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A crack running up from the corner of the garage door. A brown streak under a window. A patch from years ago that never matched the rest of the wall. We come out, find out what it is, and write it down for you. If it is cosmetic, the report says so.
Can cracked stucco be repaired?
Yes, almost always. First we find out whether the crack is the problem or a symptom. Fine shrinkage cracks get filled, textured to match and painted. A crack that is growing, staining, or sits next to a hollow-sounding patch usually means water is moving behind the wall, and the repair starts with finding where it gets in. Patch it without fixing that, and it cracks again.
Not sure which kind you have? Our guide Stucco cracks: which are cosmetic and which mean water is getting in walks through it.
What do we check before we give you a price?
- The width and pattern of each crack, and whether it has moved.
- A tap test around the cracks. A dull, hollow sound means the stucco has let go of the wall behind it.
- The metal strip at the bottom of the wall (the weep screed). It is there to let water out, and it often ends up buried under soil, mulch or a new patio.
- The corners of windows and doors, where most diagonal cracks start.
- Where the roof meets the wall, and the gutter ends. Water dumped against stucco finds its way in.
- Sprinklers that hit the wall every morning.
- The paint over the stucco: is it still sealing, or peeling and chalking?
You get it in writing, with photos of what we found.
What changes the cost of a stucco repair?
You get a written quote after we have seen the wall, because the same crack can be a small job or a big one. These are the things that move the price:
- Size and reach. A patch you can reach from the ground is not the same job as a second-story wall that needs scaffolding.
- Matching the texture. Sand finish, smooth, lace, Santa Barbara: an old texture takes skill to match. A patch that shows is the most common complaint about stucco repair.
- Matching the color. A patch on a painted wall usually means painting the whole face of that wall, edge to edge, so it blends.
- What is behind it. If the paper and lath behind the stucco are wet or the sheathing is soft, that gets fixed before new stucco goes on.
- Fixing the cause. A gutter, a missing piece of flashing, a buried weep screed. Cheap to fix now, expensive to leave.
Why use one contractor for stucco and paint?
Because a stucco repair is not finished until it is painted, and the gap between two trades is where things go wrong. The plasterer leaves, the painter comes weeks later, the patch shows through, and each one points at the other.
We do the whole exterior as one job: the stucco, the paint, and the gutters, fascia and wood trim around them. One schedule, and one person answerable for how the finished wall looks.
Does insurance cover stucco repair?
That depends on your policy and on what caused the damage, so the answer has to come from your insurer. You hire us directly for the repair, and we give you a written description of what we found, with photos, to share with your insurer.
When can stucco cracks wait?
When the cracks are hairline, dry, and not moving. Mark both ends of a crack with a pencil line and the date, and look again in six months. If it has not grown, it is settled, and it can wait for your next repaint. If that is what we find when we come out, we tell you to wait.
A 10-minute check you can do this weekend
- Walk around the house just after the sprinklers run. Any wall getting wet?
- Look at the bottom edge of every wall. Can you see the metal strip, or is it buried?
- Check under each window for streaks or stains.
- Tap the stucco around any crack wider than a hairline. Listen for a hollow sound.
- Photograph each crack with a coin next to it, so you can compare next season.
- Look at where each gutter downspout empties. Away from the wall, or onto it?
Found something you do not like? Send us the photos when we call back.
Where do we work?
Across the San Fernando Valley and nearby: Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Studio City, Van Nuys, Calabasas and Thousand Oaks.
The next step
A free inspection, a written report with photos, and a price if you need work. If your stucco is fine, we will say so. Leave your number at the top of the page or call (818) 934-0075.
Repainting after the repair? We do that too: exterior painting.
Related reading: Stucco cracks: cosmetic or water damage? · How long exterior paint lasts in Valley sun · All stucco and paint guides