STONE STEPS & STOOPSFIREPLACE SURROUNDSSTONE HEARTHSINDOOR FEATURE WALLSNATURAL STONE VENEERREPOINTING & REPAIRSOSHAWA & DURHAM REGIONSTONE STEPS & STOOPSFIREPLACE SURROUNDSSTONE HEARTHSINDOOR FEATURE WALLSNATURAL STONE VENEERREPOINTING & REPAIRSOSHAWA & DURHAM REGION
Around Downtown Oshawa, Pinecrest and Eastdale, The Setting Stone Company does stone masonry for homes, from slipped front steps and stoops to natural stone fireplace surrounds, indoor feature walls and repointing.
The age of the housing matters here: the City’s Housing Needs Assessment counts 23,330 homes built from 1961 to 1980 and 15,700 built in 1960 or before, so many front steps have been through decades of frost. We handle the stone only, and any fireplace appliance or chimney work goes to a gas fitter or WETT-certified technician.
Let’s make something great together. Get Free Quote
Steps sit on ground that freezes. Environment Canada’s normals put Oshawa’s daily low at 0 C or colder on 130.1 days a year, and the Building Code’s notes say frost heave happens when moisture in clay or silt freezes and expands. Soil varies by lot, so we lift the stone, find out what moved and rebuild on a compacted base that sheds water. Concrete steps with more than 2 risers must meet the Code’s minimum foundation depth rules, so we check what is holding yours up.
Let’s make something great together. Get Free Quote
As masonry contractors in Oshawa, we handle the stone and leave appliances to the specialists. Steps and outdoor repairs depend on the weather, while fireplace stone and feature walls are good winter work. More on our Durham Region stone work page.
Let’s make something great together. Get Free Quote
Some stone jobs do and some don’t. The City’s permit guide lists no permit for tuck pointing a chimney’s mortar joints, or for gas, electrical or oil fireplace appliances. It does list one for stairs and steps, for a new solid-fuel appliance or fireplace insert, and for new or replacement exterior cladding, which is where brick veneer falls. Interior changes that affect a building system or the structure need one too.
The City says its list is not exhaustive. It does not name stone facing around an existing fireplace or repointing other stonework, so confirm jobs like those with Building Services at 905-436-3311. We help with this at the quote.
Over 40 properties here carry Ontario Heritage Act designation. The City recommends speaking with Planning Services before applying to alter one.
A 2021 Heritage Oshawa report dates the buildings at 1-7 King St. E. and 3-5 Simcoe St. S. to 1860. Repairs near masonry that old call for care.
Environment Canada's 1991 to 2020 normals show 101.7 cm of snow a year here. Fireplace and feature wall jobs can carry on indoors all winter.
The City's permit page lists adding fireplaces or wood-burning stoves as permit work, while its guide lists no permit for gas, electrical or oil appliances. Ask first.
We won’t price stone over the phone. What sits behind the wall or under the step decides the job, and that takes a visit.
Call or send a note about the steps, wall or fireplace. We reply within 1 business day, and the on-site consultation is free, with no obligation.
We look at the base, the backing and the fireplace type, then explain which permits may apply and who else you need.
Every part of the job is itemized and clear, so you can weigh it up properly before saying yes.
Our own crew protects floors and gardens, sets the stone, cleans up and goes over the finished work with you.
Let’s make something great together. Get Free Quote
Have a project in mind? Contact Us Today
Often they can be repaired, if the stones themselves are sound. We lift them, correct what moved underneath and set them again. If the structure below has failed, a rebuild makes more sense. The City's guide lists building stairs and steps as permit work, and a repair can be a different question, so ask the City which applies.
It depends on the type of fireplace. A factory-built unit goes by its own standard, CAN/ULC-S610, so the listing and maker's instructions come first. A masonry fireplace built on site follows the Building Code's clearances. On the appliance side, the City's guide lists no permit for gas, electrical or oil fireplaces and one for a new solid-fuel appliance or insert. We set the stone, and a gas fitter or WETT-certified technician looks after the appliance.
Stone veneer is a facing, and it can be natural or manufactured. Full masonry veneer rests on a support, and the Building Code asks for solid units at least 70 mm thick. Adhered veneer is thinner and bonds to its backing: cut natural stone, or manufactured stone cast from cement and aggregate to look like natural rock. On an Oshawa house exterior, the City's guide lists new or replacement cladding as permit work.
The cost comes down to the stone, the size of the job and the preparation it needs. Rebuilding a stoop on a failed base is a very different job from facing a fireplace, and the City's guide lists steps as permit work, so a permit may be part of it. Rather than guess by phone, we come and look for free, then send a clear, itemized quote.
It may. Altering a designated property needs a Heritage Permit, and the City's no-permit line for tuck pointing covers building permits on chimneys only. The City recommends speaking with Planning Services before you apply, and its heritage alterations page explains the process. We can talk through the masonry side at the visit.
New stone steps can lead to a flagstone walkway or sit beside a low wall. Here is the rest of our local work.
Send a note or call (905) 922-6684. We will look in person, explain what applies and send a free, itemized quote.
Expert interlock, flagstone, driveways, retaining walls, decks, and fences across Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Oshawa, and Clarington.
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
Tim at Setting Stones rebuilt our slipped stone steps and installed a new retaining wall. Hands down the best contractor we’ve worked with. He was professional, listened closely to our vision, and accommodated every design change without complaint. He kept the site immaculate throughout the project, and the finished stonework speaks for itself. Highly recommend.
Samra M. Google review