Hard Coat Stucco (Atlanta: house, buy, camp)

[kaday]

Any thoughts on whether a Hard Coat Stucco home is good/bad to purchase?

[Figment 07]

What is behind the stucco?

When I buy a house, I tend to keep it for a long time, so you couldn't give one to me -- not unless I stood right there and watched the house being built from the gound up with an inspector at my side.

Our stucco homes are not built like those in Florida or the Southwest with masonry behind them. About 15 years ago, many homeowners discovered this problem too late and ended up ripping out walls and replacing rotting window frames. Here, all I've seen (except over some foundations) is a coating applied to a metal lathe or mesh over wood and styrofoam. The hairline cracks eventually allow moisture to seep into the walls - the framing and trim, attracting termites and fostering a perfect environment for black mold to grow behind interior walls.

I know builders say that the new hardcoat system and waterproof barrier when properly installed, is vastly superior to Dryvit and no doubt it is, but as before, only time will tell. I've seen problems in homes with both kinds. I'd have to quit my job and camp out on the lot, inspecting every flashing and every seal on the waterproof barrier or I wouldn't accept stucco myself. I'm wary of expensive, messy stucco repairs.

It's a matter of esthetics and personal preference, too. A little stucco is okay, but most builders overdo it here.

[kaday]

Thanks F. We wrote up an offer on a hardcoat stucco home but haven't submittd it based on our concerns on the stucco. The stucco goes all the way to the ground which is worrying my spouse. Do you have any experience with this type of Hardcoat? My guess is you would not buy this house if you were me. It was built in 1996. Any info would be helpful as we are up to the wire on this one.

Maybe I can phrase it this way, there is another house, not stucco that is 25k more and would stretch our budget. Is that a better value for resale purposes?

[Figment 07]

If I were facing that choice, Kaday, I would negotiate as hard as I could to get the other house price closer to my comfort level and go for it!

As a 20-year resident of Atlanta, I can tell you that brick homes have a solid history of appreciating and selling faster in this area than comparable homes in stucco coatings.

I'd go for 50-year Hardiboard or even shingle and stone instead of stucco, too (in fact, I did).

[kaday]

That is exactly what we are doing! Thanks hopefully we can make it work.