest count among the nine counties that hold the ten cities in this guide series.

Annual payroll at those firms works out to about $59,121 per employee, which is the number that drives a workers' comp premium.

Within Fort Lauderdale's own postal ZIP codes there were 9 masonry contractor establishments in 2023.

Masonry firms make up 1.1% of the 5,558 construction establishments in Broward County.

For masonry contractor firms, Broward County's average pay of $59,121 sits above Palm Beach County ($51,377).

The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 670 brickmasons and blockmasons in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area in May 2024, at a median wage of $24.13 an hour, above the Florida median of $24.03.

At that metro median, one full-time worker earns about $50,190 a year, which adds roughly $2,620 of class 5022 premium.

2026 Florida class codes and rates

Rates are the 2026 Florida manual rates published by the FWCJUA, matching the NCCI filing approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation for policies effective on or after January 1, 2026.

How masonry contractors are classified

Block, brick and stone work is 5022, Masonry NOC, at $5.220 per $100. Concrete block is the dominant exterior wall system in Florida homes, so masons here spend more time on structural CMU walls and tie-beams than on decorative veneer. Stucco and plastering use a separate class, so a mason that also applies stucco should record that payroll apart. Two rules shape masonry claims in Florida. OSHA's respirable crystalline silica standard for construction (29 CFR 1926.1153) applies whenever block or stone is cut or ground, so wet saws, vacuum shrouds and respirators are part of the job. And because most Florida exterior walls are reinforced concrete block, masons spend long stretches setting rebar, grouting cells and forming tie-beams at the top of the wall, which is where scaffold falls and overhead strains happen.

At audit

• Stucco and plastering payroll belongs in a separate class, so masons who also stucco should record those hours apart.
• Laborers who mix mortar and stock block for the masons are rated in 5022 with the crew.

Permits and licensing in Fort Lauderdale

In Fort Lauderdale, the City of Fort Lauderdale Development Services (LauderBuild) handles masonry work under the building permit. Under section 440.103 of Florida law, a masonry business has to show proof of workers' comp or an exemption to receive a building permit.

Fort Lauderdale permits and inspections run through the city's LauderBuild system, and contractor certificates of competency are issued by Broward County, which says it licenses over 12,000 tradespeople through its Central Examining Board. Broward is the second county in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so exterior work follows the same stricter product-approval and inspection rules as Miami-Dade. The city's canal network and the Port Everglades area keep marine and waterfront projects a steady part of the work.

Fort Lauderdale's work runs from oceanfront condo towers and hotels on the barrier island to marine projects along the New River and Intracoastal, plus Port Everglades and airport-area commercial work. Many older condo buildings are going through the inspection and repair cycle required by Florida's 2022 condominium safety law, which keeps concrete restoration, waterproofing and masonry crews busy. Large condo and marine owners usually ask for certificates, waivers of subrogation and, for waterfront work, USL&H. Port Everglades, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, and the airport next to it generate steady commercial and infrastructure work, while Las Olas Boulevard and the downtown core keep office, retail and residential towers in the pipeline. The city runs its own water and sewer utility, and its aging pipe network has been the focus of large replacement projects, which brings underground and plumbing crews into public work.

• Waterfront and marina jobs can bring federal USL&H exposure alongside state workers' comp.
• High-rise condo recertification and repair work under Florida's post-Surfside rules keeps concrete and masonry crews busy.

Common claims for masonry contractors in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale masons work on concrete block repairs for older condo buildings and new low-rise construction. HVHZ masonry walls need reinforced cells and tie-beams inspected before covering, adding scaffold time per wall.

• Falls from scaffolds while laying upper courses
• Back injuries from lifting block, which Florida builders use heavily for exterior walls
• Silica dust exposure from cutting block and stone
• Struck-by injuries from dropped block and mortar buckets
• Hand injuries from saws and trowels

What to have ready for a Fort Lauderdale masonry quote

• Payroll for your Fort Lauderdale masonry work, split by class (5022) and with office staff listed separately
• Certificates or exemptions for every sub on your Fort Lauderdale jobs, checked in the Proof of Coverage database
• Three years of loss runs for the masonry business, plus your current experience modifier if you have one
• Recent permits pulled with the City of Fort Lauderdale Development Services (LauderBuild), which show the volume and type of Fort Lauderdale work
• Any jobs planned outside Broward County or outside Florida this year, so the policy covers them

Questions from Fort Lauderdale masonry contractors