Stucco inspection cost before buying a house

How much does a stucco inspection cost?

By Redfin's national figures, a stucco inspection costs $400 for a surface check to $1,500 or more for a probe test. One Portland-Vancouver company quotes $800 to $3,000 for most homes, and more for bigger or complex ones. If the house has stucco, book the probe test inside your inspection window. Your home inspector won't look behind the wall, and the probe test does.

Key takeaways

• The probe test drills small holes, so get the seller's written permission before you book.
• Rot sets in once prolonged moisture in the wood behind synthetic stucco reaches 30%.
• Reports usually arrive in 24 to 48 hours, if not the same day. Check that date against your deadline.

What do stucco inspectors charge where you live?

Redfin says the price depends on how much stucco is inspected and whether moisture is common in your area. Local labor costs, access and complexity matter too. 45th Parallel adds height, decks and the number of windows. Before you book, ask for a written quote that says whether probes are included and how many.

Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

When does your home inspector send you to a stucco specialist?

When the visual check finds damage or a bad install. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) guide to synthetic stucco, also called EIFS (exterior insulation and finish system), says more testing "may be in order" then.

InterNACHI's Standards of Practice define a home inspection as "a non-invasive, visual examination" of the accessible areas. Your inspector also need not operate "moisture meters" or "dismantle, open or uncover any system or component" to look behind it. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) standard does not require its inspectors to report "Concealed conditions, latent defects" either. So your report can describe the stucco and its visible flaws. It can't tell you whether the wall behind it is wet.

Treat any of these on your report as a reason to book the specialist:

• Stucco that runs into the ground. InterNACHI says it should stop at least 6 inches above finished grade.
• Missing kickout flashing where the wall meets the roofline.
• Cracks, bulges, or areas that feel soft or look discolored.
• Stained or damp drywall, or peeling paint, around windows.

How serious is moisture behind stucco?

Moisture behind synthetic stucco (EIFS) can rot the wall without showing on the surface. InterNACHI says synthetic stucco "does not 'breathe.'" That, with interior vapor barriers that building code often requires, "can lead to prolonged moisture intrusion and, eventually, rotting of materials."

InterNACHI's number is 30%. At that level of prolonged moisture intrusion in the wood behind EIFS, "rotting will occur," it says. Its advice is to catch water damage "at the earliest stage possible" before moisture has time to cause rot. For a buyer, the earliest stage is before your deadline. Book the stucco inspector before you spend time on the rest of the list.

What happens during an invasive stucco test?

An invasive stucco test reads moisture inside the wall. The inspector drills small holes, inserts probes, then patches the holes, Redfin says. A non-invasive inspection stays on the surface with tools "that don't damage the exterior." It covers a visual review of the whole exterior and surface moisture scanning.

InterNACHI describes holes about 1/8-inch across, taken at problem spots such as windows, doors, roof eaves and decks. 45th Parallel, a Portland-Vancouver company, drills two ¼-inch holes per probe spot. In dry spells, it says, "moisture readings alone will often tell us nothing of value," so it also pushes on the probes to test for decay. Ask your inspector whether they check for soft sheathing, not only moisture.

You need the seller's sign-off first. Redfin says "Buyers that want a level 3 invasive inspection will need to get written permission from a seller." Have your agent get it in writing before you book.

How long until you have the written report?

Most stucco inspections take 1 to 3 hours on site, Redfin says, and invasive tests can take longer. In the Portland-Vancouver area, 45th Parallel says its inspections take "anywhere from three hours to all day."

Redfin says reports "usually take between 24-48 hours to receive, if not the same day." They include the moisture readings, photos, notes and any repair recommendations. When you book, ask the inspector for the report date and check it against your deadline.

What can the report let you ask the seller for?

That depends on what the probes found. Inspection Professionals, a Philadelphia-area company, sorts results into three pictures:

• Clean readings with sound flashing mean you can move forward and keep the report for your closing file.
• High readings at a few spots with a clear fix "usually become a credit, a price reduction, or a scope of seller-completed repairs with a follow-up moisture re-test before closing."
• Widespread saturation, rot in the sheathing, or failed flashing throughout often shifts the talk to a full remediation estimate "and a much larger negotiation."

Put a written estimate from a licensed stucco remediation contractor behind any ask. How to get repair estimates during the inspection period covers getting one in time. For what the fix involves, see EIFS or stucco moisture on your inspection report.

Say you're buying a 2,000-square-foot home in southeastern Pennsylvania and the seller agrees to repairs. Stucco Safe puts that inspection at $750 to $950, and a follow-up verification inspection, once repairs are done, at $300 to $700. Testing before and after runs $750 + $300 = $1,050 at the low end and $950 + $700 = $1,650 at the high end.

What if the seller says no?

If the seller won't allow drilling, a non-invasive inspection is the fallback. It stays on the surface, while only the invasive test reads moisture inside the wall, so a clean surface result is not a clean wall. Weigh that unknown in your ask or your decision to buy. If the seller mentions a past stucco repair, ask for the original report, the scope of the work and the warranty. Then book a fresh moisture test anyway, Inspection Professionals advises.

If the seller refuses your ask, you can accept the house as is, ask for less, or use your contract's inspection terms to walk away. What to ask for after a home inspection covers how big a request is normal. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm them with your agent or attorney.

Does homeowners insurance cover stucco damage?

Often not for slow leaks. Redfin says a policy might cover sudden or accidental damage, but long-term moisture intrusion and installation defects are "often considered general home maintenance and are excluded from coverage." Coverage varies by policy and region, so ask your insurance agent to read your policy's water damage terms before you close.

How do I know what the rest of my list is worth?

The stucco report covers only the walls. If your window is closing, upload your inspection report to Kept and get the rest of your request priced while you wait.

Sources

• InterNACHI, Residential Standards of Practice
• InterNACHI, Water Damage and EIFS
• ASHI, Standard of Practice
• Redfin, What Is a Stucco Inspection, and Do You Really Need One?
• 45th Parallel, Stucco Inspection Services in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA
• Stucco Safe, stucco inspection cost page
• Inspection Professionals, Do You Need A Stucco Inspection Before Buying?