New stucco (EIFS) damaged by rain

[dirtmover]

So, we just had stucco installed on our home. The problem is that the contractor didn't check the weather forecast before applying the top coat and it rained a couple of hours after he finished. Water bouncing off the porch roof and hitting 2nd story wall above it washed off some of the finish and left other patches where you can see through to the grey base coat. The texture is also noticeably different due to the water rounding it off.

The contractor insisted that he "touch it up" but you can clearly see where he has been as the texture and thickness are different resulting in a different colour shade. It's quite apparent it has been patched. I'm also concerned that the rain has compromised the integrity of the finish which may result in future problems.

We're at deadlock with the contractor as he thinks that his patch is acceptable but we don't agree. Fortunately I am still holding just under 30% of the job value.

I think this wall, about 160sqft, should be completely refinished.

Any suggestions as to how to go about resolving this?

[rdx]

Just curious, how much do they charge oer sq ft ?

[dirtmover]

The price can vary quite dramatically depending on the level of trim since this part is very labour intensive to install. I went for fairly simple trim i.e. contrasting raised bands around the windows and down the corners and a decal on one of the gable walls. This cost me $10 per sqft.

Having watched them work I can easily see how this could double or even triple if you go for elaborate trim such as fake blocks down the corners, arches, keystones, multiple decals, sills etc.

On the lower end I've seen contractors advertising $6.50 which is really pushing it because the materials alone are in the $4-$5 range.

It really needs to be priced to spec.

[rdx]

Thanks for the information.

BTW, I am not sure if it is true or not. When I talked to a contractor about stone cladding and stucco, he told me that he never recommends clients to do stucco as it won't last and veneer stone cladding can be done at about the same price range or just a bit more. How many years warranty does your contractor give you?






The price can vary quite dramatically depending on the level of trim since this part is very labour intensive to install. I went for fairly simple trim i.e. contrasting raised bands around the windows and down the corners and a decal on one of the gable walls. This cost me $10 per sqft.

Having watched them work I can easily see how this could double or even triple if you go for elaborate trim such as fake blocks down the corners, arches, keystones, multiple decals, sills etc.

On the lower end I've seen contractors advertising $6.50 which is really pushing it because the materials alone are in the $4-$5 range.

It really needs to be priced to spec.

[Little Tim]

Thanks for the information.

BTW, I am not sure if it is true or not. When I talked to a contractor about stone cladding and stucco, he told me that he never recommends clients to do stucco as it won't last and veneer stone cladding can be done at about the same price range or just a bit more. How many years warranty does your contractor give you?

I didn't think it was possible to do EIFS with veneer stone cladding?

[rdx]

I didn't think it was possible to do EIFS with veneer stone cladding?

Sorry, what is EIFS ? The contractor said veneer stones can be installed on any services, like wood, bricks, cements, etc.

[Cough]

To OP original question. Hold back the money. Insist on the whole wall being done. If you can se the patches now they will just get worse. Contractor screwed up - this should not be your problem.

[rdx]

Sorry, what is EIFS ? The contractor said veneer stones can be installed on any services, like wood, bricks, cements, etc.

It is ok, I googled and found EIFS :)

Sounds like good stuff, it says just need to make sure it is installed by skilled labor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exterior_insulation_finishing_system

[Little Tim]

Sorry, what is EIFS ? The contractor said veneer stones can be installed on any services, like wood, bricks, cements, etc.

EIFS is an Exterior Insulation Finishing System (basically insulation on the outside of your exterior walls) and as I understand it, it can only be clad with stucco. The OP referred to EIFS, so I assume his only option was stucco.

Edit: Google is your friend! :)

To the OP, sorry I don't have any useful advice for you. I just hope you took lots of pictures and documented the entire job. You could check if the contractor is a listed by the Better Business Bureau. They have a dispute process and might be able to help you out.

[dirtmover]

Thanks for the information.

BTW, I am not sure if it is true or not. When I talked to a contractor about stone cladding and stucco, he told me that he never recommends clients to do stucco as it won't last and veneer stone cladding can be done at about the same price range or just a bit more. How many years warranty does your contractor give you?

The warranty is 10 years.

Like I said the price varies greatly and probably does for stone veneer as well so for sure I can imagine an elaborate stucco job costing the same as basic stone veneer.

The stucco finish does indeed wear and become weather damaged faster than stone and is more susceptible to getting dirty. Bear in mind, however, that for stucco most of the time is spent in the prep-work meaning that you can re-apply a new top coat in the future at a fraction of the original cost. Want to update the colour at the same time? No problem.

Of course, on a new build stone is the better option. In fact it always surprises me to see them put stucco on some of the new $750K+ houses they're building around here.

In this case, however, it was a reno and only the 2nd story. The first story is brick and accounts for about 80% of the surface area. I don't think we could have found a stone veneer that would have looked good with the existing brick and I wasn't about to redo everything.

Anyway, my issue was resolved. The contractor came back a couple of days later, banged on the door and said that he wasn't happy with the way his patch had dried and would redo the entire wall. I guess he half expected this but didn't want to put the idea in our heads. I'm glad we held back confronting him about it in the meantime.

[analog]

doesn't EIFS have a lot issues? i seem to remember it being not covered by the OAA insurance because it fails so often.