Cost to Stucco a House (Price Per Square Foot & Repair)

Here we discuss the cost to stucco a house including the price per square foot and repair.

Even though stucco siding has an association with southwestern and Spanish-style homes, today, you can find stucco’s distinctive look on homes in almost any geological location. It’s now common to drive through an older neighborhood lined with craftsman-style homes and suddenly come upon a split-level with a sandy-colored stucco finish. These textures range from sweeping swirls to pebbled and smooth finishes.

While stuccoing a house costs much more than vinyl or wood siding, its durability provides a long-lasting investment worth the initial price. In this article, we will explore the benefits and costs to stucco a house.

How Much Does it Cost to Stucco a House?

Stucco, also called render, is made of aggregates, binders, and water. It’s applied wet, and once it hardens, a very dense and solid surface remains. Generally, stucco costs approximately 60% more installed than other types of siding. Read more about stucco vs siding here.

A traditional 1,500 square foot home with standard trim averages a cost of $10,500 to have stucco siding installed, with higher prices for colors and textures running an average of $12,900. Still, the durability of its coating allows its life-span to be upwards of 60 to 80 years. The increased initial cost of the material diminishes over time due to the longevity of this high-end siding.

Stucco finishes grew in popularity during the early 1900s when newly invented cement became its main ingredient. Used typically in the southwest, the textured siding lasted longer and cost less because of the dry and arid conditions and abundance of sand.

When homeowners and contractors began using stucco on homes in the northern states and along the East Coast, the results were disappointing. The soil under homes was typically moist and prone to shift, causing foundations to settle. In this case the stucco house siding would crack and allow dampness to get under the surface, causing the finish to pull away from the sheathing.

Stucco Cost Per Square Foot

On average, it costs homeowners $4 to $10 per square foot to have stucco siding installed. If the home is located in a dry climate such as the southwestern United States, the cost may range on the lower side at $4 to 7$ a square foot. If the home is located in a damp climate such as Minnesota, the cost could range from $6 to $10 per square foot. This price includes labor, equipment, and materials.

Labor and materials include preparing the surface, applying the coating, sealing the surface, installing weather stripping around windows and doors, and installing flashing. The cost per square foot to have stucco siding done fluctuates depending on the home’s type, local labor, finish, color, and size.

Cost to Re-stucco a House

If you own a home with stucco siding installed by the builder or previous homeowner, it’s important to check for problems and perform maintenance if needed. If most of the home’s finish is cracked, peeling, or moldy, it may be better to re-stucco the home instead of repairing sections. Repairs done on peeling or surfaces with damaged substrate could result in the new application taking on the same problems.

The cost of re-stuccoing a house averages between $3 and 6$ per square foot. This amount depends on the stucco’s texture and the substrate’s condition. The first price includes the removal of the existing cladding.

The surface material is typically broken down into large pieces for easy removal and then sandblasted to break away any remaining spots. Any outside walls over 8-feet high that require ladders or scaffolding incur a higher cost, as much as a 25-30% labor up-charge.

Removing existing stucco ranges from $900 to $2,100 for an average home. Additional charges to plan for when having a re-stucco done may include carting the old materials away, replacing flashing, and re-caulking windows or doors.

Stucco Repair Cost

Even in arid climates, stuccoed surfaces are prone to developing hairline cracks. These cracks are hardly visible, and the homeowner can usually fix them with a stucco repair kit. When cracks reach ¼ inch or wider, water gets behind the surface, allowing mold to grow, and this eventually causes large chunks to break away. Stuccoed siding repair costs are much higher than repairing other types of materials.

For an average home, the cost to repair stucco starts anywhere from $550 to $1,700. The price may be lower if there are only small cracks and chips. Large sections that have broken off or have cracked beyond repair could result in a bill of $3,000 to 8,000.

Contractors charge a median labor cost of $40 to $50 an hour or $60 to $120 a square foot. The size of the repair job and the time needed usually determine whether they charge by the hour or by the square foot.

Average Cost of Stucco Remediation

Stucco’s worst enemy is moisture. If existing cracks and chips go unrepaired, water gets behind the surface and causes mold and degradation of the finish. The sooner the homeowner finds mold and cleans it, the less it will cost for remediation.

Mold spreads wherever moisture is and not only smells; it’s a health hazard. Contractors who perform repair and remediation are highly skilled and often charge more for labor, the average price for a single-family home being $4,000.

The finish application itself will cost between $1,000 and $9,000. The vast cost comes from the type of product used and color matching with the existing stuccoed surface. A residential home with approximately 1,000 square feet of siding that requires remediation is priced between $6,000 and $9,000 or $6 to $9 a square foot.

Stucco Over Brick Cost

If you purchase a home with brick siding and plan to update the look with stucco, the home’s market value will increase. This textured siding adds beautiful curb appeal, and it can help prevent a fire from penetrating the outside walls of a home, holding it at bay for up to an hour. Brick also has a high fire rating, but stucco, without mortar joints, holds together better.

Installing stucco over brick siding will cost an average of $5 to 9$ a square foot, about the same as the siding on a new home. The standard range to install stucco over brick for a 1,500-square-foot home is $10,455. This siding not only improves the look of your home and the home’s value, but it’s also a long-lasting and durable choice.

For more related content, check out brick vs brick veneer article here.