Stone masonry in Victorville CA - stone facing that sends water back outside
Stone coming loose, stained or cracked on your wall? We find the cause, pick the right attachment and flash it so water gets back out.
What goes into adding stone to a wall in Victorville?
Stone masonry on a Victorville house usually means stone veneer, a facing of natural or manufactured stone attached to a backing wall of block, concrete, or wood or steel framing, and it gives that wall its outside finish. At Bedrock Victorville Concrete and Masonry, our crew puts new stone on house walls, columns and garden walls and fixes stone that's loose, cracked or stained.
Most people who call about stone either want to cover a plain wall or have stone that's cracking, staining or coming loose and want to know why. The price moves with how much wall there is, whether you choose natural or manufactured stone, how much prep the wall behind it needs, and how many corners, windows and doors the stone has to work around. The schedule turns mostly on that prep and on whether the job needs a permit. If the wall behind loose stone is cracking, that's a foundation repair question first, because new stone over a wall that's still moving will just crack again. Once I've seen your wall, I write an estimate that says what we'll do and why.
How do you know your stone needs attention?
Most calls about stone start with something a homeowner noticed on the wall, or inside behind it. Here's what those things usually point to, so you know what you're looking at before I come out.
Stones that are loose, cracked or on the ground usually mean the bond or anchors behind them have let go.
White chalky streaks or dark patches that stay damp usually mean water is sitting behind the stone instead of draining.
Stains or peeling paint inside, on the wall behind the stone, can mean water is getting past the backing.
A crack running in a line through stone and mortar often follows a crack in the wall underneath.
Open gaps where stone meets windows, doors or the roofline give water an easy way behind the facing.
A plain block wall or worn stucco you're tired of looking at is a good reason to ask about stone.
If stone is falling off or water is showing up inside, call or send a message now instead of waiting, because what's behind the stone usually gets worse, not better.
What happens when you call us about stone work?
Here's how a stone job runs with us, from your first call to cleanup. We're based in Victorville and work in the cities around it across the High Desert, so if you're farther out, call and ask.
Call or send us a message
Call (760) 493-2913 or use the contact form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out. Ask whatever you like from the first call, because nobody should sign off on work they don't understand.
I walk the wall with you
I look at the wall, what's behind it and where water will go, and I answer anything you want to ask. Then I write up an estimate that says what we'll do and why, so you can see what you're paying for before you decide.
We sort out any permit
If your job needs a permit, we apply with the city, it reviews the plans, and we build to the approved plans while the city inspects the work. If it isn't clear whether yours needs one, we check with the building office before we start.
Our crew builds, I check
Our own crew does the work while I check it as it goes, especially the flashing and weep openings behind the stone. We clean as we go, the way you would in a kitchen, and clean up again before we call it done.
Get a free on-site estimate for your stone work
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free and written on site, and there's no pressure to book.
- Call
- (760) 493-2913
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Stone choices, attachment methods and drainage
Stone veneer goes on one of two ways. Anchored veneer is held to the wall behind it with metal ties, while adhered veneer is bonded on with mortar, and each suits different walls, so it's worth asking every installer you talk to which one they'd use and why. We'll tell you how we plan to attach your stone and why that suits your wall.
Manufactured stone is made from concrete but looks like natural stone, so you can get the natural look from a concrete product. Industry guidance for it says that where your wall's surface won't bond, a wire lath and a rough scratch coat of mortar go on first for the stone to grab, and that it shouldn't be bonded straight to brick. If your brick just has worn joints, brick pointing may be all it needs.
On an outside wall, some water is expected to get behind the stone, so the wall behind it has to be built to keep that water out of your house. We pay close attention to the flashing and weep openings that catch it and lead it back outside, and they're worth asking about in every bid. One maker's guide also says to start adhered stone above the soil, concrete or asphalt so it doesn't draw moisture from the ground.
Stone veneer questions from Victorville homeowners
Does stone veneer make my wall stronger?
No, stone veneer gives your wall its outside finish but isn't counted as adding to the wall's ability to carry weight. The wall behind it does the structural work, which is why I look at that wall's condition before any stone goes on.
How much does stone veneer cost near Victorville?
Installing stone veneer in the Riverside-San Bernardino area usually costs about $2,700 to $10,700 per job. That's the going range for the area, not our price, and where your job lands depends mostly on the wall size, the stone and the prep covered above. I'll put our number in writing after I've seen your wall.
Do I need a permit to put stone on a garden wall in Victorville?
You may, depending on the wall's height and which yard it's in, and the city gives two different rules. Its permit list includes retaining or garden walls over 18 inches tall, or 30 inches with no footing, while its Planning page says walls 3 feet or taller in side or rear yards and 18 inches or taller in front yards need a building permit. Call the Building Division at (760) 955-5100 to learn which applies to your wall, and the city asks you to call about any work that isn't on its list. If a permit is needed, we take care of it.
Can someone without a license do a small stone job in California?
Only a very small one. The state lets someone without a license take on minor work up to $1,000, up from $500, but only when the job needs no permit and they employ no one, so stone work that needs a permit takes a licensed contractor at any price. We're fully licensed and insured.
How do I check the setback for a stone-faced wall on my Victorville lot?
Call the city's Planning Division at (760) 955-5135 or email planning@victorvilleca.gov, because setbacks vary by zoning district and the city recommends checking your lot's zoning and setbacks with them. Where the wall sits also matters for the permit, since the city's height rules differ between front yards and side or rear yards.
What is the best way to attach stone veneer where earthquakes are a concern?
If you go with anchored veneer, masonry trade guidance says that where earthquakes are a factor, the veneer and its attachments have to meet extra requirements for how they hold up. Ask any installer how they meet them. If anchored stone is the right call for your wall, I'll walk you through how we handle it.
Related repairs to check before adding stone
Brick pointing
When brick walls show sandy, recessed or missing mortar, we clean out the worn joints and pack in new mortar so water stops getting into the wall.
Foundation repair
Stone that keeps cracking in a line usually means the wall or footing underneath is moving, and that needs fixing before any new stone goes on top.
Send photos of your wall for an estimate
Call (760) 493-2913, email support@victorvilleconcreteandmasonry.com or use the form with a few photos and the wall's rough size, so I come out already knowing what to look at.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM