(951) 462-2880Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Keystone Riverside Concrete and Masonry
Stone veneer covers the exterior of a tan stucco home, with an arched window, stone pillars, and a landscaped entry path.

Stone veneer installation in Riverside CA - a stone face with a dry wall behind it

Tired of plain stucco or block? We put up stone over a proper drainage layer, so water drains out instead of soaking into your walls.

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Get your stone veneer job measured

Call (951) 462-2880 or send the form with the wall size and a few photos, so I show up already knowing what I'm looking at.

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What goes into putting stone veneer on a Riverside house?

Stone veneer installation in Riverside puts a thin face of stone on the outside walls of your house, built over a water barrier and drainage layer that keep rain from soaking into the wall behind it.

Most people calling about stone want to dress up a plain stucco front, a chimney chase or a block wall. What moves the price is how much wall there is, how many corners and window and door edges the stone has to wrap, and how much work the existing wall needs first, and that prep plus the permit set the schedule. Riverside's list of work that can skip a permit names painting and tile but not stone, so I check with the city's building official before we set a start date. If you'd rather have solid stone than a thin face, that's stone masonry, and I'll tell you which makes sense once I've seen your wall. Your own number comes in the written estimate.

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Why Riverside homeowners call Keystone Riverside Concrete and Masonry for stone veneer

  • The owner measures every job

    I come out myself to look at your walls, measure them and write the estimate. The person sizing up your job is the one who answers for it.

  • Trained on commercial block work

    I laid block and brick for a big commercial outfit before starting this company in 2017. That's where I learned to build to the drawings, and that what's behind the face matters most.

  • Licensed, insured and easy to check

    We're licensed and fully insured. A contractor pulling a Riverside permit has to show proof of a state license, and you can check any contractor with the California Contractors State Licensing Board.

If you've got a wall in mind, tell us about it or call (951) 462-2880, and I'll come take a look.

How we handle stone veneer installation

The stone is the easy part. What matters is the water barrier and drainage layer behind it, and we build those right before the first stone goes up. I start by checking the wall that's there now and fixing what needs it, and we flash the edges around windows and doors so water gets steered out instead of in. Then the barrier and drainage layer go on, lapped so water runs down and away, followed by metal lath and a scratch coat for the stone to grab. Our crew sets the stone, fills and tools the joints, and cleans up before I come look.

A lot of stone ends up on block. If you want a new garden or property wall faced in stone, our concrete block walls give it a solid core to bond to. Where the lower part of the house needs new block first, foundation block wall installation gets done before any stone goes on above it.

  • Full walls and chimney chases

    For a whole front, a side of the house or a chimney chase that should look like solid stone. More wall means more barrier and more edges to flash, so the layers behind count most here.

  • Wainscot bands and columns

    A band of stone along the bottom of the wall, or on porch columns, gives you the look on less area. The top edge needs a clean cap, and the bottom needs room for water to get out.

How do you know your stone or stucco needs attention?

  • Stones coming loose

    A stone that rocks or has dropped off usually means water got behind it and the bond let go. Every rain after that puts more water through the gap.

  • White chalky streaks

    Chalky white streaks on stone mean water is moving through it and carrying salts to the face. If they keep coming back, water may be sitting behind the stone where you can't see it.

  • Damp spots inside the wall

    Peeling paint, soft drywall or a musty smell on the inside of an outside wall usually means water is getting past the barrier. The longer it goes, the more framing it rots.

  • Cracked, patched stucco

    Hairline cracks and old patches are often why people call about stone. Cover them without fixing how water gets in, and you've just hidden the problem behind a nicer face.

What happens after you call about stone veneer in Riverside?

  1. I come out and measure

    You call or send the form, and I come out to look at the walls and measure them. You get a written estimate that says what we'll build and how.

  2. Permit first, then the stonework

    If the job needs a permit, we take care of it before we start and schedule the inspections. Our lead mason then runs the crew on site, from the barrier to the last joint.

  3. Final check by the owner

    When the stone is up and the joints are tooled, I come out and look the work over myself. It isn't finished until it passes that check.

Stone veneer questions, answered

Here's what Riverside homeowners ask most before they put stone on the house. If your wall raises a question that isn't here, ask it when you call.

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Why does stone veneer need a drainage layer behind it?

Because every outside wall finish lets some rain through, stone included, so the wall needs a way to get that water back out. National building science guidance, not a Riverside rule, calls for a sealed, continuous drainage layer behind the cladding, lapped over the flashing around doors and windows. It adds an extra drainage layer behind adhered stone on top of that.

How much does stone veneer installation cost in Riverside?

Installing stone veneer across the US usually costs about $24 to $42 per square foot. That's the national going rate for the installed work, not our price. Your own number comes in the written estimate after I've measured your walls.

Who can apply for a stone veneer permit in Riverside?

In Riverside, many permits can go to the homeowner, their authorized agent or an appropriately licensed contractor, so ask any installer which of you will apply. You can follow the permit on the city's Public Permit Portal, which takes applications, fees and inspection requests any time of day. The city also warns that insurers may not cover work done without permits and inspections, and that work out of line with code can cut the value of what you've put in.

Does a historic home in Riverside need extra approval for stone veneer?

It may, if your house is a designated or eligible Cultural Resource or sits in a Historic District or Neighborhood Conservation Area, because changes there fall under the city's Certificate of Appropriateness. The city reviews that work against its design guidelines for residential historic districts. If you think your house qualifies, tell me when you call and check with the city's historic preservation program.

What causes moisture damage behind stone veneer?

Water that gets behind the stone and can't get out is the usual cause. Stone soaks up moisture and holds it, and when that moisture is driven into the sheathing, studs or insulation, it can bring mold, mildew and wood rot that weakens the framing. That's why building science guidance calls for drainage and airflow behind stone that takes rain and sun.

How do I compare stone veneer bids?

Compare what each bid builds behind the stone, not just the stone itself. The water control is part of the job, so it belongs in every bid you line up, and two bids with the same stone can be very different walls. Ask each installer to explain how they build the barrier and drainage layers.

Get a written stone veneer estimate

Send the wall size in square feet, a few photos and whether you're in a historic district, and we'll reply within one business day. The on-site estimate is free and written, with no obligation.

(951) 462-2880