How to choose a stucco contractor

Why it matters more with stucco

A stucco or EIFS wall hides its quality. Two walls can look identical the day they are finished, and one will be dry and sound in twenty years while the other blisters in three, because of what is behind the finish: whether the mesh was embedded, whether the windows were flashed, whether the joints were sealed, whether the system was one manufacturer's or a mix. You cannot inspect that afterward. You have to choose the contractor who will do it.

The checklist

1. References and addresses

Ask for addresses of work they did three or more years ago, not just last month. Drive past. Look at the bottom corners of the windows for stains, at the sealant, at the corners. A contractor who cannot name old work either has not been around long or does not want you to see it.

2. Insurance and WSIB

Ask for the liability insurance certificate and the WSIB clearance certificate, and check the dates. Without liability insurance, damage to your property is your problem. Without WSIB coverage, a worker injured on your property can be your liability. Any established contractor produces both without hesitation. Stucco & Co carries $5 million liability insurance and WSIB coverage.

3. Who actually does the work

Ask whether the crew on your house is their own or a subcontractor. Piece-work crews are paid by the square foot, which rewards speed over care. Ask who supervises and how often they are on site. We work only with our own crews, and Michael is on site.

4. Which system

Ask which manufacturer's system they install and whether every component, from adhesive to finish, is from that system. Mixing products from different makers voids warranties and is how a lot of walls fail. Ask whether they install a drainage system on wood frame. If the answer to any of this is vague, so will the wall be.

5. How they handle windows and joints

Ask how they flash the heads of windows, whether sills are sloped with a drip, what sealant they use and whether they use backer rod. You do not need to know the answers in detail. You need to hear that they have answers, because this is where walls fail.

6. Where the system stops

Ask where the stucco stops at the ground. The right answer is above grade, with a starter track. The wrong answer is into the soil, and you can see it on their old work.

7. What the quote includes

A written quote should name the system, describe the preparation, list the elevations and details, say how repairs or hidden damage are handled, give a start and a duration, and state the warranty. A one-line number is not a quote.

8. The warranty, in writing

Ask what is covered, for how long, and get it on the quote. Then ask yourself whether the company will be there to honour it. A warranty from a contractor with no fixed address and a new company name every few years is worth what it costs to print. Ours is one year on our workmanship, in writing, from a company at the same trade since 2010.

9. Can you reach them

How quickly did they return your first call? Did they turn up to the site visit when they said? A contractor you cannot reach before the deposit will not be easier to reach after it.

10. Reviews, read carefully

Read the reviews, including the older ones and the bad ones, and read how the company responded. Look for reviews that mention problems being fixed; that tells you more than five stars.

About the cheapest quote

Get more than one quote, and when one is far below the others, ask what it leaves out. In our experience the answer is one or more of: the drainage layer, the mesh at corners and impact zones, the flashings, proper sealant, the insurance, or the crew that was supposed to finish. Over the years we have taken many calls to repair work by companies that appeared, took a deposit, and left the job half done or done badly. The repair costs more than the difference between the quotes ever was.

One of our customers put it well in a review: we were not the cheapest, but they had a good feeling, and the work was done on time, as quoted, with no surprises. That is the outcome you are paying for.

Red flags

• A large deposit demanded before any materials arrive.
• No written quote, or a quote with no system named.
• Cannot produce insurance or WSIB certificates.
• Old work they will not show you.
• Stucco run into the ground on their past jobs.
• Pressure to sign today.

What to expect from us

A returned call, a free site visit, samples in hand, and one price in writing that names the system and the scope. Then our own crew, Michael on site, every joint sealed, the system above grade, and a one-year workmanship warranty in writing. Judge us by the same list.