Planning a plaza refresh, a new tenant buildout or a facelift for a medical office? Most of those projects come down to the same move: stone on the piers between the glass, under the windows and on the tower element at the corner. This page covers that storefront and facade stone veneer work. It falls under our commercial stone veneer service, which explains how we bid, insure and close out. Here we focus on the facade: what goes where, what your wall needs and how your storefronts stay open.
Storefront veneer pricing
| Item | Unit | Installed range |
|---|---|---|
| Manufactured stone on piers, bulkheads and towers | per sq ft | $27–$37 |
| Natural thin-veneer ledgestone | per sq ft | $38–$50 |
| Limestone, travertine or coral stone panels, tight joints | per sq ft | $46–$65 |
| Pier or column wrap, 4 sides, 10–12 ft, with cap | per column | $3,250–$5,250 |
| Cast stone or limestone sill under storefront glass | per linear ft | $50–$80 |
| Barrier, lath and scratch coat over framed bump-outs | per sq ft | add $6–$10 to the stone rate |
| Example: 600 sq ft storefront facade, manufactured | per facade | $14,000–$20,000 |
| Example: 600 sq ft storefront facade, limestone panels | per facade | $28,000–$38,000 |
About these prices. These ranges are starting points based on typical South Florida projects. Your final price depends on the condition of the property, access, the materials or system specified and the full scope of work. We confirm every number after we review your project in person or from the drawings, and the price in your signed proposal is the one that applies.
Lift or scaffold, protection of the glass, after-hours work and the permit each show up as their own line on your bid. Framed bump-outs carry the barrier, lath and scratch coat line above on top of the stone rate. Towers above the parapet are priced from the drawings.
Where stone goes on a storefront
Piers. The solid sections between storefront bays. We wrap the face and both returns, usually from the sidewalk up to a band or the canopy. Piers carry most of the visual weight of a plaza, and they are the most common scope.
Bulkheads. The low wall under the storefront glass, typically 18–30 in tall. Stone here takes the most abuse: carts, sprinklers, pressure washing and dogs. A sill cap with a drip across the top is not optional.
Tower and corner elements. The raised feature at an anchor tenant or at the corner of the building. It is usually framed and often above 20 ft, so it carries lift time and the full barrier and lath system.
Full elevations. Office and medical buildings sometimes take stone on the whole street face. Product choice matters most here, since every elevation has to match.
Have an elevation sheet or a photo of your storefront line? send it through our project form with the pier count and heights, and we'll send unit prices back within 48 hours.
Building the facade wall by wall
- Sound the existing stucco. We tap every pier and bulkhead. Hollow and delaminated (separated) stucco is cut out to the block, because stone on bad stucco comes off with the stucco.
- Check the glazing joints. Where the storefront frame meets the wall, we check the existing sealant. If it has failed, we replace it before the stone covers the edge.
- Substrate. Clean block and bonded stucco get a bonding scratch coat. Framed towers and bump-outs get two layers of barrier, lath fastened to the studs and a 1/2 in scratch coat cured 24–48 hours.
- Screeds and flashing. A drip or weep screed goes at the base of every run, above the sidewalk. Flashing goes above storefront heads where the stone continues over the opening.
- Corners first. We lay out each pier from its corners so cuts fall in the middle of a face, not at a return. Stone is pulled from several pallets at once to blend the color across the whole plaza.
- Field and joints. Back-buttered stone in a polymer-modified mortar, with full contact. Grouted joints are tooled as they firm up, and dry-stack is fitted tight.
- Caps and sills. Cast stone, limestone or precast, fully bedded and pinned, with a drip edge on every top surface.
- Clean, seal, punch. Acid-free cleaning, a breathable sealer on natural stone, and a walk with you or your superintendent before the scaffold or lift leaves.
Keeping tenants open
Concerned about your tenants losing business? A storefront job happens in front of customers, so we plan it bay by bay:
- One or two bays at a time behind barriers, with the entry door always reachable.
- Overhead protection or a closed zone under any lift working above a door.
- Mixing and wet cutting staged at the back of the parking field, not at the sidewalk.
- Noisy cutting before opening or after closing when the lease requires it.
- Sidewalk and storefront glass cleaned at the end of each shift.
The tenant sequence and dates go to the property manager before we mobilize, so your tenants hear from management first.
Need a phasing plan that works around your leases? Call (561) 556-7509 and we'll walk the plaza with you.
Facade details that matter in South Florida
Rain against glass. Wind-driven rain runs down the storefront glass and onto the bulkhead. The sill cap, its drip and the sealant joint to the frame decide whether that water reaches the wall.
Pressure washing. Plazas get washed often. We seal natural stone so cleaning does not drive salt and dirt into it, and your cleaning crew gets the stone maker's care sheet with the closeout package.
Salt air. Coastal plazas get stainless lath and fasteners. Galvanized lath rusts behind the stone, and the rust stains the face.
Signage and lighting. Sign raceways, gooseneck lights and conduit are located before the stone is set. Penetrations are sleeved and sealed so they can be serviced without cutting stone.
Paint and stucco sequence. Stucco repair comes first, then stone, then paint. Our commercial painting crew can cut a clean line at the stone cap.
We do not do engineering. We build to the engineer's drawings and bring in a licensed engineer when the work needs one, such as a new tower element or heavy panels on framing.
Workmanship warranty on every job; materials carry the manufacturer's warranty. Terms are in your written contract.
Durations
- 4–6 pier wraps: 1–2 weeks
- 500–1,000 sq ft storefront facade: 2–3 weeks including scratch coat cure
- Bulkheads only across a plaza: typically scheduled bay by bay over several nights or early mornings
Working against a tenant opening date? Call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project with the date and we'll tell you if the schedule fits.
Storefront stone veneer by city
Fort Lauderdale · Pompano Beach · Hollywood · Boynton Beach · Miami · Pembroke Pines
Related: commercial stone veneer for bidding and closeout, commercial stucco for the walls around the stone, and our guide to after-hours commercial renovation.
Prefer to send photos or plans? Send us your project
Storefront and facade stone veneer FAQ
How much does stone cost on a 600 sq ft storefront? The two example lines in the pricing table above show the range for manufactured stone and for natural limestone panels. Lift, after-hours premiums and the permit are listed separately. Final pricing is confirmed after we review your project.
Can you match stone that is already on part of the plaza? Often, if the product is still made. We pull a sample, match it from current production and build a mockup panel next to the old stone for you to approve before we order.
Do bulkheads need anything special? Yes: a sill cap with a drip on top, a weep or drip screed at the bottom above the sidewalk, and a sealed joint to the storefront frame. Bulkheads take carts and pressure washing, so we favor dense stone there.
Who handles the sign and lighting penetrations? The sign company and electrician locate them. We set sleeves and leave blockouts as the drawings show, so their work can be serviced without cutting stone.
What should we send to get a firm storefront bid? The elevation sheets or photos with pier count, heights and bay widths, plus the stone selection if you have one. Call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project, and the unit-priced bid comes back within 48 hours.
Free estimate: call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.