Steven Stafford

Vaughanb, Sorry to hear about the trouble you are having. I agree with hausdok, if your contractor would have followed basic practices of stucco installation you would not have the problems you are experiencing. It sounds like the method of repair may be making a bad situation even worse. You should definitely read up on the stucco application process before you go any further. As the other members have posted, proper stucco application is all about the preparation of the structure before hand. Throwing mud at the wall (or silicone, silvercoat or waterproofing) will not solve your problem. You can find and down load (free) details on stucco application at : best practices for stucco application Stucco in residential construction Also, these manufacturers list their installation guides online: Parex Surewall Products Senergy To answer some of the questions you posted earlier, it is not always necessary to demolish the entire finish. it depends on the extent of the damage caused by the lack of proper details under the stucco. My rule has been that if 20% of the finish is affected by repairs then the entire finish should be replaced. Your home owner/client/wife may have a smaller tolerance as most every repair to a finished stucco veneer will be noticeable. As far as removing and replacing the windows, I agree with Brandon, you should have at least 2 windows inspected (from the exterior by removing 6" of stucco around them) to verify the drainage plane, flashing, drip cap, etc. are all tied in properly. Covering up the problem by installing another exterior finish over the existing, deficient system is akin to sticking your head in the sand and hoping the problem goes away or fixes itself. Of all the bad decisions made in the construction of this house, that could be the worst one. I hope this helps get you pointed in the right direction. If you would like to speak to me directly about this specifics of your home, you can contact me at stafford@keyinspectionservice.com. I have been doing stucco ad EIFS inspections in your area and have local references.