Stone veneer installation in Wake Forest NC - stone set on a wall that's ready for it
Tired of plain siding or bare block on your house? We check the wall first, then set stone that looks right and holds up.
What's involved in adding stone veneer to a Wake Forest house?
Stone veneer installation in Wake Forest means fitting stones onto a prepared wall to give your house a stone look. Most of the job happens before the first stone goes on, because the wall gets checked and built up in layers first.
Most people who call us are looking at a plain block foundation, an older brick wall or tired siding and picturing stone on it. The price moves with how much wall we're covering, the stone you pick, how much work the wall needs before stone can go on, and the trim work around windows, doors and corners. The schedule turns mostly on the weather, since cold snaps and very hot spells add steps to protect fresh work, and on how much prep your wall needs. After I see the wall, I'll put in writing what we'd do and why, and if the job needs a permit, we'll work out with you which office covers your address.
How we handle stone veneer installation
I start by checking that the wall behind is sound, because stone is only as good as what it's stuck to, and if there's soft brick, rot or loose block, we fix that before any stone goes on. I'd rather fix the cause than cover it up. Then our masons prep the surface and build it up in the layers the stone maker calls for, so the stone has a solid base to bond to. We take extra care around windows, flashing, the thin metal that steers water away from openings, and the ground line, because those are the spots where veneer walls tend to let water in. Once the stone is set, we fill and finish the joints and clean up before we leave.
Sometimes the wall you want covered isn't built yet. Our crew puts up concrete block walls for freestanding and site walls, and we handle foundation block wall installation for additions and new foundations, so the stone goes onto a clean, sound face from the start.
Why Wake Forest homeowners call Premier Wake Forest Concrete & Masonry for stone veneer
I walk your wall myself
I come out to look at the job and write the estimate myself, and our own masons do the work while I check in as it goes. The person who saw your wall is the one keeping an eye on it.
Trained on working masons' crews
I learned this trade from the masons I scheduled each morning, first by asking questions and then by working on their crews, and I started this business in 2020. That's why I explain what I'm seeing on your wall instead of just handing you a number.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, so you're not carrying the risk while our crew works on ladders and scaffolding around your house. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Historic Wake Forest homes planned first
For historic district homes in Wake Forest, we plan around the town's approval before any work starts. That way no stone goes up on a wall the town hasn't signed off on.
On a veneer job, what's behind the stone decides how well it holds up, so the first step is letting me see your wall. Call (984) 237-6028 or send us your project with your address, what the wall is made of and a few photos.
Get a written stone veneer estimate for your wall
We reply within one business day, and the estimate is free, done at your property and comes with no obligation. I'll set a time to walk the wall with you, point out what I see and put in writing what we'd do and why. If you can, include your address, whether the wall is wood frame, brick or block, and a few photos so I come prepared.
Stone veneer work up close
Questions before you book stone veneer installation
How much does stone veneer installation cost in Wake Forest?
Stone veneer installation in the Raleigh area usually costs about $2,200 to $8,600 per job, and that's what the work typically runs around here, not our quote. A dry-stack look, where the stones fit tightly together, calls for more stone than the standard method, so expect a bigger stone order if you like that style. I'll give you your own figure in writing after I see the wall.
How do I know if my wall can take stone veneer?
The masonry industry's veneer guide says it should go only over sound walls, not over walls that are deteriorating or over exterior insulation and finishing systems, the foam-backed stucco finish some houses have. Brick, block and poured concrete walls also need to be clean, free of dirt, paint or waterproofing, and able to soak up water so the mortar bonds. An older painted or sealed wall may need cleaning before the stone goes on.
What goes on a wood-frame wall before the stone?
One stone maker's instructions show a wood-frame wall prepared with sheathing, then layers of water barrier, then metal lath and a scratch coat of mortar for the stone to grab onto. Each layer goes on in that order, so there are several steps before you see any stone.
What causes stone veneer to fail?
Workmanship in the field is usually the main source of problems, more than the stone itself, and veneer installed to the industry guide can perform as intended for decades. Failures have been seen where pipes and vents pass through the wall, at the water barrier, at flashing and at the grade along the ground. Ask whoever you hire how they handle each of those spots on your wall.
Can stone veneer be installed in cold or hot weather?
Yes, but the industry spec calls for protecting new stonework at 40°F or colder, and protecting it from drying too fast above 100°F. A job in that kind of weather adds protection steps before, during and after the stone goes up, which can stretch the schedule.
How do I find out who issues permits for my address in Wake Forest?
If you're inside the town's jurisdiction, Wake Forest's Inspections Department provides permitting services, and if you're in an unincorporated area, Wake County Inspections & Permits serves you. Search your address on the county's iMaps website, and if the planning jurisdiction shows "WC," Wake County is your office. The county's list of work that needs no permit names exterior siding replacement, not stone veneer, so that list doesn't settle it for this job. We'll sort out the paperwork side with you.
Work that often comes before stone veneer
- Concrete block walls
If the wall you want in stone doesn't exist yet, a new block wall gives you a strong base for a garden wall, garage or outbuilding.
- Foundation block wall installation
Building an addition or replacing a failing foundation wall comes before any stone skirt along the bottom of the house, and a solid block foundation is what that stone needs.