Do it yourself Stucco Repair

The reason most homeowners paint their stucco is because the cost of restucco is more than just hiring a painter to paint over the existing stucco. Although seemingly less expensive up front, the misconception that painting is cheaper couldn't be more wrong. Here's why...Once, usually within 2 to 3 years, the paint starts decaying, chaulking and peeling. Cost of stucco repairs are subject to the amount of repairs needed, the age of the stucco and the difficulty of the job.

The range should start at a minimum of $300 for anything up to about 50 SF, plus about $5 per SF for the next 300 SF. As the amount of repairs increases, the SF cost should stabilize or decrease a little. New stucco should cost approximately $3.50 to $4.00 per SF.”
$400 is sort of reasonable as small repair jobs cost more (per sq ft) than large jobs.
Most contractors have a minimum charge and/or a charge for a service call.
That’s part of what drives the “do it yourself” market.
Get a couple of bids.
Be sure you get and check references.
Be sure your contractor carries liability insurance and workman’s comp for their employees.

Here are few other areas to cover in this article:

What is white-wash?
A. Getting your home "white-washed" is similar to getting your home painted. Typically when stucco is applied to an existing home there is a two-part process, a wash coat, and a texture coat. The problems that arise with only white-washing your home are the shortened life of the job, and the cost of future stucco repair and finishing. The reason stucco lasts so long is that the cement is also mixed with sand. Silica sand resists wear and weather for years, where a "white-wash" is just watery white cement brushed over the wall. This begins to chalk and wear within one year. To make things worse, just like painted stucco, it must be sandblasted off when a restucco is desired. A traditional stucco coating would consist of this same white-wash coat, however, over that another coat is applied consisting of a cement mixture including twice as much sand, thus creating strength and resistance to aging and weather. The white cement may also be colored for a pleasing look.

What is Kickout Flashing?
A. A critical location where moisture entry can do considerable damage is where a lower roof cornice stops in the middle of a stucco wall. Kick-outs should be fabricated with watertight seems and be big and broad enough to handle water run-off from a variety of roof pitches. Another critical element is the use of gutters to evacuate the water away from these sensitive locations. There are several local materials suppliers that now offer these kick-outs in both left and right versions. Installing the kick-out after the installation of the shingles is a very difficult procedure for the lather or stucco contractor to perform. For this reason it should be coordinated so that the kick-out is installed by the roofer as the shingles are being laid up. This "kick-out" flashing will help keep water from running down the new stucco wall and add life to the original appearance of your stucco.

It is best to get a qualified, professional to do stucco work as it gets very complicated and you want it done right the first time.

Click here for a free estimate from a local Colorado Springs stucco repair contractor. Or call Bart Rafferty or Rafferty Painting and Construction.