Stone veneer installation in Athens GA - stone fastened to a sound wall
Want stone on a plain foundation, chimney or front wall? We check the wall underneath first, then set manufactured stone that's fastened right.
Can I put stone veneer on my house in Athens?
Stone veneer installation in Athens, GA puts a face of manufactured stone, set in mortar, on an outside wall of your house, fastened well enough that it stays attached to the wall behind it. We're based in Athens and work across the cities around it, with Commerce, Jefferson, Monroe and Winder among them.
Most calls start with a plain foundation, a chimney or a front wall someone wants to look better, and before I price any stone I check the wall underneath, since veneer is only as good as what it's fastened to. Manufactured stone veneer shouldn't go over a wall that's deteriorating or unsound, or over EIFS, the foam board with a stucco-like finish you see on some houses, so that check decides whether stone suits your wall at all. After that, the price mostly moves with how much wall there is, any repair it needs first, and how many corners, windows and edges the stone has to work around, while the schedule turns on permits, any historic review and the weather when the mortar goes on. Your estimate puts your own figure on all of that and says what we'll do and why.
What happens after you call about stone veneer?
Call or send the form
Call (706) 395-0746 or send the form below with a few words about the wall and what's on it now. We'll find a time for me to come out that works for you.
Look at the wall together
I come out myself, hear what you've noticed, answer your questions and look over the wall the stone would go on. Then I write an estimate that says what we'll do and why, with the layers behind the stone described in plain words, because they get covered up fast.
Handle the permit and schedule
Once you say yes, we take care of any permit the job needs and its inspections with the city or county office for your address. Athens-Clarke County says permit processing may take up to 2 days or more, so we build that into the start date.
Build it and walk it
Our crew sets the stone with me working alongside them, and when it's done and cleaned up, we walk the finished wall with you. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How we install stone veneer, and the block walls it often goes on
Once the wall checks out, our crew covers it with a water-resistive barrier, a wrap that sheds any water that gets behind the stone, then fastens lath, a metal mesh the mortar grips, and sets the manufactured stone in mortar piece by piece. Over wood sheathing, the installation standard requires two separate layers of that barrier, because water that gets past the stone needs somewhere to go besides into your wall. The lath matters just as much, since wood and gypsum sheathing don't have the holding power to carry the lath and stone on their own, and fasteners set only in sheathing can work loose when they get wet, so ask me how we fasten it and I'll show you on your wall. On framed walls the guidance also keeps the stone a set distance above the soil and above a driveway or patio, and one building science review found veneer failures mostly on walls that take more rain, so the sides of your house that catch the most weather are where this hidden work counts most.
A lot of stone work starts with block. If you want a stone-faced wall along a yard or drive, we can build the concrete block walls first, and for an addition or a rebuilt section of the house we handle foundation block wall installation, so the stone goes onto new, solid work. When an old block wall is cracked or crumbling, we fix it before any stone goes on, for the same reason we check every wall first.
Get a stone veneer estimate for your wall
We reply to every call and form within one business day, then I set a time to come out, look at the wall with you and write up a free estimate at your home. There's no obligation, so you can take the estimate and think it over.
Stone veneer questions from Athens homeowners
How much does stone veneer installation cost?
Manufactured stone veneer installation across the US usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot. That's a national range for the installed work, not our price, and where your wall lands in it depends on the size, prep and detail I talked about above, which is what your estimate is for.
Can manufactured stone veneer go over brick?
Not by bonding it straight to the brick, since the industry guidance says manufactured stone veneer isn't bonded to clay masonry surfaces. If your house is brick, ask how the stone will attach, and I'll explain it at the estimate once I've looked at your wall.
How do I get a building permit for stone veneer in Athens?
In Athens-Clarke County, building permits go through the Building Inspections Department, which takes applications by email, fax or mail. When your job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections for you as part of the job.
Does my home's historic status matter for stone veneer in Athens?
Yes, if your home is in one of Athens-Clarke County's local historic districts or is a local historic landmark, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before exterior changes like new stone. If that's your house, I'll bring it up early so the review fits into your plans and your start date.
What is the best way to plan stone veneer work in summer or winter?
Plan around the mortar, because the guidance calls for hot-weather steps in mortar work above 90°F and cold-weather steps below 40°F. If your start date lands in the heat or the cold, ask how the crew will handle it, and I'll talk it through with you before we set the date.
Does a stone veneer contractor need a license in Georgia?
Yes, Athens-Clarke County says a Georgia state license is required to practice contracting on work costing $2,500 or more. Georgia law also lets specialty contractors work within their specialty without a residential or general contractor license, so it's fair to ask any installer which license they hold. We're fully licensed and insured.
Other masonry work that goes with stone veneer
Concrete block walls
Need a new wall along a driveway, patio or property line? Block gives you a straight, solid core that can take a stone face later or right away.
Foundation block wall installation
If the house needs a new block foundation under an addition or rebuilt section, getting that wall right first gives any stone you add later firm support.
Get your wall checked before stone goes on
Call (706) 395-0746 or send the form, and if you can tell us what covers the wall now, roughly how big it is and whether your home is in a historic district, I'll come out ready to talk about your job.