Brick and stone have always been popular with home buyers because it gives a feeling of security and safety to a house. After all, it’s made out of stone so it will be around a long time and stand up to almost anything that’s thrown at it. Since it adds so much value to a home, why do you think that more people don’t use it? Mainly the price! Manufactured stone shares many of the same benefits as natural stone but you will find that it costs one third to one half less to install it.
Why is natural stone so much more expensive to install than a manufactured stone veneer?
The three biggest reasons are:
- Perception – Everyone knows about natural stone because it has been used in housing for hundreds of years. It has created its own demand. Manufactured stone has improved a lot over time and it has just recently been coming into its own as a design choice. Even though manufactured stone looks exactly the same as natural stone, lasts as long if not longer and is easier to clean, it is just not as well known yet.
- Complexity – When you are installing natural stone as an element in a home you are dealing with a very heavy material. You need a skilled craftsman like a mason to install it properly. Plus, you will need a builder to ensure that the underlying structure can bear up under the added weight of the natural stone. With all of those things to consider, it is just not the right project for a beginner. The downside is that all of that skilled labor does not come cheaply.
- Safety – As mentioned above, natural stone is extremely heavy unlike manufactured stone. Even if you tried to install it yourself which is not recommended, you will need a team of very helpful friends. If any piece of the building materials slips or falls then it will injure and possibly kill anyone that is not fast enough to get out of the way. Without the free labor, you will need to rent or buy machinery to move the stone and that is never a cheap option.
Manufactured stone is the best choice when starting your DIY stone project. Visit our Find a Distributor page at Native Custom Stone to find out where you can order our manufactured stone today.
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