How Much Does Stucco Repair Cost?

How Much Does It Cost to Repair Stucco Near You?

The cost of repairing stucco varies depending on location. 

• Atlanta: $1,014

• Chicago: $3,711

• Dallas: $2,209

• Denver: $1,587

• Kansas City: $1,106

• Philadelphia: $2,676

• San Francisco: $1,547

Stucco Repair Costs by Square Foot

It costs $60 to $120 per square foot to hire someone to repair stucco, so how much you pay depends heavily on the square footage that needs repair. This table compares three scenarios for a 2,000-square-foot house: repairing a small section on one wall, repairing the stucco on an entire side of the house, and repairing all of the stucco on the house.

Materials

The cost of stucco siding and the materials you'll need and how much they'll cost include:

• Traditional stucco: $0.05 to $0.10 per square foot

• Synthetic stucco: $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot

• Finishing materials: $22

• Vapor barrier and metal lath: $40 to $50

• Paint: $300 to $500

So, if you repaired traditional stucco on a 1,500-square-foot house, you should expect to pay $437 to $722 for materials. Most of that is the cost of giving your home a new paint job; without the paint, you would only pay about $137 to $222 for the stucco, finishing materials, vapor barrier, and metal lath.

Labor

You can expect to pay between $60 and $120 per square foot to have a professional repair your stucco for you. However, keep in mind that not all stucco repair professionals charge by the square foot. Some charge per hour; expect to pay $40 to $50 per hour.

Stucco Repair Costs by Type of Repair

How much you'll pay for s depends heavily on the problem and the type of repair. Some minor issues are easy to resolve with DIY fixes for just a few dollars. Others require extensive professional work and may even require covering the cost to replace stucco siding.

Stucco Crack Repair Cost

Repairing cracked stucco costs between $8 and $20 per square foot. You can get a DIY kit and fix minor hairline cracks yourself for as little as $30. While the occasional hairline crack is normal, multiple cracks, larger ones, or ones that keep coming back even after fixing can indicate more serious issues, such as water damage or improper installation. In these cases, it's worth getting an inspection from a pro to find and fix the cause of these cracks before they turn into more serious issues.

Patching

Patching stucco costs between $8 and $50 per square foot. How much you'll pay depends on the size and severity of the damage. Smaller holes can usually be patched with minimal fuss. You can even get inexpensive DIY kits to tackle small holes yourself. However, more substantial holes, crumbling, or other damage most likely require a larger area to be cut away to make sure you remove the entire problem area so that the pro can properly install new material. 

Water Damage

Repairing water-damaged stucco costs $30 to $50 per square foot. It's a costly repair because it tends to plague large portions of stucco. If you have visible water damage, there's likely water behind the stucco across large areas and often over multiple walls. The only way to remediate water-damaged stucco is to cut it away, fix the moisture issue behind the walls, and install new stucco. 

Caulking

Caulking costs around $3.25 per linear foot if a pro tackles the project. Alternatively, you can do it yourself with caulk and a caulking gun for the cost of the supplies, which are around $30. It's a fairly quick and affordable project that can prevent huge repair bills down the line. 

Caulking around doors, windows, and other potential water ingress points greatly reduces the risk of water damage and ensures your stucco is tightly sealed. If you notice missing or damaged caulking, replace it as soon as possible to avoid problems down the line.

Remediation

If the stucco is severely damaged and requires extensive work, such as from significant water damage or improper installation, you'll need to replace it. Replacing stucco costs between $3 and $6 per square foot, including the cost of removing the old stucco. However, this figure doesn't include the cost of remediating the underlying problem or any other issues that have arisen due to the root cause of the siding replacement.

For example, if you've got extensive water damage, you'll pay $30 to $50 for remediation and installation of the new siding. But you may also have to pay for mold remediation, which costs between $10 and $25 per square foot. 

Stucco Repair Cost Factors

Four key factors create a wide range of stucco costs. 

Extent of Damage

The project’s cost can rapidly grow, depending on the size of the area that needs replacing. So, the best way to keep costs low is to try to limit the repair to the damaged area. Companies may discount the standard rate for a whole-house stucco tear-off and replacement, but you could still easily pay six figures to get the job done.

Type of Stucco

There are different types of stucco, each with its own price point. For example, you may prefer the advantages of synthetic stucco over traditional stucco, such as more resistance to cracking or breaking. Synthetic stucco will cost you between $0.25 and $0.50 per square foot, which is five times what traditional stucco costs.

Type of Repair

Ideally, you'll only need to patch a small section of stucco, which would involve scraping off the damaged stucco and using some stucco patch available at a hardware store for around $20 to $30 per bucket. However, if you need to completely tear off a section of stucco and replace it, you'll have to hire a professional at the standard $60 to $120 per square foot rate.

Paint

If you need to paint the stucco after you repair it, that will cost you extra as well. Painting stucco costs about $4,500 for a 2,000-square-foot home.

DIY vs. Hire a Stucco Repair Professional

Considering the average price of hiring someone to repair stucco is $1,400, and you're likely to pay less than $750 to DIY, it's certainly tempting to try to take on the job yourself. However, keep in mind that this is a difficult, time-intensive job that needs to be done right. And if it’s a bigger job, you will definitely not want to do this yourself.

But even if it’s a relatively small job, it could not only take up your entire weekend or more, but you also may make some mistakes repairing the stucco if you lack experience. This can lead to even more costs down the road and may force you to hire a professional anyway.

Usually, it's better to pay a professional and enjoy your weekend while someone else does the hard work—particularly for a job like this.