Stucco Contractor in Cumming, GA
Stucco repair and installation restores the structural integrity and appearance of exterior walls that have developed cracks, delamination, moisture intrusion, or failed patches. Whether your home shows fine map cracking that shifts with the seasons, drummy sections that sound hollow when tapped, or water-stained areas at the base of the wall, a professional three-coat stucco system addresses the root cause rather than masking symptoms. Homeowners with stucco or EIFS cladding, as well as those undertaking new construction, benefit from a contractor who matches existing textures, resets drainage components, and seals every penetration against the region's substantial annual rainfall.
Every project begins with a thorough tap-sounding survey to map delaminated areas before any material is applied. Failed stucco is cut back to a sound edge using a wet-cutting diamond saw, and the perimeter is undercut so the new patch keys in mechanically. Two layers of grade-D building paper are lapped shingle-style over the existing weather-resistive barrier, followed by galvanized metal lath. The Portland cement-lime scratch coat is hand-applied with hawk and trowel, scored horizontally, and allowed to cure before the brown coat is floated to a true plane and moist-cured to minimize shrinkage cracking. The finish coat is an acrylic-polymer formula tinted and textured to match the original wall, with a sample board approved before full application. Control joints are re-cut on the original grid with the diamond saw and sealed using closed-cell backer rod and masonry-grade polyurethane sealant. Where fine seasonal cracking is present, an elastomeric crack-bridging coating is applied to accommodate movement. On EIFS walls, a moisture probe meter survey is performed after the repair to confirm trapped water has dried out. The weep screed at the base of the wall is reset above grade so absorbed moisture drains out rather than wicking upward.
Typical costs in this market range from $250 to $800 per small crack repaired and textured, $400 to $1,200 per color-matched patch, and $7 to $14 per square foot for a full three-coat re-stucco installation. Weep screed replacement runs $8 to $20 per linear foot, control and expansion joint sealing $4 to $10 per linear foot, and an elastomeric coating applied to a single elevation $1,200 to $3,500. Complete stucco repair projects typically range from $1,500 to $9,000 depending on scope. The local climate, which brings roughly 50.4 inches of annual precipitation with a pronounced wet season from January through March, places consistent pressure on exterior cladding systems. A seasonal temperature swing of approximately 54 degrees Fahrenheit between the January average low of 35.6 °F and the July average high of 90.1 °F causes stucco to expand and contract repeatedly, making properly cut and sealed control joints and a flexible elastomeric finish especially important for long-term performance. The dominant Habersham well-drained soils in this area help moisture move away from foundations, but a correctly set weep screed remains essential to ensure wall-base drainage functions as intended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are stucco cracks serious or just cosmetic?
Fine, web-like map cracking is usually cosmetic and surface-level. Diagonal cracks running off window and door corners, wide or horizontal cracks, and stair-step cracks signal building movement or trapped water and should be evaluated before they let moisture into the wall.
Why does stucco crack and flake in a cold climate?
Stucco is slightly porous, so it absorbs water during wet weather. When that water freezes it expands, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles pop, or spall, flakes off the finish coat. The fix is to repair the cracks and restore the drainage details so the wall sheds water instead of holding it.
What is the difference between traditional stucco and EIFS?
Traditional stucco is a hard, cement-based coating troweled over lath in three coats. EIFS is a synthetic system: foam insulation board with a thin acrylic finish on top. They look similar but fail differently, and a wet EIFS wall has to be probed for trapped moisture before any repair.
Can you match the color and texture of my existing stucco?
Yes. We mix the finish to your color and replicate the texture on a sample board first. Keep in mind that years of sun and weather lighten the original, so a patch can flash slightly until it weathers in; for a uniform look we sometimes coat the full elevation to a natural break.
Why do you re-cut control joints instead of just filling the cracks?
Stucco expands and contracts with temperature, and control joints are where that movement is supposed to happen. If a wall is cracking on a joint line, filling it solid just forces the crack to reopen next season. Restoring the joint lets the wall move without tearing the finish.
How long does a typical stucco repair take?
A crack repair or a single patch is often a one- to two-day job including texture and cure time. Re-stuccoing a full elevation runs several days because each coat has to cure before the next, and finish work waits on weather.
Cumming Conditions That Affect Stucco Contractor
- Annual precipitation ~50.4 in. Rainy season January–March; wettest month July (~4.8 in), driest October (~3.3 in). NOAA Climate Normals 1991–2020.
- Annual snowfall ~2.2 in. Peak month January (~1.0 in). NOAA Climate Normals 1991–2020.
- Secondary soil series: Habersham (GR-SL). Well drained drainage. Source: USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey.
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