Thread: A house after Stucco Remediation

Hi, There, I am not an inspector, but really need some professional opinions on a house. The entire exterior of the house has been removed and then re-mediated. The original stucco was poorly installed. Serious leaking happened and there was mold. At ninth years, the owner removed all the exterior siding and put on a new three-layer stucco, which was done one year ago. I am wondering whether we should still consider buying this house or just walk away. It looks like the remediation scared most buyers away. We don't know whether the structure of the house has been seriously damaged. Also we are not sure whether the new stucco was installed in a quality way. I am in PA/DE area. Could anyone please recommend a good stucco inspector? Following are what they have done and some pictures taken after microbial clearance. Is this house worth consideration? Any opinions/suggestions will be highly appreciated.


1. Furnish and install rough opening flashings, exterior closure flashings around all window and door openings. Tyvek sheet – R.O., Tyvek flex wrap at sills, Tyvek tape to windows, ice dam final exterior flashing with extended drip cap. Metal or impervious pan/flashing at all doors removed.
2. Window installation. Window schedule is to be Andersen 400 series clad windows and doors with hardware and screens.
3. Furnish and install new pvc trims and foam sill plant-ons where present. All exterior trims to be of PVC extruded material. Note: trims will be matched as close as possible to original trims. However, slight differences may be present. No penetrations of clad window membrane will be permissible.
4. All windows, doors and penetrations to be edged with polymer termination bead spaced for 1/2” of closed cell backer rod and silicone based sealant – tooled.
5. Install reasonably located façade horizontal expansion joints, vertical construction and Expansion joints, dissimilar material joints and drip screed to be installed at top of concrete foundation walls.
6. Install roof/wall intersection kick-outs (diverters) at all necessary locations.
7. Wrap house with #30 equivalent felt (weather resistant membrane).
9. Apply 2.5 galvanized self-furring wire lath.
10. Apply 3.4 galvanized self-furring lath to soffits.
11. Install approximately 3/8” cement scratch coat.
12. Install approximately 3/8” brown coat.
13. Sample color (stucco and stone if applicable) and finish installed on façade and approved by Owner
14. Install elastomeric finish coat
15. Full stucco to 6” above grade or polymer finish on exposed foundations to be determined.
16. Reinstall all lighting fixtures, downspouts and drain caps etc & gasketed or caulked.
17. Install backer rod and caulking at all window and door locations. All window and door joints to be ½”.(caulk to be close to finish color).
18.Prime and paint and fillet caulk all new PVC trims.
19.Below drip screed – exposed foundation - clean all foundation walls and apply matching color finish coat.
20. Chimney: Install stainless steel metal drip cap, 2.5 galvanized self-furring wire lath over weather resistant membrane, scratch coat/brown coat, elastomeric finish.

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Mr. Lu,

The pictures you posted are limited, and the specifications you listed are nothing more than a poorly written proposal submitted by a contractor. There is nothing indicating the original damage, the extent or quality of the repair, or the present condition of the home. Based upon this information, the only advice I can give you is to be careful. The easiest thing to do is to run away. But if you like the home, it may be worth persuing.

As an inspector that specializes in building envelopes, I can tell you that I come across many homes that have been beautifully repaired to "like new" condition, with no thought to correcting the cause of the damage. Many,
repairs/renovations are doomed from the day they are finished. Many need additional corrections to make them more efficient.

Furthermore, besides close visual scrutiny, a thorough inspection is going to require penetrating the surface of the stucco. For this, you are going to need the cooperation of the homeowner. If they are serious about selling the property, that should not be a problem.

Depending upon the size and design of the home, this will be an exhaustive task, so (please forgive my bluntness) don't necessarily shop for the cheapest price in town.

A thorough inspection by an inspector that is familiar with stucco should provide you with a great deal of reliable information. Since you will not be removing the entire system and inspecting 100% of the substrate, the results are going to be based upon a representitive amount of testing and the experience of the inspector.

If you need additional information, please feel free to visit my website. There you will find alot of helpful information.

Sincerely,

Steven Turetsky

Originally Posted by Lucas Lu

I am wondering whether we should still consider buying this house or just walk away.

Trust your instincts, and walk away. There are too many unknowns here for anyone to guess about after the fact.

We don't know whether the structure of the house has been seriously damaged. Also we are not sure whether the new stucco was installed in a quality way.

Serious leaking happened and there was mold

Unless you plan to open all the walls and remove all the cladding, you may never know the condition of the concealed structure. And most stucco is rarely installed properly anyway.

Far too many houses for sale out there right now, so why take the chance?

Guys, you may have missed this which is the most important part of the details the OP provided.

Could anyone please recommend a good stucco inspector?

Anyone?, Anyone?, Bueller?

Jim,

Nothing was overlooked. The gentleman contacted me and he has been directed.

Thanks for all your nice suggestions...

Originally I thought a new stucco job is just like a new roof, which usually is a plus when selling the house. Now I will be more cautious.

If the new stucco is a good job, and there is no leaking at all, is this house worth consideration?

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Guys, you may have missed this which is the most important part of the details the OP provided.

Anyone?, Anyone?, Bueller?

Originally Posted by Lucas Lu

If the new stucco is a good job, and there is no leaking at all, is this house worth consideration?

How and when will you know if the stucco is a good job?

Now?... 5 years from now? ...10 years from now?

Tread carefully...

Is this house a steal? If it is, is it enough of a steal to repair any hidden damage in 5-10 years. This is not 2005, ditch this one and find something else. You will always be wondering about this one if you are anything like me.

Originally Posted by Lucas Lu

The entire exterior of the house has been removed

Do you have photos of THAT?

More interesting, and more important is that they actually did what was stated, and that can only be attested to (somewhat attested to) by photos ... AND ... permits and inspections.

If no permits and no inspections, I would not put a lot of faith in the photos by and of themselves - although the photos OF THE EXTERIOR WITH ALL THE STUCCO REMOVED would be helpful as a starting point ... and only as a starting point.

Hi Jerry, Thanks for your reply. I will upload more photos tonight. From the four images I posted, can you tell whether the mold was really bad? These images were done by microbial inspector before they put on new stucco.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Do you have photos of THAT?

More interesting, and more important is that they actually did what was stated, and that can only be attested to (somewhat attested to) by photos ... AND ... permits and inspections.

If no permits and no inspections, I would not put a lot of faith in the photos by and of themselves - although the photos OF THE EXTERIOR WITH ALL THE STUCCO REMOVED would be helpful as a starting point ... and only as a starting point.

I agree that the best testament would have been photos, documentation and inspections during the renovation... as a "starting point." If they are available that would be great. As I mentioned before, they would give some insight as to the extent of the damage, and the quality of the repair.

BUT, I would still need a thorough inspection of the homes present condition. A careful visual inspection will tell me a great deal, and careful probe testing in all prone areas, along with careful resistance testing will tell me more. A core sample here and there will help too.

Here are some photos about the new stucco. The first image is not exactly this house. Actually it's the one next to it, with similar situation (age of house, structure, builder, contractor). Now the same stucco contractor is doing a total remediation of this house. It looks like they are fixing the interior damage and doing inspection.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Do you have photos of THAT?

More interesting, and more important is that they actually did what was stated, and that can only be attested to (somewhat attested to) by photos ... AND ... permits and inspections.

If no permits and no inspections, I would not put a lot of faith in the photos by and of themselves - although the photos OF THE EXTERIOR WITH ALL THE STUCCO REMOVED would be helpful as a starting point ... and only as a starting point.

one more photo of the wall and second floor window. you can see tiny holes at the bottom.

Hello Lucas,

I am just hearing about this thread and figured I would reply. I do several extensive stucco and moisture intrusion inspections a year in the area. I offer different levels of inspections for stucco finishes depending on the information you want to obtain. Inspections can be accompanied with thermal imaging and moisture meter readings. Mold sampling and clearnace inspections can also be provided.

If you are still interested in retaining an inspector, please call me at 215-888-4943.

Scott Gilligan
Accuracy Assured Home Inspections, LLC
Home Inspection - Philadelphia County, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Chester County, and Delaware County in Pennsylvania.