Manufactured Stone Gains Popularity, Value
Faux stone is making a comeback as the quality improves. The average project cost is under $12K with a 153% ROI.
NEW YORK — Manufactured stone veneer (MSV) has been looked at as a no-no among home designers, but as the quality of the veneer has improved, some homeowners are investing in MSV to bring their home greater curb appeal.
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rebekah Higgs used MSV on her 1922 Craftsman home's concrete foundation, and she said, "The stone added a sense of permanence and grounded the house visually."
Jacob Belk, vice president of building-products advisory for housing-industry tracker Zonda, adds, "Manufactured stone has gotten very good. From a distance you probably can't tell the difference."
The value of an MSV upgrade, or its return on investment, has increased 153%, according to Zonda's 2024 Cost vs. Value report. The average project cost is $11,287.
MSV is mostly colored to look like natural stone, but is made from a concrete composite, and some come in panels, while others are individual "stones" with flat backs that must be puzzled together and mortared.
Roland Funk of Funk Landscape Design & Construction said that using natural stone can cost about $10,000 in materials and about 25% more for installation, totaling about $16.250. One way to make it look more natural is to over grout, ensuring there is no uniformity to the spacing of MSV. Grout colors can add a different kind of depth to the veneer.
Source: Wall Street Journal (03/07/25) Alpert, Yelena Moroz
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