Ramsey Stone Consultants provides independent dimension stone consulting for construction projects across the United States: stone selection and specification, sourcing from quarries worldwide, ASTM testing coordination, quality control at the quarry and factory, expediting, and on-site installation inspection. We work for owners, architects, and general contractors, and because we do not sell stone or take commissions from suppliers, our advice is entirely impartial.
US projects we have delivered
Our consultants have worked on some of the most demanding stone projects in the United States, including:
- The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center, New York, NY: preconstruction, specification, sourcing, QC and expediting for 74,917 square feet (6,960 square meters) of translucent Estremoz marble facade, produced as 4,992 glass-bonded panels, with a permanent quality-control presence at the fabricator’s factory in Portugal.
- Wilshire Grand Center, Los Angeles, CA: sourcing, production QA/QC and expediting of 12,500 square meters of interior stone and 8,500 square meters of exterior cladding and paving for the 76-story tower, working with AC Martin and Turner Construction.
- CityCenter DC, Washington, D.C.: preconstruction, design services and production QA/QC of interior and exterior stone for Foster + Partners’ development, and for the Conrad hotel by Herzog & de Meuron.
- George W. Bush Presidential Library, Dallas, TX: sourcing, QC and expediting of 3,500 square meters of Marianna Cream Limestone for Robert A.M. Stern Architects.
- Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, TX: Pietra Piasentina stone and architectural glass for Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
Further US work includes 20 East End Avenue, 27 Wooster Street, 160 Leroy Street and 551 West 21st Street in New York, Millennium Tower in Boston, Constitution Square in Washington, D.C., the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in Charlotte, NorthPark Center and Crescent McKinney & Olive in Dallas, Palisades West in Austin, and the Cedars-Sinai Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion in Los Angeles.
What we do for US project teams
- Design-phase consulting: evaluating stone options for suitability, cost and availability; specification and drawing review; value engineering. See our design services.
- Global sourcing: locating and securing the right material at the quarry, from Italy, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Turkey, China and beyond.
- Quarry and factory QA/QC: independent inspection of blocks, slabs and finished panels at origin, before material ships to the United States.
- Expediting and logistics oversight: production tracking, packing and shipping inspection, and schedule protection.
- Site inspection: verifying that delivered stone matches specification and that installation meets the design intent. See our construction-phase services.
ASTM standards and testing
Most US architectural specifications require stone to meet ASTM standards before it is accepted for use. We coordinate and interpret testing to ASTM C97 (absorption and specific gravity), C170 (compressive strength), C880 (flexural strength) and the material specifications C615 (granite), C568 (limestone) and C503 (marble), and we verify compliance at the quarry and factory before material ships. Read more about ASTM standards for natural stone.
Why US teams appoint an independent stone consultant
Most of the stone specified on flagship US projects is quarried and fabricated overseas. The time to find a problem with imported stone is at the factory, not on site in Manhattan: once non-conforming material has crossed the Atlantic, the schedule and commercial damage is already done. An independent consultant acting solely for the owner, architect or contractor closes that gap. Read more on why projects appoint a stone consultant.
Frequently asked questions
Do you inspect stone at overseas quarries and factories for US projects?
Yes. Origin inspection is the core of our US offer: we assess blocks at the quarry, monitor fabrication, check tolerances and finishes, and approve packing before shipment, so problems are caught before the stone leaves the factory.
Which US cities have you worked in?
New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, Austin and Charlotte, among others. See our full project portfolio.
Are you independent of stone suppliers?
Yes. We do not sell stone, own quarries or take supplier commissions, so our assessments and recommendations are impartial.
Start a conversation
If you are an owner, architect or contractor with a stone package on a US project, contact us to discuss scope, timing and fees.