Garden and yard walls
A low stone wall can edge a yard, a patio or a path, and we lay it to line up with what's already there so it looks like it belongs.
Stone masonry in Chino CA - walls and veneer built for the upkeep you want
Loose stones, a bare block wall or a yard that needs a wall? We'll help you pick stonework you'll be glad to own.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What stone masonry involves and what sets the price
Stone masonry in Chino, CA means building walls and facings from stone. That can be natural stone laid dry or set in mortar, or manufactured stone veneer over a solid wall, and when it's done right you get stonework that holds its shape with the upkeep you planned on.
Most calls start with a wall that's dropping stones, a plain block wall someone wants dressed up, or a slope that needs a planter wall, and the first thing I want to know is what you need the wall to do. The price mostly moves with the wall's length and height, natural stone or manufactured veneer, dry-stack or mortar, and how much footing or backing-wall work comes first. The schedule turns on whether the city needs a permit and inspections, and on hot spells, because fresh stonework can't be left to bake dry. I'll come out, look at it with you and write the estimate, so you'll have a real figure for your own wall.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out myself, ask a lot of questions and look at what's behind the stone, so the estimate covers the real problem and not just the part you can see.
Our own crew, checked as it goes
Our own crew lays the stone, not a crew we've never met, and I check on the work as it goes so problems get caught while they're still easy to fix.
Repairs that take some figuring
Since 2017 we've been known for the tricky repairs, like cracked walls and worn joints, and I'd rather save good stone than tear it out for a quick patch.
How we plan and build your stone wall
Before anything gets built, I walk the spot with you and we talk through dry-stack or mortared stone by what each one asks of you down the road, because a good-looking wall you don't want to look after isn't the right wall. If it's veneer, I take a close look at the wall it's going on. Then our crew lays out the line, digs and sets any footing the wall needs, sorts the stone so the best faces show, and sets it course by course, fitting each piece tight on a dry wall or bedding it in mortar and tooling the joints on a mortared one. We clean the stone and the site as we finish, and I check on the work the whole way through.
Stone often sits next to other masonry that needs attention too. If old brick beside a mortared stone wall has worn joints, brick pointing on the same job keeps the two looking and weathering alike. If the stone is going against a house, I check the base first, and when it's cracked or settling we start with foundation repair, because good stone set on a moving base won't stay good for long.
Where stone masonry works around the house
Planter and retaining walls
On a slope or around a raised bed, the wall has to drain and stay put, so we plan the footing and the drainage behind it before we pick the stone.
Stone veneer on block walls
A plain block wall or a house wall can take a stone facing, which dresses the wall without carrying any weight, so we plan the veneer around the wall that's already there.
Fixing old stone walls
Loose caps, missing stones and worn joints are the repairs I like best, because there's usually a reason the wall failed, and once we fix that we can often reuse your stone.
Get an estimate for your stone wall
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time, then I'll come out, look at the wall with you and write a free estimate, with no obligation.
Free on-site estimate
I come to your place because stonework depends on the ground, the wall that's there now and the access, and none of that shows up well over the phone.
Size, condition and a few photos
If you can, note the wall's rough length and height, tell us what shape it's in now and add a few photos, so I show up with the right questions.
No pressure to decide
Pick dry-stack, mortar or veneer after we've talked it through, with no rush to decide on the spot, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Stone and brick masonry examples
These examples show dry-stacked and mortared stone, stone veneer and pointed brick joints, so you can show me what you like when we meet.
Stone masonry questions from Chino homeowners
Here are straight answers to what people ask us most about stone walls, veneer, permits and licensing before they decide on a job.
Should my stone wall be dry-stack or mortared?
Generally, pick dry-stack if you'd rather reset a stone now and then, and mortar if you'd rather plan on joint work years from now. A dry wall stays up by fit, thickness and gravity, and its open joints let water drain. A mortared wall still needs drainage, a cap and the right mortar, and its stiff joints can't ride out soil or foundation movement.
How much does stone veneer installation cost?
Across the US, stone veneer installation usually runs about $15 to $45 per square foot, and that's a national range for the installed facing, not our price. Where your job lands depends on the stone, the wall's size and height, and how much prep the wall underneath needs. Your own figure comes from the estimate after I've seen the wall.
Do I need a permit for a stone wall in Chino?
We find that out before work starts, and when your wall needs a permit, we apply for it and plan the work around the city's inspections. If it isn't clear, we check with the city's building office first. If your lot is in a mapped liquefaction zone, where the ground can go soft in a quake, permitting may require studying and reducing that hazard.
What does Chino inspect on a block or retaining wall?
The city's wall standard lists three inspections: the footing with the steel in place, a check before grout goes in, and a final after grout but before any decorative cap, so the cap goes on last. The city's design criteria also put Chino in Seismic Zone D and mark a soils report, a study of the ground under the work, as required.
Who is licensed to do stone masonry in California?
In California, the state licensing board has a masonry contractor classification that covers installing natural and manufactured stone in walls and fences, with or without mortar. That's stone set dry or in mortar, natural or manufactured. We're licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask me about it when I come out.
How long does manufactured stone veneer last?
A masonry trade group's install guide says veneer put up to its practices helps the system perform as intended for decades, and that field workmanship tends to be the main cause of problems. The guide calls for a sound backing wall, not a deteriorating one, and rules out EIFS foam-and-stucco systems as a base. It's fair to ask any installer, us included, how they follow that guide.
Call us about your stone wall
We're based in Chino and work in the cities around it, so call (909) 479-6261 or use the form and I'll come take a look.