The house's structure
It costs more to put stucco over walls made of wood substrates than walls made of masonry or concrete. Wood walls need a scratch coat and masonry walls do not, so the pro will need to apply more layers on wood walls than masonry ones.
Cost to remove old stucco
You may also pay a fee of $1.05 to $1.25 per square foot to haul away old stucco, though prices will be higher for multi-story houses. This is necessary if you have stucco that's bulging, has large stucco cracks or is falling off in chunks.
If this is your case, the pro will pull off the metal lath and vapor barrier to check for water damage before patching or repairing any damage or cracks.
Location of damage or cracks
If you have damage or cracks in a place that's tough for the pro to access — like the second story of a house or a wall with ornate trim — the repair will take longer and you will pay more in labor costs.
Stucco finishing materials
Anywhere the pro removes old or damaged stucco, they'll need to replace the lath and install a new vapor barrier as well, which adds to the total cost of the project. The average cost for additional materials are:
Vapor barrier sheathing, $1 per square foot. Also called housewrap, vapor barrier sheathing is a protective cover made of polyethylene. It comes in rolls and is used to wrap the exterior walls of a house and keep moisture out.
Lath, $1 to $1.30 per square foot. Lath goes on top of the housewrap. It's usually a metal mesh that strengthens the stucco. Some homes use wood lath instead of metal.
Color match and painting
After everything is patched and repaired, your contractor will need to blend the repaired area with the rest of the stucco wall. To do this, they'll match the hue of the new stucco with the rest of the house in one of two ways:
Paint: For small repairs, a pro may blend the patched stucco with paint mixed to match the color of the rest of the house. The national average cost of exterior painting is $1.60 per square foot, so you would pay around $400 to repaint a 250-square-foot wall.
Recoat: A basic recoat costs between $3 and $6 per square foot, depending on the condition, type and texture of your walls. For a large repair, you may need a pro to recoat the stucco on a large portion of the house to make the patch color match everything else, as well as seal out moisture. The topcoat will have a pigment pre-mixed into it, so you won't need any paint.
Additional repairs
If your home has suffered water damage, you'll need to pay extra for repairs. These repairs range from getting rid of a nasty mold infestation, which costs $265 to $280, to rebuilding entire exterior stucco walls, which costs $1,300 to $1,700. Depending on the type and extent of damage, you may need to hire an additional contractor. How do I know if I have signs of stucco damage?
Some stucco damage isn't as obvious as a giant crack running up the side of your garage. If you notice any of the following in your home, your stucco walls may be damaged and need to be repaired:
Cracks in stucco. Look for large, obvious cracks or hairline ones.
Chips or chunks missing from stucco surface, as well as loose stucco that's at risk of coming off.
Gaps or cracks in the caulk around windows or doors. This could be a sign the water has gotten behind the stucco.
Damp or wet stucco, even a week or more after a storm. Look for water weeping from the walls, along the bottom edge, and bubbles or warped spots on the surface.
Water stains or dark streaks on stucco under the corners of windows or where the roofing meets the walls.
Rust spots on stucco surfaces.
What happens in a stucco repair job?
Whether you're fixing small cracks or more extensive damage to your exterior stucco, the contractor will generally go through the following steps:
Step 1: The contractor will assess the damage and decide if it's minor enough to repair without removing old stucco.
Step 2: If the damage is significant, old and/or water may have gotten through, the pro will remove the damaged stucco flashing, vapor barriers, wood/metal lath, and any caulk with hand tools and chisel. This allows them to check the house for water damage.
Step 4: After addressing any water damage repairs (if needed), the contractor will install a new vapor barrier and metal or wood lath.
Step 5: They will then begin patching the damaged stucco. If using traditional stucco, they'll put three layers on the wall, allowing time for each layer to seal before applying the next one. If using synthetic, they'll put one or two coats, depending on the process.
Step 6: The pro will brush a coat of paint over the patch area or recoat the house with a pigmented topcoat so everything matches.
How can you hire a stucco repair professional?
Whether you need someone to help with a stucco crack repair or an unusually bulging wall, be sure to:
Look for a qualified professional: Find a licensed stucco repair company with experience in your area. Look at the company's past projects and read reviews to check the quality of their work.
Get free estimates from multiple contractors and ask what's included in their costs. Will they charge extra to haul away old stucco? Does the price include materials like vapor barrier and lath? Make sure the work is itemized and written down in the quote.