Editorial Policy
Last updated: 2026-05-02
Who writes this site
Every review and article on The Earl of Bricks is written by Robert Earl, the site's founder. There are no guest contributors, no sponsored content writers, and no content farms. If a page is on this site, Robert wrote it or personally reviewed it before publication.
How reviews are conducted
Reviews are based on hands-on builds. A set must be physically built - either purchased outright or received as a review sample - before it can be reviewed. We do not write reviews from box photography, press releases, or second-hand accounts. The build experience section of every review reflects real time spent with the actual product.
When a set is provided by the manufacturer for review, it is disclosed at the top of the review page. This disclosure appears whether or not the review is positive. Manufacturer provision does not affect scoring.
The scoring system
Every set is scored on five categories, each rated out of 10:
- Build Experience - the quality of the build process from start to finish
- Technique Value - interesting or instructive building techniques and parts usage
- Parts Haul - usefulness of the parts for further building or MOCing
- Display Quality - how the finished set looks on a shelf or in a layout
- Value for Money - price-per-piece ratio and comparison to equivalent sets
The overall score is an unweighted average of the five. A set with a weak parts haul can still score well overall if the build and display categories are strong. Scores are assigned by Robert and are not adjusted based on manufacturer feedback or affiliate arrangements.
Third-party sets
The Earl of Bricks reviews official LEGO sets alongside third-party building sets from Lumibricks and LetBricks. Third-party reviews use the same five-category scoring system and the same editorial standards. We identify clearly on every review whether a set is official LEGO or a third-party alternative.
Accuracy and updates
Prices, availability, and set details change over time. We update reviews when significant changes occur - typically when a set retires, when pricing shifts substantially, or when new information comes to light that affects the score or recommendation. The modification date at the top of each page reflects the last substantive update.
Affiliate links are checked periodically for accuracy. Dead or redirected links are corrected on a rolling basis.
Affiliate disclosure
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence our scores, recommendations, or which sets we choose to review. We review sets we would recommend regardless of whether an affiliate link exists for them.
Current affiliate partners:
- Amazon Associates (tag:
earlofbricks-20) - LEGO.com via Rakuten (
rakuten.com) - Lumibricks (
lumibricks.com) - LetBricks (
letbricks.com, tag:?ref=theearlofbricks)
Corrections
Found a factual error - a wrong piece count, an incorrect price, a misidentified technique? We want to know. Reach out through the contact link in the site footer. Corrections are reviewed within five business days. If a correction is confirmed, the page is updated and the change is noted.
Content standards
- Every review is based on a physical build, not box photography or press materials.
- Scores are assigned after completing the build, not during or before.
- Affiliate relationships are disclosed on every page that contains one.
- Pages that no longer meet our quality standard are either updated or removed from Google's index - not left up to decay.
- We do not write negative reviews of sets we have not personally built.