When to Start Planning Your Exterior Stone Veneer Project

Dreaming of an Insta-worthy exterior stone veneer addition to your property? Feeling buoyed by the manufactured stone veneer pricing advantage over natural stones or brick masonry work? But still wondering about how far in advance to schedule the installation, when to order the product and what the timeline will be for finally enjoying the results?

You’re in the right place to get answers from the stone-cold Casa di Sassi pros!

We’ve been obsessed with natural-looking exterior stone veneer for nearly two decades – so we have insight into the entire process, from the first inkling of a new profile design to the final clean-up after installation.

How Far in Advance Should You Plan? 

It’s never too early to start planning an exterior stone veneer project. We like to begin the process in winter – when spring and summer feel like an elusive dream. That’s the sweet spot for seeking online inspiration, researching creative designs and narrowing down the results you envision.

One of the saddest yet most common stone veneer installation mistakes we see far too often is a homeowner not thinking through all the details. Give yourself plenty of time to imagine the end result you want – and how modern exterior stone veneer fits into the picture. As you’re scanning platforms like Instagram, Apartment Therapy and Architectural Digest for ideas, be sure to think about:

• Your home’s architectural style – From Victorian manse to split-level ranch to midcentury bungalow to rustic farmhouse, there are stone veneer types for every aesthetic.

• Your goals for the project – Are you looking to increase the curb appeal of your house, create a more welcoming main entrance, elevate your alfresco entertaining spaces or replicate Italian architecture with stone veneer in your landscaping?

• Your budget – Your reno dollars stretch a lot further with stone veneer than they would with other materials. Its lighter weight and easier installation make it a budgetary win, but it’s a decorative choice and not a structural one. You’ll need a weight-bearing wall or structure as its base, which is the major difference between stone masonry and stone veneer installations.

Does the Timeline Vary for Exterior Stone Veneer Projects? 

Short answer: Yes!

Longer answer: The timeline for any exterior stone veneer project depends on a variety of factors. Everything from the installer’s availability to the way your hometown’s climate affects stone veneer durability can play into projections for completion. If the installation team has to wait for spring rains to subside or the required moisture barrier materials to be restocked, the entire schedule can be moved back.

The scope of your project can also dictate a shorter or longer timeline. For example, applying exterior stone veneer to an entire house will take longer than covering a stand-alone pizza oven. The best way to keep on top of these variables is to plan in advance as much as possible – then stay flexible and keep the communication channels open!

Factors to Consider

With so many moving parts, planning an exterior stone veneer project can seem daunting. To help you stave off feelings of overwhelm, keep these three main considerations in mind:

Schedule Professional Installers Early

The benefits of hiring professional stone veneer installers can hardly be overstated. Not only do these experienced craftsmen know how to get the job done efficiently and cleanly – they can often see problems developing on the horizon. That means they can alert you to shipping delays, structural issues and other challenges before they throw the whole timeline off schedule. 

Our advice is to reach out to installers as early as possible! Their spring and summer installation calendars typically fill up early, so don’t hesitate to get in the queue while you’re in your dream-and-research phase. Pro tip: A warm and dry autumn season could offer you a second chance at a last-minute installation. Many masonry pros end up having availability in the fall that could fast-track you to exterior stone veneer beauty by the holidays.

Choose Widely Available Veneers

Your project deserves the best quality – which is a major reason behind the construction of our new stone veneer manufacturing capabilities for increased production! Our new facility enables us to keep pace with high customer demand for our stone veneer profiles while maintaining the high level of quality you expect from Casa di Sassi artisans. And with a nationwide network of reliable distributors, it’s easy to find our products in your neck of the woods.

Expect Unforeseen Challenges

The masonry pros you hire to install your exterior stone veneer will sketch out an overall project timeline before work begins. Keep in mind, however, that this is a perfect-world estimate of how long the installation would take if everything went exactly as planned. We know more than most that unforeseen challenges inevitably pop up, pushing that schedule back by days or weeks. You can’t always control how long permitting takes or the discovery of underlying structural damage that must be addressed before the stone veneer installation can move forward.

But there are elements of the process you can control, like making sure you’ve got ample product on hand to cover the project’s measurements, plus some extra for a seamless look. You don’t want to have to halt the installation halfway through to wait for another supply. Staying on track is the best reason why you should buy stone veneer in advance – as much as six months ahead of time is not overdoing it! 

Elevate Your Home’s Modern Exterior With Stone Veneer

Feeling better about planning your dreamy exterior stone veneer project? Ready to dig into the details that will make your modern exterior stone veneer siding or living space upgrade a stress-free success? Reap all the benefits of purchasing quality stone veneer from Casa di Sassi well in advance– and stay on track to enjoy your gorgeous installation as soon as possible!