Stonemasonry is one of the oldest and most refined professions throughout history. Buildings and structures that are now centuries old are still standing today due to exceptional work done by stonemasons of the past. Because natural stone patios and walkways offer such timeless beauty, it makes sense that homeowners want to add them to their list of home projects.
Stonemason includes a practice of stone masonry, which is one of the oldest professions in the world. You can find heritage buildings, including pyramids, castles and cathedrals made by stonemasons. If you want to design a particular area of your building with stone, then you need to hire a professional stonemason. For example, you can design your boundary walls with some stones to give your property a traditional and heritage look. But, before you hire them, you must check their experience level and accreditations.
Whether you’re adding a stone patio, an outdoor fireplace, or even an outdoor kitchen to your home, you can be confident that stone will withstand the test of time. However, the best quality natural stone can degrade when not installed correctly, even with proper care and maintenance. So before you start your big (and possibly pricey) project, you’ll want to contact a professional masonry contractor like Dutchies Stoneworks to get the job done right.
There are many ways to build a stunning piece of architecture in 2020, but the classic stone design often can be the best option. To create a stone building, a stonemason is the right person for the job, but not all stonemasons are as experienced as others. Finding the right stonemason to work on your project can be tricky, but you can find the right person if you know what to look out for. Read on to hear some of our tips to help you choose the right stonemason.
Why Would You Hire A Stonemason?
Stonemasons can do various types of works, and some of them are stated below:
- They can design and construct feature walls, retaining walls and boundary fencings. You can design your boundary with some natural stones by hiring a stonemason. You can choose different types of stones to design a feature wall, and you can install such stones in a different pattern by a professional stonemason. For example, for natural stone cladding, you need to consider the substrate, control joints and adhesives, and a stonemason can perfectly fix such stones to design a feature wall.
- A stonemason can also design the garden paths and driveways, and you can install some natural stones in these parts.
- You can also hire professional stonemasons to install stone flooring and walls. Some wall tiles are made of natural stones, and a qualified stonemason can easily install such tiles on a particular wall of your interior.
- They can cut, shape and polish the stone prices and make several products for your home. The mason can make benchtops, countertops and garden benches with some natural stones.
- Apart from the above works, people can also hire stonemasons to restore their old building. You can find some stone works on heritage properties, and you cannot restore such stones with your DIY tools. In this case, you need to rely on professional stonemasons.
FAQ About StoneMason
What do stonemasons give you?
Repair old buildings and monuments. Carve or repair statues or headstones. Make and fit stonework like window frames, archways and ornamental garden pieces.
What is a stonemason?
A stonemason takes rough pieces of rock or stone and shapes them into geometric shapes to create a structure and art. Stonemasons have been responsible for the construction of buildings, statues and structures since the beginning of civilisation
What is the job of a stonemason?
A stonemason is an individual who builds structures, such as bridges, statues and tombstones, using stone material. Their job is often physically demanding as they have to work with heavy components and building equipment throughout their career.
Choosing a Stonemason
Choosing the stonemason is probably the biggest decision that will determine how your stonework turns out. A good stonemason listens carefully and creates well-constructed work in the style you choose.
When choosing a stonemason, the first thing to do is choose one who specialises in the type of construction you need. For example, if you want a stone retaining wall, you will need a stonemason with extensive experience in that field. Preparing the ground, laying the coursework and determining factors such as load and watercourses all contribute to a well-made wall.
When you have determined the work that needs to be done, it is best to get comparative quotes from 2 or 3 specialists in your area. When comparing quotes, price should be just one of your considerations. Other questions to ask include:
- Are you licensed to do the work?
- What insurances do you have?
- Can you show me examples of your previous work?
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What is included in the price?
Understand the Project You Want
While Dutchies Stoneworks will gladly be here to help you with your next stone project, we also understand that we may not be the perfect fit for every type of task. There are different types of stonemasons, each specialising in different aspects of masonry work.
Here at Dutchies, we create patios, retaining walls, outdoor living spaces, and much more. We want to help you better understand your project and determine what stonemason will work best for you.
Scope of Project
When you have a good idea about your stone project’s details, take the time to do a little bit of research into contractors who can get it done for you. Are there any stonemasons that are local to your area? If so, they may only specialise in certain types of work and jobs. There are both artists and workers, so make sure you have someone like Dutchies who can combine both aspects of design and labour.
Materials You Prefer to Use
If you have a specific type of material or stone you’re looking for, double-check that your masonry contractor can get it for you without any hidden costs. You’ll want to make sure they’ll take the time to get the details right and give you high-quality results.
Budget for Your Project
It may go without saying, but you should have a price point or budget in mind before you dive into your masonry project. Having a realistic idea of how much money you’re willing to spend will help you choose materials and calculate the cost of labour.
Find the Masonry Contractors You Want to Look Into
During the next stage of the process, you’ll be taking the time to figure out which masonry contractor you want to hire. You’ll be narrowing down the field of choices to a few that you are considering getting bids and estimates from. As you do this, we recommend the following:
Check Reviews from the Last Three or Four Projects
Before you go to a restaurant, do you ever take the time to look at the last few reviews on Google or social media? Well, you’ll want to do the same with your masonry contractor. When you’re looking through a list of stonemasons, taking the time to see if their customers are happy can go a long way in showing the quality of their craftsmanship. You can also see how easy they are to work with by the tone of the reviews.
Just as you would when choosing an architect or a builder, you’ll want to select a stonemason that has experience or specialises in the type of stone construction your project requires. In addition, finding someone who is familiar with the product you are using can streamline the process and help reduce unnecessary complications.
Ask your supplier for recommendations if you need pointing in the right direction.
Look at Examples of Previous Work
Nothing demonstrates the quality of a stone mason’s work more than seeing a gallery of their previous projects. Not only do you get to see examples of what has been done, but you’ll also get a sense of how diverse their work is. At Dutchies, we have several galleries that highlight each type of stonework project we have done in the past: patios, fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, retaining walls, fire features, and stone walkways.
Ask Questions About How They’ll Approach Your Job.
A bit of knowledge can go a long way in building projects, and being prepared to ask questions of your potential tradesman can help you judge how they’ll approach the job. No one wants a tradesman who is happy to cut corners or take shortcuts. So as well as asking about previous jobs, ideally going to see them, and checking their past experience, reviews and references, ask about their day to day processes – how they’ll work on-site, what a typical day consists of, how they carry out the specific task needed, such as repairing loose stones or doing some repointing.
Look Out For Experience As Much As Accreditations
Stonemasons can carry out a wide range of work – everything from building and maintaining traditional stone walls, either for homes or in a garden, to creating bespoke lintels, doorsteps, and other stone finishings. Although general builders, handypersons and other tradesmen such as landscape gardeners may be able to carry out some tasks, such as constructing a basic garden wall, a specialist will always be best placed to carry out this kind of job.
Most stonemasons will have some form of accreditation, but this isn’t all you need to look for. You will want to know that the stonemason you are choosing is highly experienced in the kind of project you want them to work on. Stonemasons must be highly skilled in their craft as they will need to understand the complex tolerances of creating these structures. Ask about their experience, and they might even provide you with some photographs of their work.
When looking for a tradesperson for your project, it’s sensible to speak to ones who have performed plenty of similar jobs to the one you have planned. As well as seeing previous examples of their work that they can show you as part of their portfolio, you may also be able to arrange through them to visit their previous jobs – they should be happy to put you in touch with previous clients they have done work for before.
Check Locally
If you want to find the right stonemason for your building project, you should check locally first. There are many excellent stonemasons in the UK that have been working on projects for many years now. If you do a quick search online, you can find the right company in your local area. For example, if you were to search for stonemasons in High Wycombe, you’d come across a company named Coulonstone. If there aren’t any reputable local companies, you might want to look further afield.
Ask About Their Experience
Most stonemasons will have some form of accreditation, but this isn’t all you need to look for. You will want to know that the stonemason you are choosing is highly experienced in the kind of project you want them to work on. Stonemasons must be highly skilled in their craft as they will need to understand the complex tolerances of creating these structures. Ask about their experience, and they might even provide you with some photographs of their work.
Hiring the wrong masonry contractor can lead to unexpected short term failures of your expensive project. A contractor should know what makes your masonry project last for years to come. You don’t want stones coming loose, sinking, dislodged, or getting broken because of the wrong bed under the masonry. We have seen cases where coping stones have not been installed properly around a pool and steps nearby. This caused calcium to run down the concrete seams into an expensive swimming pool, costing the customer nearly the same amount they paid for new construction two years prior.
Check Locally
If you want to find the right stonemason for your building project, you should check locally first. There are many excellent stonemasons in the UK that have been working on projects for many years now. If you do a quick search online, you can find the right company in your local area. For example, if you searched for stonemasons High Wycombe, you’d come across a company named Coulonstone. If there aren’t any reputable local companies, you might want to look further afield.
Get Various Quotes
The work that a stonemason will carry out requires a lot of skill and experience, so you can’t expect to extremely low prices for this kind of work. However, you should make sure that you ask for quotes to ensure you aren’t paying more than you need to. When comparing quotes from local companies, remember that the lowest price isn’t always the best. A more experienced company will typically charge a higher price, but they’ll offer a better quality service. Take this into consideration.
While smaller jobs, such as putting up a low garden wall, will not require complex quotes, with many larger jobs, it’s advisable to meet with and get quotations from at least three tradesmen. The detail and scope of their quotation can tell you a lot about their process. It’s important to make sure that all the quotations are like-for-like – do they include materials and labour, as well as any subcontracting the tradesman may do, and VAT? Is that included if the tradesman will be removing and disposing of any previous materials, such as an old stone wall that is being demolished? The only way to accurately compare quotations is to compare like-for-like and get them from people who have seen the job in person.
Confirm Specifics
While some aspects of construction can only be estimated, especially if other trades are involved, it’s worth confirming specifics rather than receiving a rough estimate. Factors such as material requirements, time of availability, and expected completion date are all aspects of construction worth knowing in advance.
Ask About Aftercare
Finally, when choosing a stonemason for your project, you should ask them a bit more about aftercare. This is very important if you want to ensure that the building will stay intact for a long time. If they haven’t considered any kind of aftercare, you might want to look at another company. This is an expensive project that will need to stand the test of time. This is where aftercare can be really beneficial.
Make Sure You Are Comfortable With Them
As well as knowing if they are experienced with your kind of job, you should simply assess how comfortable you feel with the potential tradesmen. You can do that from your first contact with them; are they polite on the phone, do they arrive for meetings at the scheduled time, do they ask lots of questions about the project?
Depending on the scale of the job, stonemasonry projects can take some time. Therefore, being able to maintain good communication throughout the project is essential. You shouldn’t aim to become best friends with them, but you should be able to have a professional relationship – you must feel comfortable speaking openly about any concerns that may arise and dealing with any issues.
Not all jobs require a licensed contractor, but if the project is expensive, it probably does. At the very least, your stonemason should be fully insured, or you may find yourself liable for accidents or injuries that occur on the job. While you may be able to get a cheaper quote from a stonemason who is just starting out, they should be able to prove to you that they are capable of giving you professional results.
Before employing a stonemason, get a contract that spells out every aspect of construction, including labour, materials and any special considerations. Be wary of rough estimates. While, in some cases, aspects of construction can only be estimated, an experienced and ethical stonemason will be able to outline why they can give an estimate only clearly.
Also, consider using a stonemason with experience with newer engineered stone products. Some of these include manufactured bricks that look exactly like a hewn stone; engineered and faux stone benchtops; reconstituted stone floor tiles; many styles of concrete pavers; and faux stone facades. Many of these products are amazingly realistic looking but cost a fraction of the price of genuine stone.