Stonemasonry is one of the world’s oldest professions, dating back tens of thousands of years. While the tools and techniques used have changed, and many of the tasks are different now to BCE, the demand for top-quality work is still high. 

Before you hire a local stonemason to help you out with a job – and there are a wide variety of tasks that you can find help with – it’s important to understand what you want and why you need a stonemason in particular. 

• What do stonemasons do?
• The most common masonry issues
• How much does it cost to hire a stonemason?
• How to hire a reputable local stonemason
• Licensing and insurance
• Getting quotes from stonemasons

What do stonemasons do?

Masons are experts with stones, rocks and bricks. A lot of their work is similar to bricklayers, albeit more specialised. While bricklayers tend to work with standard sizes and designs, they’ll create walls with different materials, with more intricate designs and by cutting and shaping stones/bricks for a unique touch. 

As well as walls, they work with stones and similar materials in other areas of construction, too. They may cut and polish marble and granite for bathtubs or kitchen benchtops, or they may lay paving or flooring. 

Some stonemasons specialise in historic buildings – repairing old stonework, carving monumental masonry and working on heritage-listed buildings. 

Masons can also build things such as retaining walls, fireplaces, water features, stairways, feature walls, barbecues and chimneys. 

The most common masonry jobs

Stonemasons are hired for a variety of jobs, in the kitchen, in the bathroom and outside the home.

One of the most common jobs they do is build or repair a wall. Although they tend to cost more than a standard bricklayer or builder, they can create bespoke walls that add character to a home or complement its existing design. 

The same is true for driveways and garden paths. Although cheaper options exist, hiring a stonemason will give you a one-off look that can easily improve the kerb appeal of your home. 

They’re also hired to create one—off statement pieces in the home. This can be anything from a stone benchtop in the kitchen, a freestanding stone tub in the bathroom or a feature wall, often around a fireplace or another eye-catching part of the home.   

Many stonemasons have a speciality in either style – whether that’s walls or benchtops – or material – such as granite or sandstone – but some larger companies may have several offerings. 

How much does it cost to hire a stonemason?

The cost to hire a stonemason can vary hugely depending on the scope of the work, the materials needed and their level of experience. You also have two costs to consider: materials and labour. 

One of the easiest jobs to measure for materials costs is your kitchen benchtop. While a laminate benchtop can cost as little as $500 per square metre, if you want actual stone then you may be looking at:

• Engineered stone: $2500-$3000
• Granite: $3000-$3500
• Marble: $3500+

For an idea of different labour costs, Melbourne Stonemasons currently charge, for labour only:

• $140 an hour for sandstone paving
• $250 an hour for crazy paving
• $550 an hour for drystack rockwork

How to hire a reputable local stonemason

Stonework is a difficult job and one that requires a great deal of skill. It’s definitely a task that you want to leave to the professionals, so it’s important that you do your homework. 

When you hire a stonemason, no matter what task it’s for, it’s important to find out a bit more about how they operate as a business. A few things to consider include:

• What sort of experience they have
• If they’re licenced 
• What level of insurance they have 
• If they have references or reviews you can check
• Which materials they’re comfortable working with

It’s worth remembering that not all stonemasons are proficient in the same tasks. If you’re doing a huge reno project, finding different tradies for your granite worktop and your crazy paving isn’t unusual. 

Licencing and insurance

Licencing requirements for stonemasons vary across the country, but as a general rule you’ll want to make sure they’re licensed for bigger jobs. 

In New South Wales, for example, a stonemason doing a job that costs $5000 (including GST) or more (this is for both labour and materials) must be fully licenced. Concreting work (e.g. laying a slab) does not have to be included in this quote. 

As of July 2020, stonemasons in NSW require either a contractor licence, an endorsed contractor licence or a qualified supervisor certificate. 

Any jobs over $20,000 require the tradie to have insurance, but it’s recommended that you check they’re covered for jobs of any size. 

Getting quotes from stonemasons

When you hire a stonemason, you’re normally doing it because you want to pay that little bit extra for stand-out results. 

Because of the costs associated with stonemasonry, it pays to do your research before hiring anyone. Speaking to multiple businesses and getting written quotes from each is highly advised. 

On hipages, a lot of the legwork has been done for you. Not only can you rest assured that all contractors on the site are licensed and registered, you can read reviews from previous customers and look through a portfolio of photos of previous jobs. 

Once you’re happy with the skills and work ethic, you can negotiate prices and set a date for your project to begin.