FIELDSTONE REPOINTINGSLIPPED STEP REBUILDSSTONE STOOPSFIREPLACE STONE & HEARTHSINTERIOR STONE WALLSSTONE VENEERPICKERING & DURHAM REGIONFIELDSTONE REPOINTINGSLIPPED STEP REBUILDSSTONE STOOPSFIREPLACE STONE & HEARTHSINTERIOR STONE WALLSSTONE VENEERPICKERING & DURHAM REGION
When a Pickering home needs stone masonry, The Setting Stone Company handles the steps and stoops, fireplace surrounds, feature walls and repointing, from old Whitevale and Dunbarton to new streets in Seaton.
The City’s housing assessment counts 8,350 homes from 1961 to 1980 and 2,070 older than that, and older houses can bring slipped steps and tired joints. Seaton, planned for about 61,000 residents, brings new rooms where a stone wall can go in from the start. Stone is where our work stops: any appliance or chimney work belongs to a gas fitter or WETT-certified technician.
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One reason is too much mortar. The Whitevale district guide from June 1990 warns against over-buttering masonry joints, calling it a far too common mistake with fieldstone buildings. It says stone buildings should generally follow its brick masonry guidance, with repointing done the same way. So when we repoint, we keep the joints neat and let the stone show. Indoors the care goes behind the wall: a true, rigid backing, with each stone back buttered for close to full contact, as the Natural Stone Institute asks.
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Some stone masonry jobs in Pickering need a City permit and some don’t, so we sort that out first. Indoor stone can go ahead in winter. The Durham Region stone work page lists the same services across the region.
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Whitevale is a rural hamlet that is entirely a Heritage Conservation District, and its character has changed little since the late 19th century. The City’s Heritage Planning page says a Heritage Permit is needed for new construction, changes, additions or demolition on a property in a district, and the work that may need one includes repairing or replacing exterior parts such as cladding.
Eligible designated homes can also claim a 20% annual rebate on municipal and education property tax. City Development at 905.420.4617 can confirm what applies today, as these rules can change.
Bay Ridges has an older village near Frenchman's Bay, and Dunbarton grew around the former Village of Dunbarton, so older stonework can turn up there.
The City says work should never start before a permit is issued, and a qualified designer or contractor can get it on your behalf.
Property Standards By-law 7887/21, s. 106 wants chimneys kept without open joints or loose masonry. A WETT-certified technician handles those, and we handle the stone.
The City's housing assessment says 77.5% of dwellings were built before 2000, a larger share than in other Durham municipalities.
A stone job is easier to plan in person. We would rather spend some time at your house than guess on the phone.
Send a note or call, and hear back within 1 business day. The consultation at your home is free, with no obligation.
We look over the joints, the stoop or the fireplace wall, and flag anything the City may need to see.
It is clear and itemized, so you can see what the job involves before you decide.
Our own crew protects the property, does the work, cleans up and walks through the finished stone with you.
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Check with Fire Services first. The City's open-air burning page says open-air burning appliances are not permitted, including outdoor style fireplaces such as a chimnea. It does not name a masonry fireplace built on site. It points to natural gas or propane fire pits as the alternative, regulated by TSSA. We would not plan stone around a fire until that is confirmed.
The fuel matters. The City lists a chimney or fireplace, and a wood burning stove or fireplace, among projects that may need a building permit. Gas fireplaces are on its list of interior work that does not typically need one. For stone facing on an existing fireplace, ask Building Services at 905.420.4631 before work starts.
The 2024 Ontario Building Code has applied to all new permit applications since April 1, 2025. For exterior stairs serving one home, it sets a rise of 125 mm to 200 mm and a run of 255 mm to 355 mm, and more than 3 risers means one handrail. We lay out new steps to those numbers.
Over-buttering means too much mortar on the joints, and the Whitevale district guide calls it a far too common mistake with fieldstone buildings. Joints that look wide and smeared across the stone's face can be a sign of it. We can look at yours at a site visit and tell you what we would do.
We would need to see it first. A repoint in Whitevale and a feature wall in Seaton have little in common apart from the stone, and each needs different preparation. So instead of a phone estimate, you get a free visit and an itemized quote.
Front steps can lead to a flagstone path, and a slope beside them may call for a retaining wall. Browse our local services below.
The visit is free, and the quote comes itemized, with no obligation. Our number is (905) 922-6684.
Expert interlock, flagstone, driveways, retaining walls, decks, and fences across Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Oshawa, and Clarington.
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Tim and his crew did a fantastic job on our walkway and stairs - we couldn’t be happier with the results! His recommendations, communications and expertise are top notch! Would highly recommend his services and look forward to our next project!
Karen A. Google review