Stone veneer installation in Ventura CA - stone that stays put on a sound, dry wall
Got a plain block wall or tired stucco you'd like covered in stone? We check what's behind it first, so the stone stays put.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Is stone veneer a good fit for the wall on your house?
Stone veneer installation in Ventura puts a thin face of stone on a wall you already have, so a yard wall or the lower part of your house looks like solid stone. Manufactured veneer is a lightweight, cement-based product that doesn't hold up any of the house's weight, which is why it depends on a sound wall behind it.
Most people who call about veneer have a wall they've looked at for years and want to change, and the first thing I need to know is what that wall is and what shape it's in. The price mostly turns on the square footage, whether the wall needs repair before any stone goes on, the stone you pick and how many corners, windows and edges we have to cut around. The schedule turns on that same repair work, on whether the job needs a permit and on getting your stone delivered, and some of it I'll only know once I've seen the wall. Your written estimate spells out what we'd do and what it costs for your wall.
How do you know your wall is ready for stone, or your old veneer needs work?
Cracks in the wall
A crack in the block or stucco you're hoping to cover is worth a look before you pick out stone, because veneer only hides it for a while. If the wall is still moving, the crack comes back through the stone, so the fix has to come first.
Loose or hollow-sounding stones
On existing veneer, a stone that rocks or sounds hollow when you tap it has usually lost its grip on the wall behind it. Left alone, more stones tend to follow, and water getting in behind them can damage the wall they're stuck to.
Stains or damp spots below
Dark streaks, white powder or damp patches at the bottom of a veneer wall usually mean water is getting behind the stone and not finding its way out. The longer that goes on, the more of the wall behind it we end up repairing before new stone can go on.
How we handle stone veneer installation
On every veneer job we start with the wall behind the stone, because that's what the stone is holding onto. If it's cracked, crumbling or coated with something the mortar won't grab, we fix that first or tell you plainly that veneer isn't the right call for that wall. Then come the layers you won't see when we're done. That means the water barrier, the flashing, which is thin metal that turns water out at the bottom of the wall and around windows, and a metal mesh with a base coat the stone sets into. Most of our care goes into those layers, because they're what keep water from getting trapped. Only after that do we set the stone, fill and tool the joints, cut the edges around windows and corners and clean up.
Sometimes the wall you want covered doesn't exist yet, or the one that's there isn't worth saving, and then we build it first as part of our concrete block walls work. When the stone runs down to the base of the house and the block there is failing, that's foundation block wall installation, and we take care of it before any stone goes over it.
Manufactured stone veneer
Made from cement and stone aggregate, it's light, comes in shapes that fit together evenly and works on most house walls and block walls. It suits you if you want the look of stone without the weight and cost of cutting real stone on site.
Natural thin stone
This is real stone cut thin, for owners who want the color and texture of quarried stone and don't mind more cutting and fitting on site. Some natural stone isn't meant for outdoor use, which I cover in the questions below.
Get a written estimate for your stone veneer job
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the wall with you and write up what I'd do and why, free and with no obligation.
(805) 507-9163- Based in
- Ventura, CA 93001
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
What happens after you call about stone veneer in Ventura?
Here's how a veneer job runs from your first call to the walk-through at the end, with me involved at each step.
Call us or send the form
Tell us about the wall and send a photo if you have one handy. We set a time for me to come out and see it.
Walk the wall with me
I check what's behind the surface and answer your questions before I write anything up. You then get a written estimate that says what we'd do, why and what it costs, so you know the price before anything starts.
Line up permits and a start
Once you're ready, we line up any permits your job needs and set a start date. If the wall needs repair, that goes on the schedule ahead of the stone.
Build it and walk it together
I run the job on site and check each layer as it goes, and since fresh mortar can burn skin, we keep kids and pets clear of the mixing. At the end we walk the finished wall together.
Why Ventura homeowners call A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry for stone veneer
I come out to every job
I look at every wall myself before anything gets written up, and I'm on site while our masons work. We've been in business since 2021, and I learned stone and block under an older mason before that.
Workmanship decides how veneer holds
The masonry trade group says the work done on site tends to be the main source of trouble when veneer doesn't perform, so the installer matters as much as the stone. Our crew is experienced masons, and satisfaction is guaranteed.
Fully licensed and insured in California
California's Contractors State License Board describes a masonry contractor as one who installs natural and manufactured stone, which is the work on a veneer job. We're fully licensed and insured.
If you've got a wall in mind, contact us and I'll come take a look at it with you.
Stone veneer, block walls and permits in Ventura
Ventura Permit Services issues the city's permits with plan review for home alterations, additions and new construction, but its list names work like re-roofs and water heaters and not stone veneer, so the list alone doesn't settle whether your job needs one. When it isn't clear, we ask that office before we start, and if your job does need a permit, we handle the application and set up the inspections. Outside the city, we check with the city or county office that covers your address.
Around Ventura we cover a lot of plain block walls along yards and stucco at the base of houses, and many have been painted or patched more than once, which is why I want to see the wall up close before we talk about stone. We do the same work across the cities nearby, with jobs in Oxnard and Thousand Oaks as well.
Questions about stone veneer in Ventura
Can stone veneer go over my existing wall?
Usually yes, if the wall is sound, strong enough to hold it and free of coatings that would keep the stone from bonding, which is what the masonry trade group's guide calls for. The guide advises against veneer over damaged walls or over EIFS, an insulated foam finish some houses have. That's the first thing I check when I come out.
How do I keep water from getting trapped behind stone veneer?
Water is handled by the layers behind the stone, not by the stone itself. On framed walls that need a water barrier, the masonry trade group calls for two separate layers, lapped like shingles from the bottom of the wall up. The inner layer and the flashing carry water out, and the outer layer keeps mortar off the inner one so it can keep doing that job.
How much does stone veneer installation cost in Ventura?
Installing stone veneer across the US usually costs about $25 to $40 per square foot, and that's a national figure, not our price. Where your wall lands depends on repairs, the stone you choose and how much cutting the edges take. Your written estimate gives the figure for your job.
Where do I apply for a building permit in Ventura?
The City of Ventura takes permits online through Ventura OPS, its Online Permit Services, where you create an account and submit the permit. The city's permit counter at 501 Poli Street, Room 117, takes walk-ins Monday through Thursday, has appointments Monday through Thursday from 1 PM to 3 PM, is closed every Friday and can be reached at 805-654-7869. On our jobs, we handle the application when one is needed.
What is the best way to choose natural stone for an outside wall?
Choose a stone with a record of standing up to the weather where you live, because some natural stone isn't suited to outdoor use at all. The stone trade's advice is to ask your supplier for certification that the stone suits the weather in your area, and I'm glad to look over what they send you.
Is a rainscreen worth it behind stone veneer?
It can be, since a rainscreen is an optional way of building the wall that helps stray water drain from behind the stone and dry out faster. It adds a step and some material, so it adds to the price. I'll tell you at the estimate whether I think your wall calls for one.
Related masonry work for your veneer project
Concrete block walls
When you want stone on a yard wall that isn't built yet, a new concrete block wall gives the veneer a solid, true surface to hold onto.
Foundation block wall installation
Stone over a weak base just hides the problem, so a failing block foundation gets rebuilt first and is then ready to take a stone finish.
Service areas for stone veneer around Ventura
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry is based in Ventura, CA, and the site has pages for 12 cities we work in, including Ojai and Carpinteria. If your city isn't listed, call and ask, because those pages aren't the only places we go.
Ventura, CA
Send us photos of the wall
Call (805) 507-9163 or use the form with a few photos of the wall, its current finish and its rough size in square feet, so I come out already knowing what to look for.