Stone veneer installation in El Dorado Hills CA - stone set on a solid, dry wall
Tired of a plain block or stucco wall? We check the wall first, then set stone that looks right and sheds water.
Find out if your wall is ready
Call (916) 260-2151 or use the form, because a few minutes at the wall usually tells us whether it's ready for stone or needs work first.
What does stone veneer installation involve in El Dorado Hills?
Stone veneer installation in El Dorado Hills means fixing a thin, lightweight facing, cast from a cement-based mix, to an existing wall so it looks like solid stone without carrying any of the house's weight.
Most folks who call P&J El Dorado Hills Concrete & Masonry about stone veneer have a plain wall they're tired of looking at, like a bare foundation, a front entry, a porch column or a fireplace. The price mostly comes down to the square footage, how many corners and windows we cut around, the stone you pick and how much work the wall needs before any stone goes on, and the schedule turns on that same prep and on the weather. You get your own figure in the written estimate I put together after I've seen the wall.
Why El Dorado Hills homeowners call P&J El Dorado Hills Concrete & Masonry for stone veneer
The owner looks at your wall
I come out myself to look at the wall and write the estimate, and our own crew does the work under a lead mason. Your questions get answered by the person who checks on the job while it's going.
Building to pass inspection since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, and I learned masonry on a city public works crew where every wall had to pass inspection. That's why I care most about the layers behind the stone.
Licensed and insured in California
We're fully licensed and insured. The California Contractors State License Board requires a license when a job needs a building permit, uses employees or runs $1,000 or more in labor and materials, so ask any installer for theirs.
With stone veneer, how the crew puts it up matters as much as the stone you pick, because an industry installation guide names field workmanship as the main source of trouble when veneer doesn't hold up. Call or send us a message and I'll come take a look at your wall.
How we handle stone veneer installation
Before any stone goes up, I check that the wall behind it is solid and clean, because a weak wall or one coated in paint or sealer will let good stone down, so we fix or strip that first. Then our crew puts on the water barrier and flashing, trowels on the scratch coat, which is the rough first layer of mortar the stone grabs onto, and sets each piece, cutting stones to fit around corners, windows and outlets. We fill and tool the joints where the style calls for it, clean off the stone face and haul away the scraps.
Stone veneer only looks as good as the wall it's on, so a lot of our veneer work starts with the masonry underneath. If you're adding a garden or property wall, we can build it with concrete block walls that take stone well, and if you're putting on an addition, foundation block wall installation gives you a sound base whose exposed face we can cover in stone.
Wainscot and accent walls
Stone along the lower few feet of a house or across one front wall suits you if you want the look without facing the whole place. It's also the easiest way to cover a bare foundation strip.
Fireplaces and indoor walls
A stone fireplace surround or feature wall suits a room that needs a focal point. The veneer is light enough that most indoor walls take it once we've checked what's behind the drywall.
Columns, planters and garden walls
Wrapping porch columns, planters or a yard wall in stone suits you if you want the outside to match the house. These smaller jobs are a good way to try a stone before facing a bigger wall.
How do you know if your wall needs work before stone goes on?
Peeling paint or sealer
Paint, sealer or a slick coating on the wall usually means mortar won't grab it well. Skip the stripping and the new stone can let go in sheets, which costs more to redo.
Cracks or crumbling block
Cracked stucco, soft mortar joints or block that dusts off under your thumb tells you the wall needs repair first. Cover it with stone and the problem keeps working underneath where you can't see it.
Damp spots at the base
Dark stains or a damp line near the bottom of the wall usually mean water is sitting against it. Stone set over that traps the moisture, so sort out the water first.
Old stone coming loose
Loose or fallen pieces of existing veneer usually point to a poor bond or water behind it. Leave it and more stones follow, while water works further into the wall with every rain.
What happens when you call about stone veneer in El Dorado Hills?
Call and walk the wall
I come out myself to look over the wall with you and talk about the stone you like, then send a written estimate. If the job needs a permit, we handle it before we start.
Our crew preps and sets stone
Our lead mason and crew fix what the wall needs, put up the water barrier and set the stone. I stop by to check on the work, so ask me anything while I'm there.
Walk the finished wall together
When the stone is up and the joints are done, we walk the finished wall with you. The scraps and mortar get cleaned up before we leave.
Stone veneer questions we hear
These are the questions I hear most about stone veneer around El Dorado Hills. If yours isn't here, call or send a message and ask about your own wall.
How much does stone veneer installation cost in El Dorado Hills?
Installed stone veneer across the US usually costs about $20 to $35 per square foot, and that's for stone put on the wall, not just the stone itself. The prep your wall needs is usually what pushes a job up or down within that range. I'll look at your wall and send a written estimate for your house.
Will stone veneer work on my wall?
Most likely, because an industry installation guide says virtually any wall can take veneer when it's properly designed and prepared, and its details center on wood or steel framing with rigid sheathing panels and on concrete or block walls. The same guide says to confirm the wall is sound, free of coatings that block bonding and able to carry the stone, and it advises against walls that are deteriorating or covered in exterior insulation and finishing systems, the foam-backed synthetic stucco some houses have.
How does water drain from behind stone veneer?
On a framed wall, industry guidance calls for two separate layers of water barrier, lapped like shingles starting from the bottom, so any water behind the stone runs down the inner layer and out through the flashings, the strips that steer water off the wall. The outer layer keeps the scratch coat off that drain path. A rainscreen, a small gap behind the stone, is an optional step that drains stray water better and helps the wall dry faster.
What is the best way to schedule stone veneer around hot or cold weather?
Build protection into the schedule, because one industry specification calls for protecting new veneer at 40°F or less, and from fast drying above 100°F, before, during and after the work. If your job lands in a cold snap or a heat wave, that can mean covering the wall or working at a different time of day.
Can I split a stone veneer job into smaller contracts so I don't need a licensed contractor in California?
No, a larger project can't be broken into smaller amounts to fit under the state's $1,000 license exemption. That exemption only covers work with no building permit, no employee labor and combined labor and materials under $1,000, and a veneer wall rarely fits all three.
How do I plan a stone veneer project in El Dorado Hills?
Start by looking up your address on El Dorado County's Fire Hazard Severity Zone map, which marks areas as moderate, high or very high fire hazard, so you know where your house sits before we plan exterior work. California also set special legal requirements for home improvement contracts to head off misunderstandings between owners and contractors, so read your contract closely and ask me about anything that isn't clear.
Get a written stone veneer estimate
Send us your wall type, a rough square footage and a few photos, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out for a free look at your property and send a written estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Stone veneer looks to consider
Work that goes with stone veneer
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