Stone siding isn't for everyone. While it has distinctive elegance and unmatched durability, it's also one of the most expensive forms of siding. If you have funds, though, you can trust that investing in stone siding will be money well spent. Still, the beautiful appearance of stone can't be boiled down to simple economics of haves and have-nots.
What's so Great about Stone?
It's really nothing more than glorified rock, but rock's been standing up to Mother Nature for millions of years. Plus, unlike other siding options, this longevity requires no special maintenance or attention. Vinyl will last almost indefinitely, but sunlight eventually causes it to fade and lose its visual appeal. Hardie board siding must eventually be repainted. As long as you find a competent Austin masonry contractor, your stone siding will last an extraordinarily long time without you giving it a second thought.
Stone Siding: Austin, TX
As you might expect, the most popular Austin stone siding projects are in the more affluent areas west of downtown. Driving through Westlake, Lakeway, and out to Lake Travis, it's easy to spot homes with stone siding. Long after the music of downtown Austin has faded away, homes in greater Austin may also be great candidates for stone siding as the rough, windswept culture of Texas begins to emerge. In fact, few urban homeowners choose stone for their home's siding.
Cost of an Austin Stone Siding Installation
To provide homeowners useful information about what they can expect from their home improvement projects, ServiceMagic collects data on all the projects we process. This is what we know: The average Austin stone siding project costs about $12,000. Keep in mind that this number accounts for both real stone siding and faux stone siding projects. This means you can spend upwards of $20,000 on your siding or well under $10,000 depending on your budget, preferences, and, of course, the size of your home.
If you do have your mind set on the extra appeal and performance of real stone, you might look into local Texas stone quarries. Purchasing local stone will reduce the cost of transportation. Given the weight of real stone, simply transporting it to your home for installation can be a significant part of the cost.
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Project Length of Austin Stone Siding Installation
Although the weight of the stone is a key ingredient in its performance, heavier stone is more difficult to install. Installing stone siding is literally one of the most difficult home improvement projects out there and shouldn't be attempted on your own. Even somewhat lighter faux stone can be difficult to handle for many homeowners. In fact, nobody except a licensed Austin masonry contractor should be left in charge of installing such an expensive and important material. Figure about a week or two to choose the granite, sandstone, limestone, or whatever catches your eye, and to have your Austin masonry contractor fit the stones in place. Don't try to rush things or hire someone without the right credentials. Improper installation can be disastrous, but the good news is that masonry contractors know what they're doing and rarely do we see scams involving people pretending to be masonry contractors. In fact, we still haven't seen a homeowner who hasn't recommended their Austin stone siding professional to other homeowners.

Marcus Pickett is a professional freelance writer for the home remodeling industry. He has published more than 600 articles on both regional and national topics within the home improvement industry.