Stucco Repair Cost: $500 to $1,500 + Cracks $200 to $800

How much does stucco repair cost

Published US prices. Per-job and per-square-foot figures come from different guides; both are shown where they differ.

The range is wide because two very different jobs share the name. A patch over sound wall is a few hours of work: HomeGuide says most repairs take 5 to 12 hours at $40 to $60 an hour plus materials. Stucco that has let water into the wall is another matter: the wet section has to come off, the sheathing and framing behind it get repaired, and the wall gets new paper, lath and stucco. This Old House puts water damage repair at $30 to $50 per square foot, and its professional repair range reaches $60 to $120 per square foot.

Stucco crack repair cost: hairline vs. structural cracks

Some cracking is expected. A National Association of Home Builders summary notes that stucco "can shrink and crack for months after construction" and that cracks are "not necessarily indicative of a structural concern." The same summary gives a general crack scale attributed to R. W. Day (it applies to building materials broadly, not to stucco alone):

• Hairline, up to 1/8 inch: negligible to slight.
• 3/16 to 9/16 inch: moderate.
• 9/16 to 1 inch: severe.
• Over 1 inch: very severe.

Direction matters too. HomeGuide says horizontal cracks are often normal wear, while vertical cracks are often a sign of foundation shifting; it prices vertical-crack repairs at $250 to $800 per crack, and says cracks as wide as a penny or wider should go to a professional. NAHB's advice is that cosmetic repairs are best made after any foundation movement has stopped, so a crack that keeps growing needs its cause found first. Cracks around windows and doors deserve a closer look whatever their width, because HomeGuide lists them among the signs of water getting in.

For a crack, This Old House puts a DIY kit at about $30 against $8 to $20 per square foot for a professional repair.

Water intrusion behind stucco

Stucco is not a waterproof shell. A Building Science Corporation guide for the Department of Energy says "All exterior claddings pass some rainwater," stucco included. In a three-coat stucco wall over wood framing, the protection is behind the stucco: two layers of Grade D building paper (or an approved house wrap) go over wood sheathing, according to the Johnson County Building Officials Association's guide, which says the IBC and IRC require it, and the City of Bloomington, Minnesota's sheet, which allows approved house wrap in place of paper. At the bottom of the wall, a weep screed lets water drain out; Bloomington's guide sets it at least 4 inches above soil or 2 inches above paving. The Johnson County guide also says lath must stop at least 2 inches above concrete flatwork at stoops and porches.

When the paper or flashing fails, water can reach the sheathing, and over years it can rot. A Department of Energy Building America photo shows the result on a synthetic stucco (EIFS) house: when the siding gave way in high winds, the sheathing under the windows had severe rot from long-term leakage. HomeGuide's signs of water behind stucco:

• Chips, bumps, crumbling stucco or soft spots when you press.
• Greenish-black stains that look like they are weeping out of the wall.
• Cracks around windows and doors.
• Mold, indentations or rot.

Surface signs only go so far. A moisture inspection, where the inspector drills small holes, takes readings and seals them, runs $500 to $1,000 in HomeGuide's data and $100 to $500 in This Old House's. It is worth doing before you patch, and before you buy a stucco house; see home inspection cost. If the wall is wet inside, call about water damage restoration and mold remediation as well, and see leak detection if the source is unclear.

Stucco remediation cost

Remediation typically means removing the damaged stucco down to the framing, replacing wet sheathing, and rebuilding the wall with new water-resistive barrier, lath and stucco. A patch over wet stucco does not remove the water behind it. Published prices:

HomeGuide, Feb 2026; This Old House, June 2026. HomeGuide's re-stucco rate differs between its table and text, so it is left out here.

A good remediation quote names the area being removed, the price per sheet of sheathing replaced, the barrier and lath being installed, and the finish coat and color. Ask the company to photograph the wall once the stucco is off, before it closes it back up.

Stucco homes in Arizona, Florida, California and Texas

Stucco is a regional material. Census construction data compiled by NAHB show stucco on 24.1% of new single-family homes started in 2025, but 65% in the Pacific division, which includes California, and 33% in the South Atlantic, which includes Florida. In 2023 it was 52.7% in the Mountain division, which includes Arizona, Nevada and Colorado. Texas is different: in its division, brick was the most common exterior on 2023 starts at 57.8%. If your Texas home is stucco, the same crack and water checks apply.

Traditional stucco vs. synthetic stucco (EIFS)

Traditional stucco and synthetic stucco (EIFS) are different systems, and the materials differ in price: HomeGuide puts traditional stucco at $0.05 to $0.10 per square foot in materials and synthetic at $0.25 to $0.50. HomeGuide prices EIFS repair at $8 to $50 per square foot, with small repairs at $100 to $200. Tell the company which one you have.

Stucco repair near me: choosing a contractor

• Ask whether they test for moisture before quoting a patch, and what happens to the price if they find wet sheathing.
• Ask how they will tie the repair into the existing paper and lath, and how they handle the weep screed and window flashing.
• Get the finish matched in writing. Texture and color on a patch rarely match exactly; ask whether they plan to recoat the whole wall.
• Check licensing. In Arizona, stucco falls under the Registrar of Contractors' R-36 and C-36 plastering classifications, and a license is generally required when labor and materials exceed $1,000 or a permit is required. In California, jobs over $500 need a written contract and the down payment is capped at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less (CSLB). Ask which license applies where you live and whether the job needs a permit and lath inspection.

Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes stucco work. How calls work. Have siding instead? See siding repair. Leaks at windows may also mean the window itself needs replacing; see window replacement cost.