Stonemasons
in Wellington

You don’t have to go far to find some beautiful stone work in and around Wellington. The National War Museum, including the Hall of Memories was constructed early last century by expert stonemasons and other highlights of excellent building works built from stone include Samuel Hall and Cummings House. There’s even stonework to observe out at the Wellington Zoo.

Finding a stonemason to complete your stone works projects in the Windy City of the North Island, whether it’s in Churton Park or Mt Cook, needn’t be a difficult task. Follow this guide to learn more about what these tradespeople can do for you and how you can find them.

What does a stonemason do?

Stonemasons, also known by their Maori name Pouwhakanao Kōhatu are experienced with conducting building works with stone and rocks. They can cut specified stones and rocks to size, and use them to create walls, fences, paths, pools, fireplaces and chimney and columns. They are known for having an eye for detail, able to shape a jigsaw out of stone and set it in place with concrete or masonry.

These tradesmen can work with all sorts of stone and rock materials, including volcanic rock, sandstone, slate, granite, limestone, schist and rubble.

They can also repair and restore existing stone work including cracks and masonry.

What sort of experience should my tradie have?

Your stonemason should have a least a few years’ experience under their belt. Some may study at Otago Polytechnic to complete their National Certificate in Masonry over the course of a year, although it is not required.

Most stonemasons do not have any formal qualifications, they have simply gained experience in the trade, working under more experienced people. It is often a family trade, or one that a builder has gone on to specialize in.

An apprentice who is starting out in stonemasonry must be supervised by a suitably experienced offsider, as the safety implications of working with heavy stone must be considered at all times.

How much should my job cost?

This all depends on how large your job is and how much your materials are for construction. Different types of stone cost different amounts. Limestone, for instance, is cheaper by size than granite. A block of 150mm of Oamaru stone will be priced around $70, Hinuera stone is around $90 per metre and Central Otago schist comes in at around $400 per metre. Discuss the cost of materials with your stonemason: they should be able to help you with sourcing stone if you haven’t already bought it.

They may also use other materials like concrete which will have to be built in to the cost. Labour costs for and apprentice stonemason will be from around $15/hour base rate, whereas experienced offsiders will be around $30/hour, and principal stonemasons will be upwards of that.

How do I find the right stonemason?

In order to find the right stonemason in Wellington, you need to have a well thought out advertisement up on Builderscrack. Your ad should contain a detailed description of the job you need done, any materials you’ve already purchased, a picture of the area if necessary, and an expected timeframe for completion. Make sure that the title of your advertisement accurately and fully explains the job for best results.

Once your job has been posted, kick back and wait for the workers to start contacting you.