Stucco cost
Stucco costs $8 to $20 a square foot installed. It is excellent in a dry climate and unforgiving in a wet one, and where it fails it fails behind the surface.
National average
$12
per sq ft
Stucco costs $8 to $20 a square foot installed, typically around $12. On a 2,000 square foot house with 2,200 square feet of wall, that is $17,600 to $44,000. Traditional three-coat stucco sits at the top; a single-coat synthetic system sits at the bottom.
Stucco is excellent in a dry climate and unforgiving in a wet one. Where it fails, it fails behind the surface, which is why the drainage details matter more than the finish.
What it costs
| System | Installed, per square foot |
|---|---|
| Traditional three-coat, over lath | $10 to $20 |
| One-coat synthetic system | $8 to $14 |
| EIFS, synthetic with foam insulation | $9 to $18 |
| Stucco over existing masonry | $6 to $12 |
| Re-stucco over sound existing stucco | $5 to $10 |
| Extra | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Removing existing siding | $1 to $4 per sq ft |
| Sheathing repair | $3 to $10 per sq ft |
| Weather-resistive barrier, two layers | $0.50 to $1.50 per sq ft |
| Lath and accessories | $1 to $3 per sq ft |
| Weep screed and drainage details | included, ask specifically |
| Custom texture or colour coat | $1 to $4 per sq ft |
| Painting after curing | $1.50 to $4 per sq ft |
| Repairing cracks | $8 to $25 per linear foot |
| Full patch and re-coat of one elevation | $1,500 to $6,000 |
Three-coat, one-coat and EIFS
Traditional three-coat is scratch, brown and finish coats of cement plaster over metal lath and two layers of weather-resistive barrier. It is roughly 7/8 inch thick, it is hard, and it lasts fifty years or more. It is the most expensive and the most proven.
One-coat systems apply a single thicker coat of a modified cement mix over lath, usually with foam board behind. Faster and cheaper, and now common in new construction. Performance depends heavily on the installer.
EIFS is a synthetic system: foam insulation board with a thin acrylic finish on a mesh base. It insulates well and it earned a poor reputation in the 1990s because early barrier EIFS had no drainage and trapped water in walls. Modern drainable EIFS addresses that and is a legitimate system, but it must be the drainable kind and it must be installed by someone certified in it.
If someone offers you EIFS, ask explicitly whether it is a drainable system and what happens at every penetration.
Where stucco goes wrong
The finish is not what fails. Water behind it is.
The weep screed. A metal edge at the bottom of the wall that lets water that gets behind the stucco drain out. It must be present, must be above grade and above the roof line where a wall meets a roof, and must not be buried by a later patio or flower bed. Burying a weep screed is one of the most common causes of stucco failure and it is usually done by a landscaper years later.
Kick-out flashing. Where a roof edge meets a wall, a small piece of flashing directs water out into the gutter rather than behind the stucco. It is a $30 part and its absence rots the wall behind it. Look for it at every roof-wall junction.
Penetrations. Every window, light, hose bib and vent is a hole through the drainage plane. They need proper flashing and sealant, and they are where inspectors find failures.
Cracks. Hairline cracking is normal in cement stucco and is not itself a failure. Cracks wider than about 1/8 inch, cracks that step diagonally from window corners, and any crack that is damp are worth investigating.
Frequently asked questions
How long does stucco last?
Fifty to eighty years for traditional three-coat if the drainage details are right, and twenty to thirty for synthetic systems. The failures are nearly always water management rather than the material.
Can stucco go over existing siding?
Over masonry, yes. Over wood or vinyl siding, no; it needs to be stripped back to sheathing so the barrier, lath and weep screed can be installed correctly.
Is stucco a bad idea in a wet climate?
It is common and successful in wet climates when the drainage plane, the weep screed and the flashings are right, and it fails badly when they are not. The margin for error is smaller than in Arizona, which is why the installer matters more.
How do I repair a crack?
Hairline cracks take an elastomeric patching compound and a matching texture, at $8 to $25 a linear foot. Anything wider, or any crack with staining around it, wants someone to establish why it moved before it is filled.
Does stucco need painting?
Integrally coloured finish coats do not, and they fade over decades. Painted stucco needs recoating every seven to fifteen years with a breathable masonry paint. Using an impermeable paint on stucco traps moisture and causes the failures it was meant to prevent.
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