Overview
Stone masonry is slow work, and the stone is half the quote before the chisel comes out
Stone is one of the few trades where the material is bespoke. Cotswold limestone, granite, sandstone, Welsh slate, the lot. Each block is quoted at the quarry by tonne or by piece, then trucked at a cost, then cut and dressed on site. The labour rate is high because the work is slow and the skill is rare. A flat per-square-metre rate for 'stone wall' makes no sense when the stone itself can be ten times the price between quarries, and customers who don't see the stone line don't understand why the quote sits where it does.
QuoteGenio gives stone masons room to put the material front and centre. Stone by piece or tonne with the quarry and the cut specified, transport by load, mortar at the right mix, scaffolding where needed, and labour by day with the rate that reflects bespoke dressing. Heritage work has its own line for matching existing pointing or weathering. Send the quote via WhatsApp from the customer's site, take a deposit on the stone order, raise progress invoices as the wall goes up, and the final invoice when the last cap stone is set. Customers paying for stone want to see the stone.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every kind of masonry business, from solo dry-stone wallers to small heritage restoration practices.
The problem
The quoting headaches every stone mason knows
Stone work is heritage-heavy and access-heavy. Without a clear written quote with stone source, dressing labour, and access constraints, every variation in lime mortar mix or hidden pointing damage absorbs into the original price.
Heritage scope creep
A '$ 4,800 wall repoint' uncovers cracked stones and missing copings once the mortar comes out. Without provisional sums, the extras eat the margin.
Verbal quotes feel like a guess
Heritage clients expect a written specification with stone source, mortar mix, and conservation principles. A WhatsApp price feels amateur.
Slow quotes lose listed work
Listed building work is competitive. The first quote with proper conservation language and stone provenance usually wins, even at a higher rate.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A clean workflow for the masonry yard. Quote stone supply, dressing, fixing, and pointing as separate lines. Send via WhatsApp from the site. Convert to deposit and progress invoices on signing.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for masonry work
Line items for stone supply per cubic metre, dressing labour per stone, fixing per square metre, lime mortar mix, and access scaffolding. Reuse across heritage and new-build.
Works from the wall
Quote a heritage repair from the foot of the scaffold, or send a memorial quote from the yard. Branded PDF on every send.
Quote in under 5 minutes
Build templates for repointing, dressed-stone supply, dry-stone walling, and memorial work. Each new job is a few tweaks from sent.
Track deposits and finals
See which deposits have landed (locking the stone supply order) and which finals are still outstanding on accepted heritage projects.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how stone masons actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Stone Masons choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Stone Masons build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Stone Masons job pricing
A rough guide to what stone masons charge for common work. Pricing varies by stone type, dressing complexity, scaffolding access, and whether the work is heritage-grade or new-build. Listed building work and accredited heritage masonry sit at the top of these ranges.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Repoint sandstone wall (per square metre, lime mortar) | $ 95 - $ 240 / m² |
| Stone replacement (per dressed stone, supply & fix) | $ 180 - $ 850 / stone |
| Dry-stone wall (per linear metre, 1.2m high) | $ 140 - $ 380 / m |
| Memorial / headstone (supply, dress, install) | $ 950 - $ 4,500 |
| Heritage pointing rake-out and repoint | $ 145 - $ 320 / m² |
| Stone cleaning (per square metre, hand or DOFF) | $ 38 - $ 145 / m² |
| Hourly rate (skilled mason) | $ 65 - $ 145 / hour |
Pricing shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Heritage and listed building work needs the mortar mix and stone source on the quote. State the NHL grade (3.5 or 5), the lime-to-sand ratio, and the stone provenance (Yorkshire sandstone, Bath stone, Welsh slate) on every line. Conservation officers and clients both check, and listing the spec in writing protects you from a 'cheaper' competitor using OPC mortar that fails listed-building consent.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use per-square-metre pricing for repointing and stone cleaning. Use per-stone pricing for replacement and dressed-stone supply. Use per-linear-metre for dry-stone walling. Use hourly pricing ($ 65 to $ 145) for diagnostic work and unknown-scope heritage repairs. Always quote scaffolding and access as separate fixed lines.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean heritage masonry quote looks like. Rake-out, repoint, stone replacement, scaffolding, cleaning, and provisional sum each on their own line. Conservation officers value transparent specs, and clients accept faster when the mortar mix and stone source are visible.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Heritage sandstone wall repoint, 12 m² with 4 stone replacements
Hand rake-out of failed mortar joints
Lime mortar repoint (NHL 3.5, 1:2.5 mix)
Dressed sandstone replacement (4 stones, supply & fix)
Scaffolding hire (3 weeks, 1 lift)
Stone cleaning before repointing (DOFF method)
Provisional sum: hidden bedding mortar repair
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand rake-out of failed mortar joints | 12 | $ 65.00 / m² | $ 780 |
| Lime mortar repoint (NHL 3.5, 1:2.5 mix) | 12 | $ 145 / m² | $ 1,740 |
| Dressed sandstone replacement (4 stones, supply & fix) | 4 | $ 380 / stone | $ 1,520 |
| Scaffolding hire (3 weeks, 1 lift) | 1 | $ 850 | $ 850 |
| Stone cleaning before repointing (DOFF method) | 12 | $ 65.00 / m² | $ 780 |
| Provisional sum: hidden bedding mortar repair | 1 | $ 240 | $ 240 |
| Subtotal | $ 5,910 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $ 591 | ||
| Total incl. tax | $ 6,501 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Scaffolding extensions if hidden damage is found, water-shedding cement runs that need pure-lime replacement, dressing labour on bespoke replacement stones, sample panels for conservation officer approval, and waste removal of demolished stone. Add these as standard or provisional lines so they stop coming out of your day rate.
Peer snapshot
How Stone Masons actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Stone Masons on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
35
Quotes sent per month
45%
Average quote acceptance
5 min
Median time to send quote
$ 6,501
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Stone Mason jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of stone masons. The same heritage spec, scaffolding, and provisional-sum mistakes come up project after project. Fix these and your day rate will reflect the conservation expertise involved.
Mistake: OPC mortar on heritage work
Better: State the lime mortar specification (NHL 3.5, 1:2.5 lime to sharp sand) on every line. Listed buildings require lime; using OPC fails consent and damages the stone.
Mistake: No provisional sum for hidden bedding
Better: Add a provisional sum line for hidden mortar repair on heritage repointing jobs. Once the rake-out exposes the bedding, you can quote the variation in writing.
Mistake: Verbal sample-panel approval
Better: Conservation officers usually need a sample panel approved before bulk repointing. Quote the sample panel as its own line so the day's work is paid even if approval needs revisions.
Mistake: Bundled scaffolding into labour
Better: Quote scaffolding as a separate fixed line at hire-rate plus erection cost. The mason's hourly rate should never absorb three weeks of scaffold.
Mistake: Same rate for hard and soft stone
Better: Granite, basalt, and slate dressing take 2 to 4 times the labour of sandstone or limestone. Quote per stone with stone type stated on the description, not a flat rate.
Mistake: No deposit on memorial work
Better: Take 50 percent on memorial commissions before ordering stone. Granite and bespoke headstones have non-refundable cutting and dressing costs.
Mistake: No expiry on the quote
Better: Set a 30 day validity on heritage work. Conservation consent timelines and stone supplier lead times move; an old quote can bind you to outdated stone pricing.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote stone masonry work
Always do a site visit before quoting heritage repointing. Look at the stone type, the mortar condition, the bedding behind the joints, and any structural movement. Note the listing grade if applicable, and ask whether conservation officer consent is in hand or needs to be obtained. Quote based on what you saw, not on a phone description. Heritage repointing is one of the most under-quoted trades because the bedding mortar damage is rarely visible until the rake-out is underway.
Itemise stone supply, dressing labour, fixing labour, mortar mix, scaffolding, and cleaning as separate lines. State the stone provenance (Yorkshire sandstone, Bath stone, Welsh slate, French limestone), the dressing finish (rusticated, picked, sawn, dressed), and the mortar specification (NHL grade, lime-to-sand ratio) on every line. Conservation officers check these specs and clients value transparency. Add provisional sums for hidden bedding repair, additional dressing on damaged stones, and any sample panel work required by consent.
Take a deposit on stone supply and memorial work. Heritage repointing is usually invoiced on completion, with a 30 percent deposit for material on order. Memorial and bespoke dressed-stone work always needs 50 percent deposit before cutting starts because the stone is committed to the design. State the deposit clearly on the quote so the client agrees in writing when they accept.
Send the quote via WhatsApp or email and follow up. Heritage clients often need to share quotes with conservation officers, listed-building consultants, or insurance assessors. The branded PDF makes that easy. Share via public link, follow up after a week (heritage timelines are slower), and once accepted, raise the deposit invoice and order the stone. Set a 30 day validity to protect against supplier price moves on imported stone.
FAQ
Common questions from stone masons
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Once your quote is ready, share the public link via WhatsApp. The client opens a branded PDF that lists stone provenance, mortar mix, and scaffolding cost. They can forward the same link to a conservation officer or insurance assessor without forwarding email attachments.
List it on the description line of the repointing entry: 'Lime mortar repoint, NHL 3.5, 1:2.5 lime to sharp sand'. This is what conservation officers expect and protects you against a competitor underquoting with OPC.
Yes. List a provisional sum on heritage and old-stone work for hidden bedding mortar damage, additional dressing, or stone replacement found during rake-out. Quote the variation in writing as soon as the damage is exposed.
Yes. Scaffolding is a separate cost from masonry labour. List scaffold hire and erection as one or two lines on the quote so the client sees the access cost separately from the stonework.
Per linear metre at the wall height (typically 1.2m or 1.5m). State whether stone is supplied or already on site, the wall type (single or double-skin), and any copings or through-stones. Hourly rates are appropriate only for repair to existing walls with unknown scope.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes during a busy heritage season.
Yes. Quote stone supply, dressing labour, lettering, and installation as separate lines. State the stone type (granite, marble, sandstone) and finish. Take 50 percent deposit before cutting starts because bespoke dressing is non-refundable.
Quote the sample panel as a paid line. If consent revisions require additional dressing or different mortar mix, send a variation quote referencing the original. Get written acceptance before redoing work.
If you are tax registered, yes. Show tax as its own line on the quote. Some heritage and listed work has reduced VAT rates depending on jurisdiction; state the rate clearly.
30 days. Stone supplier lead times and consent timelines are slower than other trades. Set a 30 day validity that prints on the PDF so an old quote does not bind you to outdated pricing.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Explore more
Related trades in Construction & Building
QuoteGenio is built for a whole family of trades. Explore other pages that might fit how you work.
Reviews
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"Steel fabrication quotes are technical. Clients appreciate when line items are clear and VAT is shown properly. Feels more like dealing with a real business."
Matthias Schulz
Steel Fabricator · Hamburg
"Simple, fast, and easy to use. I can create and send quotes in minutes without overcomplicating things."
Sophie Williams
Freelancer · Glasgow
"The statements feature is brilliant for my monthly retainer clients. Everything looks polished and my clients pay faster."
Aoife O'Sullivan
Landscape Designer · Dublin
Guides
Guides for Stone Masons
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
Free forever plan
Start quoting faster. Win more jobs.
Create professional quotes in minutes, send instantly, and stay on top of your work without the admin slowing you down.
Free to start. No credit card required.