Brick and stone installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering brick and stone installation

Brick and stone installation sells on craft, so customers will look at the joints and the first course before they look at anything else. Win the job by showing the foundation, the water details and a clean sample of the bond you plan to lay.

What customers ask

  • Will the wall look like the sample you showed me?
  • Do you tie the veneer to the house, and how do you keep water out?
  • How deep is the footing, and will it hold in our soil?
  • How do you handle the color variation in natural stone?
  • How long before the work can be cleaned and sealed?
  • What happens if the mortar cracks in the first winter?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask what the wall is for, how tall it will be, what material the house uses, and how the customer wants it to look.
  • On site, check the grade, the soil and the existing structure, and mark the layout with string lines before you quote.
  • Build a sample panel of the bond, joint profile and stone mix on the job or in the shop, and let the customer approve it before the wall goes up.
  • In the quote, list the footing, the ties, the flashing and the weeps, so the customer sees the water details and the structure.
  • Explain the natural variation in the stone in writing, and show the full range of pieces the customer is picking from.
  • Set the cleaning and sealing plan in writing, with timing and products, so the finished look is protected.

What to put on your profile

  • Close-up photos of joints and bond patterns, shot in good light, with the mortar profile visible
  • Brick and stone types you lay, including natural stone, manufactured veneer and reclaimed brick
  • Projects such as garden walls, walkways, veneers and fireplaces, with the detailing noted
  • Your service area and whether you also handle steps, columns and outdoor kitchens

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a cleaning and sealing service at the right point after the mortar has cured, with the product choice explained
  • Suggest a check of the wall after the first freeze season to confirm the joints and water details are holding
  • Mention repair or repointing as information in later years, when the mortar starts to show wear

Licenses and permits

Masonry installation is commonly done under a contractor license in many areas, and walls tied to structures or that are tall often need a permit. Confirm what applies where you work with your state or local licensing agency and local building department, and keep your insurance current.

Questions

What do I do when the customer wants a veneer without flashing to save time?

Decline to leave out the flashing and weeps, because water that gets behind the veneer can damage the house. Explain the detail in writing and offer to show a section drawing or photo of how it is built.

Should I use a dry-stack or mortared wall?

Choose based on the height, the load, the stone and the site drainage, and explain the trade-offs to the customer in writing. A dry-stack wall is not a substitute for a mortared wall where height or load demands one.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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