San Diego Stone Fireplaces

Making a house a great place to come home to, rather than just a roof over your head, is the goal of most every homeowner. While most of us could certainly survive as long as we had adequate shelter, the desire to turn the space where we live into something more than just the bare minimum is a nearly universal constant. From decorations to add-ons, we, as a culture, are continually striving to make the structures we call home into a place we're glad to be in and are happy to invite others to enjoy with us.

If you made a list of things a house should have to function in San Diego, "stone fireplace" is much more likely to be below quite a few other items. However, even though the winters are generally short and mild, and the average snowfall in the area is hardly what you'd call "heavy," sitting next to a crackling fire in San Diego is no less wonderful than it is anywhere else in the country when it comes time to relax on a cool evening.

San Diego Stone Fireplace Options
There are several different fireplaces available for your home, and all have their own benefits, drawbacks, and settings in which they will look best. In a rustic setting, there is no better fit than a rough or field stone fireplace. San Diego residents that crave a more rugged and classic feeling in their homes will find that a rough stone fireplace will not only function well, but will provide a comfortable place to gather with friends and family, or relax alone. Rough stone is difficult to work with and should probably be handled only by an experienced mason.

Finished stones and bricks are very popular choices. A fireplace made from either will look good just about anywhere, and they are easier to work with than rough stone because of their uniform size and shape. Just because they are easier, however, doesn't mean that they're easy, and an experienced hand is still recommended with both of these materials.

A cut stone fireplace is marked by an elegant and luxurious appearance. Mostly fashioned from marble or limestone, a cut stone fireplace is made by removing pieces from a larger stone (though several stones will probably be used to make the finished product). These can usually be installed by a general contractor, though the creation of the piece itself is often done by experienced artisans.

Formed stone fireplaces are made to look like cut stone fireplaces, but their construction is quite different. Instead of cutting away portions of a large stone, a liquid "stone" is poured into a mold and left to cure. This allows for mass production, which makes them less expensive. They can be installed by a general contractor.

Cost of a Stone Fireplace in San Diego
Most would say the biggest drawback of a San Diego stone fireplace is that you probably won't be able to get all that much use out of it. It's true that southern California weather won't make this item a necessity, but when there's even a bit of chill in the air, most people who already have a fireplace of any kind find that there's no better way to warm up. The national average price for a brick or stone fireplace is a little over $3,000 (though, as with many other things, So Cal residents will almost certainly find this figure to be a little low). Pre-fabricated fireplaces can usually be installed for under $1,000, but this doesn't include the price of the fireplace itself.