Cracks spreading across the front of your house, or a wall that sounds hollow when you knock on it? This is the homeowner side of our stucco work, from exterior stucco repair to a full re-stucco. Here is what to fix, which option fits your wall, and how the job runs while your family lives at home. If you manage a building, an association or a bid package, use commercial stucco instead. The main stucco hub explains the systems and finishes in detail.
Stucco repair or re-stucco: the decision most homeowners face
Almost every call we get comes down to one of four choices. The right one depends on how much of your wall has failed, not on how bad it looks.
| Your situation | The option | Installed range |
|---|---|---|
| A few cracks, one stain, one hollow spot | Stucco repair | $13–$21 per sq ft of patch |
| Spalling: rust stains, concrete popping off over steel | Spalling repair: chip to steel, treat rebar, rebuild | $22–$34 per sq ft |
| A third or more of a wall is failing | Re-stucco that elevation | $14–$23 per sq ft |
| You want a modern flat look | Smooth stucco finish | $7–$10 per sq ft skim |
| The whole house is tired, cracked or being redone | Full-house stucco | $25,000–$40,000, single story |
| Columns need work | Column repair | $1,250–$2,500 per column; wrap $2,500–$4,000; rebuild $5,000–$8,500 |
| Arches need work | Squaring arches | Priced per job after a site visit |
About these prices. These ranges are starting points based on typical South Florida projects. Your final price depends on the condition of the property, access, the materials or system specified and the full scope of work. We confirm every number after we review your project in person or from the drawings, and the price in your signed proposal is the one that applies.
Why does a patch cost more per square foot than a re-stucco? The setup, the three coats and the texture match take the same effort on a small area as on a large one. Once patches start to add up, redoing the whole elevation (one side of the house) is the cheaper and longer-lasting answer. The crossover is in stucco crack repair vs re-stucco.
Can't tell if you need a patch or a whole wall? Call (561) 556-7509 for a free site visit.
The material we put on homes
On houses we use one system: three-coat Portland cement stucco, bonded to block or lathed over frame. It is the hardest and most forgiving surface for a family home. It takes paint and elastomeric coatings, and any competent plasterer can repair it later. The full reasoning is on Portland cement stucco. If your house already has EIFS or a foam-backed finish, we tell you what you have before we quote.
Choosing a finish for your house
Tired of the texture your house came with? You are not locked into it. A repair matches what is there. A re-stucco or a skim coat (a thin new layer over the old stucco) lets you change it.
- Sand float is the safe default: fine grain, hides small waves, takes paint evenly.
- Knockdown is forgiving and easy to patch, but reads as dated on a new roofline.
- Smooth is the current look with modern windows. It shows every wave and hairline, so the base must be floated true first.
- Skip trowel reads Mediterranean and suits tile roofs and arches.
- Dash, lace and orange peel are matched on request, mostly to blend a repair.
Samples go on your wall first, because a small chip never looks like the full elevation in afternoon sun. See patching stucco and matching color and texture.
HOA approval and permits
In most communities a texture or color change counts as an architectural change, so your HOA will want to see it before work starts. We prepare a sample board and a short description for your submission. You sign the request, since it is your property. A like-for-like patch usually needs no approval.
On permits, J. Perry & Sons pulls every permit itself and follows every city and county requirement. Re-stucco over lath, new stucco on an addition and any change to an opening need one. You never have to visit the building department. We do not do engineering; we build to the engineer's drawings and coordinate a licensed engineer when the work needs one.
What to ask any stucco contractor
If you are searching for stucco contractors near me, start with the basics. Get the contractor's license number and check it on the state licensing site. Ask who pulls the permit and who will be on your wall each day. Ask what the price includes: lath, bead, scaffold, cleanup and cure time.
Ask how the patch will be blended. A repair that is well built but looks different from the rest of the wall still looks like damage. Last, ask what they will do about the cause. A contractor who only patches over a leaking window head is selling you the same repair twice.
Want to put us through those same questions? Call (561) 556-7509 and ask away.
Stucco repair and painting in one contract
Planning to repaint anyway? Then do the stucco first, with the same company. Fresh stucco is highly alkaline and has to cure before paint goes on, and a painter who arrives before it is ready gets blotchy color and peeling. When stucco repair and painting are split between two companies, nobody owns that gap, and the patch often shows through the new paint in different light.
When we do both, the schedule is built around the cure. We repair and re-texture, let the cement cure, prime the patches with an alkali-resistant masonry primer, then paint the full wall so the patch disappears. If the wall has widespread hairline cracking, we talk with you about an elastomeric finish instead of standard acrylic. The paint side of the job is described on our exterior house painting page.
Stucco replacement on a whole elevation follows the same order: three coats, cure, primer, two coats of paint.
Want one price for the stucco and the paint? Call (561) 556-7509 and we'll quote both lines on the same estimate.
Living in the house during the work
Wondering if you'll have to move out? Fixing stucco is outdoor work, so most families stay home through it.
- Scaffold goes up one or two walls at a time, so doors stay usable.
- Plan on a few days of noise at the start (chipping, mixing, spraying) and quieter days while coats cure.
- Cars and patio furniture come away from the wall; we protect windows, plants and pavers with plastic and drop cloths.
- Water, power and a spot to mix are all we ask from you.
- Cement stucco cures 7–14 days before primer, so painting follows the stucco rather than overlapping it.
Residential stucco and the South Florida climate
CBS and water. Block homes hold moisture, and stucco traps what gets behind it. We repair window heads, sills, sealant and weep screed before we close the wall, or the patch fails in a season.
Salt air. Near the coast, steel lath and corner bead rust and stain. We use galvanized or PVC accessories and coated fasteners.
Hurricane season. Impact windows go in before storm season, and each one needs a sealed stucco return around it. We schedule within days of your installer.
What your estimate lists
- Square footage by elevation, with the finish named
- Crack repair by linear foot and method
- Windows, doors and columns itemized
- Lath, bead and fastener type
- Permit line, scaffold, cleanup and haul-away
- Primer and paint, shown separately or excluded
- Workmanship warranty terms
Workmanship warranty on every job; materials carry the manufacturer's warranty. Terms are in your written contract.
Residential stucco by area
Boca Raton · Fort Lauderdale · West Palm Beach · Weston · Wellington · Jupiter · Delray Beach · Pompano Beach
For the wider picture, return to the stucco hub. For buildings with a board or a bid package, see commercial stucco. Related reading: how to choose a stucco contractor · hairline cracks and when to worry.
Reading the cracks on your house
Found a crack and not sure how worried to be? Good stucco crack repair starts with telling what kind of crack it is, because the type decides whether a patch is enough or the wall needs more.
Hairline cracks. Thin, spidery lines in the finish coat, often in a map pattern. They come from the stucco shrinking as it cured. They are cosmetic, and an elastomeric paint such as Sherwin-Williams Loxon or SherLastic usually bridges them.
Cracks at window and door corners. Diagonal cracks running off the corners of openings point to stress concentrated where the wall is cut. If the casing bead was skipped or sealant has failed, water gets in here first. We cut, fill and re-seal, and add bead if it is missing.
Straight cracks along block joints. A line that follows the mortar joints of the block wall underneath shows movement in the masonry. We route the crack, fill it with a flexible repair, and re-texture to match.
Wide or stepped cracks. A crack you can fit a coin into, or one that steps across the wall, can mean settling or structural movement. We photograph it and may recommend an engineer before any stucco goes on.
Have a crack you're unsure about? Send a photo with a coin next to it through our project form and we'll tell you what it means.
Spalling. When stucco pops off in chunks with rust behind it, the lath or the steel in a lintel or tie beam is corroding. The rusted steel has to be treated or replaced before the stucco is rebuilt in scratch, brown and finish coats.
Prefer to send photos or plans? Send us your project
Residential stucco FAQ
Should I repair or re-stucco my house? Repair when the damage is a few cracks, stains or hollow spots. Re-stucco an elevation when about a third or more has failed, because the cost per square foot drops and the wall looks uniform afterward. We tap every wall and tell you which side of the line you are on.
Can I change my stucco texture? Yes. A skim coat or a new finish coat changes knockdown, lace or sand to smooth or skip trowel. Check your HOA first, since most require approval for a texture or color change.
Do I need to move out during the work? No. Work happens outside, one or two walls at a time. Expect noise for the first days and keep cars and furniture clear of the wall.
What does residential stucco repair cost? Repairs, re-stucco, smooth skims, spalling repair, columns and whole-house jobs each have a starting range in the table near the top of this page. Arches are priced per job after a site visit. Final pricing is confirmed after we review your project.
What is the cost to stucco a house? It depends on whether you are patching, redoing one side or re-stuccoing the whole house. The full-house row in the table near the top of this page shows the starting range for a single-story home. Two stories, scaffold time, the finish you pick and how much lath or steel needs replacing move it from there. Final pricing is confirmed after we review your project.
How do I get an exact price? Send photos of each wall and the problem areas, then we walk the house, tap the stucco and check the water path. You get a written line-item estimate. Call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.