Division 04 · Stone Masonry
Stone wall estimates that price the ton, the joint and the mason
Stone walls are bought by the ton and built by the square foot, and the gap between those two numbers decides the bid. We take off veneer, full-bed, dry-stack and retaining walls from site and architectural drawings, convert coverage to tonnage by stone type and thickness, then add mortar, footings, backing, caps and drainage. Labor reflects how slow selecting and fitting stone really is, not a brick mason's rate.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
Scope of takeoff
Stone wall quantities we measure
Face area, tonnage, structure and drainage broken out so each wall type can be priced on its own.
- SF
Natural stone veneer
Thin veneer, ledgestone, fieldstone and cut stone face area by pattern
- SF / CY
Full-bed stone walls
Structural stone walls 12 to 24 inches thick laid in mortar
- TON / LF
Dry-stack and boulder walls
Freestanding garden walls, terraces and boulder retaining walls without mortar
- TON
Stone tonnage and delivery
Pallets or bulk loads by stone type, converted from coverage with waste
- LF
Cap stones and copings
Flat, bullnose and thick cap pieces, plus wall corner returns
- BAGS / SF
Mortar and pointing
Type N or S mortar with color, plus tooled, raked or flush joints
- CY / LF
Footings and base courses
Concrete or compacted gravel footing below frost depth
- SF / EA
Ties, lath and backing
Veneer ties, wire lath, scratch coat and sheathing behind adhered stone
- LF / CY
Drainage and backfill
Perforated pipe, fabric, free-draining gravel and weep holes for retaining walls
- EA / LF
Sills, lintels and special pieces
Window sills, arches, quoins, steps and fireplaces
- SF
Sealer and cleaning
Acid-free cleaning, breathable sealer and efflorescence control
- HRS
Stone mason labor and rigging
Skilled mason hours by pattern, plus crane or skid steer time for heavy stone
Estimate types
What type of stone wall estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
Hard-bid stone package
Veneer, wall and retaining stone with mortar, footings, ties, drainage and labor organized by wall type and elevation.
- Accuracy
- ±5–7%
- Turnaround
- 48 hours
Stone tonnage takeoff
Coverage converted to tons by stone type and thickness with waste, ready to send to quarries and stone yards.
- Accuracy
- Qty only
- Turnaround
- 24 hours
Retaining wall budget
Length, height and drainage pricing from civil plans to compare stone, segmental block and poured concrete options.
- Accuracy
- ±10%
- Turnaround
- 24–48 hours
Residential stone feature pricing
Fireplaces, entry columns, exterior accents and garden walls priced from architectural sketches and photos.
- Accuracy
- ±8%
- Turnaround
- 24 hours
Overview
Stone walls are priced by the face and by the weight
Estimating stone starts by deciding what kind of wall it is.
Thin veneer adhered to a backing, anchored veneer over a cavity, full-bed stone laid as the structural wall, and freestanding dry-stack each have different material factors, footing needs and labor rates. The takeoff measures face area in square feet, wall length in lineal feet, and height at each change in grade.
Material is then converted from coverage to weight. Stone suppliers quote by the ton, and the conversion depends on type, bed depth and how much of the stone is face versus tail. Waste for natural fieldstone runs far higher than for cut ashlar, because corners, sills and pieces that do not match the color are rejected on the job.
Support items finish the price: concrete footings below frost depth, mortar and mortar color, galvanized ties, flashing, cap stones, gravel backfill, drain pipe and fabric on retaining walls, plus scaffold, hoisting and a crane when boulders exceed hand-setting weights.
Process
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 01
Upload plans and scope
Send your drawings, specifications and bid invitation through the secure upload form. We confirm scope, deadline and a fixed price within two business hours.
- 02
Digital quantity takeoff
Estimators measure every item from calibrated plans in Bluebeam and PlanSwift, color-coding each layer so quantities can be traced back to the drawing.
- 03
Pricing and labor
Quantities are priced with location-adjusted material costs, crew productivity rates and equipment, then marked up to your overhead and profit targets.
- 04
Senior review and delivery
A second estimator audits quantities and pricing, documents assumptions and exclusions, and delivers your Excel workbook, PDF summary and marked-up plans.
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
- Stone priced by the ton and by the square foot, with the conversion shown so you can check the supplier quote.
- Waste factors that differ for cut ashlar, ledgestone and irregular fieldstone rather than one blanket percentage.
- Retaining wall drainage, geotextile, weep holes and compacted backfill included, not left for the site crew to improvise.
- Footing depth checked against frost line and wall height so the foundation scope matches the structure above it.
- Mortar joint type, color and tooling priced separately because raked and recessed joints take more labor.
- Crane, skid steer and rigging time carried for boulders and large sill and cap pieces.
Deliverables
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
Estimate workbook
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
Marked-up plans
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
Material procurement list
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
Labor hours by task
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
Assumptions and exclusions log
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
Bid summary sheet
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Tools
Estimating software and cost data we work in
Deliverables fit the tools your team already uses.
Bluebeam Revu
Calibrated PDF markup and measurement
PlanSwift
Digital takeoff and assemblies
RSMeans Data
Localized unit cost database
On-Screen Takeoff
Quantity takeoff from plans
Microsoft Excel
Deliverables formatted to your template
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
“We use LEEDS for independent bid reviews on every multifamily deal. Their preliminary numbers have landed within 6% of final GMP on three projects in a row.”
Priya Raman
Development Manager, Northgate Partners · Denver, CO
FAQ
Stone Wall Estimating FAQs
How do you convert square feet of stone to tons?
Coverage per ton depends on the stone and thickness. A four-inch natural veneer typically covers around 100 to 140 square feet per ton, while full-bed walls 12 inches thick are closer to 15 to 25. We use the supplier's actual figure when available and show it on the quantity line.
What is the difference between veneer and full-bed stone in a bid?
Veneer is a non-structural facing, usually two to five inches thick, installed over backing with ties or mortar. Full-bed stone is the wall itself, with substantial weight and footings. Material, footing, mortar and labor quantities differ, so we price each one separately.
Do you include retaining wall drainage?
Yes. We include perforated drain pipe, geotextile fabric, free-draining aggregate behind the wall, weep openings and compacted backfill based on the wall section. Missing drainage is the usual cause of stone retaining wall failure, so it appears as its own cost group in the estimate.
How much waste should I carry on stone?
Cut ashlar and dimensional stone often needs eight to twelve percent, ledgestone twelve to fifteen, and irregular fieldstone fifteen to twenty-five percent because of color selection and fitting. We apply waste by stone type and let you override it based on your supplier and crew experience.
Can you estimate dry-stack walls without mortar?
Yes. Dry-stack walls are measured by length, height and batter, converted to tons of stone, and priced with a compacted base, drainage stone and a higher labor rate. There is no mortar to price, but fitting time and larger stone sizes more than offset that saving.
How long does a stone wall estimate take?
Residential walls and fireplaces are usually delivered within 24 hours. Large commercial stone facades and multi-tier retaining walls take 48 hours or longer, depending on the pattern changes and the number of elevations.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Ready for a stone wall estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.