Stone masonry in Bonita Springs FL - walls that shed water and stay sound
Bare block wall you want in stone, or stone work starting to crack? We set it with the right mortar over a wall that drains.
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Can I get stone on my wall, and what does it take?
Stone masonry in Bonita Springs means setting stone or block in mortar to build a wall, or facing a sound concrete, block or brick wall with thin stone veneer, so you end up with a solid stone wall or a stone face that stays put.
Most people who call me have a plain wall they want in stone, a stone wall that's opening up at the joints, or a yard wall they want built once and built right. The price moves with the size and height of the wall, the stone you pick and how much work the wall underneath needs first, and the schedule turns on that same prep work plus any design or permit the job calls for. You get your own number in a written estimate after I've seen the wall. If all you need is a thin stone face on a wall that's already there, our stone veneer installation page covers that work on its own.
How our stone masonry jobs go
I start with the wall that's going to carry the stone, because stone only lasts as long as what's behind it. Our crew fixes what needs fixing on that wall, then we work out how water will get off the wall behind the stone before a single piece goes up. We match the mortar to the stone and the job instead of grabbing the strongest bag, so if anything ever cracks, it shows up in a joint we can repoint and not through the stone. Then we set the stone, tool the joints tight and clean up as we go.
Stone work often turns up other jobs. If the brick around it has worn, sandy joints, brick pointing tightens those up so the old work holds as well as the new. If the wall you want covered is cracked because the house is settling, that calls for foundation repair first, and I'd rather tell you that than sell you a stone face that cracks along with the wall.
Stone masonry in Bonita Springs, from flood rules to salt air
The rule that matters most for stone on a house here is the city's 50% flood rule. If your house sits in one of FEMA's mapped flood hazard areas and doesn't meet current flood code, the City of Bonita Springs adds up repair and improvement costs on the building over five years, and once they reach 50% of the building's value, not counting the land, the building has to meet current flood code. So if you're in a flood zone, tell me early and I'll put the full cost in writing so you can see where you stand. Whether your job needs a permit is something we check with the city or county office for your address, and when it does, we file it ourselves, keep you posted and start work once the permit is in hand.
Salt air is the other thing near the Gulf. A summary of Florida Building Code changes describes a new section calling for corrosion resistance in fasteners and metal connectors or plates within 3,000 feet of a saltwater coastline, so close to the water we ask about that before choosing the metal that goes behind the stone. We're based in Bonita Springs and work north into Lee County and south into Collier County, and we see the same salt air on jobs in Estero and Naples.
What stone masonry looks like
Get a written estimate for your stone work
We reply within one business day to set a time, then I come out, look at the wall and write your estimate on site. It's free and there's no obligation, so you can take the written number and think it over.
(239) 256-7568Stone masonry questions from Bonita Springs homeowners
What kind of wall can stone veneer go over?
Poured concrete and concrete block make the best base for thin stone veneer, and an existing brick or block wall works too if it's structurally sound and unpainted. That's from one stone maker's installation guide, which also says the surface has to be clean, dry and free of dust, paint or oil, with cracks repaired. If your wall is painted or cracked, plan on that repair before any stone goes on.
What causes stone veneer to fail?
Water getting in behind it is the most common cause, according to one veneer maker's guide. That maker recommends independent layers of water-resistive barrier, the wrap that keeps water off the wall, over walls sheathed in wood, and where the local code asks for more, the code governs. Ask anyone you hire how the wall behind the stone will drain, and I'll walk you through ours at the estimate.
Does stone work count toward the 50% flood rule in Bonita Springs?
Stone work on the house itself does, because the city counts costs directly associated with the building. Pools, fences, screen enclosures and sheds aren't part of the building, so they fall outside the rule. If your house is in a flood zone, ask for the full cost of the job in writing, which is how our estimates come anyway.
Who checks a contractor's license and insurance in Lee County?
Lee County's Contractor Licensing office verifies contractor licenses and insurance, and it manages contractor registration for permitting in the county. Check with them before you hire anyone for stone work, us included.
How much does stone masonry cost in Bonita Springs?
Your cost is set mostly by the wall's size and height, the stone you choose and how much repair the wall needs before stone goes on. Full stone laid in mortar runs more than thin veneer, and stripping paint, fixing cracks or working on a hard-to-reach wall all add labor. I'll measure on site and write your number down.
How long does it take to put stone on a two-story house?
Plan for a design step before work starts, because one stone maker's guidelines say multi-story installations and high walls need to be designed by a registered design professional, such as a licensed engineer or architect. That design time comes on top of any wall repair and any permit, which both come before stone goes up. Once I've seen the wall, I'll tell you what has to happen first.
Send us photos of your Bonita Springs wall
Call (239) 256-7568, email contact@bonitaspringsmasonryandconcrete.com or use the form with photos of the wall, its material and height, and whether your house is in a flood zone, so I show up already knowing what we're looking at.