Stone is one of the few building finishes that looks better with age, and the best stone masons in Whanganui are the trades who make it sit right on a house or in a garden. Whether the job is stone cladding across a wall, a chimney or fireplace, a set of pillars and a letterbox, or paving through a courtyard, a stone mason in Whanganui will cut and set the material so it holds its line for decades. Straight Up Stone and St Johns Landscaping both take this work on locally.
1Straight Up Stone
Straight Up Stone is a Whanganui stonemasonry and building business run by Leon Herrick, who took up the craft after seeing stone structures in Scotland and went on to complete a certificate in stone masonry at the Otago Polytechnic in Cromwell. Leon and the team work on commercial and residential projects, covering stone features, stone repairs, stone installation and stone design, and they carry carpentry qualifications alongside the masonry. The pairing suits a homeowner who wants a stone feature built as part of a wider renovation or new build rather than as a standalone job.
Services
- Stone wall cladding
- Stone walls and fences
- Stone chimneys and fireplaces
- Indoor and outdoor stone paving
- Stone pillars and letterboxes
Highlights
- Certificate in stone masonry completed at the Otago Polytechnic in Cromwell, worked alongside masons in Central Otago
- Carpentry qualifications as well, so renovations, new builds, decks, extensions and bathrooms are handled by the same team
- Experience sourcing raw material at the quarry and following that stone through to the finished project
- Takes on commercial as well as residential stonework
- Serves the Whanganui and Manawatu area
Location & Contact
Name: Straight Up Stone
Address: Whanganui
Phone: 021 286 7509
Website: straightupstone.co.nz
2St Johns Landscaping
St Johns Landscaping is a Whanganui landscaping business owned by Gerard and Karen Hobbs, offering landscape design, soft and hard landscaping and landscape reconstruction. Paving and stone work is one of its residential service lines, covering stonework on the outside of a dwelling, on a chimney or around a garden, alongside paving for pathways, driveways, pool surrounds and outdoor living areas. It suits a property owner who wants the stone handled as part of a whole outdoor area, with planting, fencing and concrete work planned at the same time.
Services
- Decorative stone for cladding and chimneys
- Paving for pathways, driveways, pool surrounds and living areas
- Fencing and retaining walls
- Concrete paths and driveways
- Water features
Highlights
- Over 28 years of industry experience, with 13 years under the current owners
- Owner Gerard Hobbs holds a diploma in horticulture and a certificate in landscaping
- Design offered alongside construction, so a stone feature can be drawn up as part of the wider garden
- Takes on commercial landscaping as well as residential work
Location & Contact
Name: St Johns Landscaping
Address: Whanganui
Phone: 06 347 7765
Website: stjohnslandscaping.co.nz
How to Choose the Right Stone Mason in Whanganui
- Match the trade to the job: a schist or river stone feature wall is a masonry job, while paving laid through a new garden may sit better with a landscaping team that can handle the groundwork too.
- Ask what stone they have actually worked with, and ask to see a finished wall, chimney or paved area of the same type rather than a general gallery.
- Check whether the stone is structural, a veneer or a drystone build, because each has a different base, drainage and fixing requirement.
- Confirm who does the preparation. Foundations, drainage and any concrete slab under paving decide whether the stone still looks right in ten years.
- Get the scope in writing, including stone supply, cartage, mortar or pointing finish and clean up, so quotes from different trades can be compared line by line.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whanganui Stone Masons
What does a stone mason actually do?
A stone mason selects, cuts, shapes and lays stone. On a house that usually means cladding a wall or a chimney, building a fireplace surround, or setting pillars and a letterbox at the entrance. Outside it covers stone walls and fences, paving and garden features. Some masons also carve and letter stone, which is a separate skill from laying it.
Do I need building consent for stonework?
It depends on what the stone is doing. Decorative garden walls and paving are usually exempt, but a retaining wall above a certain height, a structural wall, a fireplace or chimney, and cladding that forms part of the weathertight envelope will generally need consent. Check the current exemptions before you commit, and talk to Whanganui District Council about your specific site. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment sets out what does and does not need consent at building.govt.nz.
Is stone cladding restricted building work?
Cladding on a home is often classed as restricted building work, which means the design and the work on the weathertight envelope must be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner. If your project involves cladding a house rather than a garden feature, ask who on the job holds the licence and for which class. You can look up a practitioner on the public register at lbp.govt.nz.
What does stone masonry cost?
Stonework is quoted per project rather than off a price list, because the cost is driven by the stone chosen, how much cutting it needs, how far it has to be carted and how difficult the site is to work on. Dry laid stone and hand cut stone take longer than a veneer fixed to a prepared substrate. Ask for a written quote that separates the stone supply from the labour so you can see where the money is going.
Should I use a specialist stone mason or a landscaper?
Both are legitimate options and the answer depends on the job. Cladding, a chimney, a fireplace or fine cut work is a masonry job and belongs with a mason. Paving, garden walls and stone features that sit inside a wider outdoor project often go more smoothly with a landscaping team, because the same crew handles the excavation, drainage, concrete and planting around the stone.
How do I find a stone mason near my part of Whanganui?
Most stone masons and landscapers in Whanganui work across the whole district rather than from a shopfront, so the practical question is not which suburb they are in but how far they will travel and what they charge for cartage. Whether you are in Gonville, Castlecliff, Aramoho, Springvale or out towards Kai Iwi and the river road, ask when they were last working in your area and whether the stone you want can be delivered there without a big freight cost.
How long does a stone job take?
A small feature such as a letterbox or a low garden wall can be finished in a few days. A clad chimney, a fireplace or a run of paving is usually a week or more once preparation and curing time are counted, and a fully clad elevation is a staged job that has to fit around the rest of the build. Weather matters too, since mortar and pointing need reasonable conditions to cure properly.
Can existing stonework be repaired rather than replaced?
Often, yes. Loose or cracked mortar joints can be raked out and repointed, individual stones can be reset, and a wall that has moved can sometimes be taken down and rebuilt using the original material. Repair work is worth asking about before replacement, particularly on an older Whanganui house where the stone itself is sound and only the mortar has failed.