Tips for Choosing the Right Stucco Contractor
Whether you wish for a facelift of your home or there are too many signs of weathering that need your attention, home improvement is imperative for homeowners. Whether they choose to do it for increasing their property value or they do it to ensure structural and functional integrity, there is almost no way around it.
Many people take up home improvement as a DIY project and do things like cleaning floors, grouting tiles, and even painting. However, some of the home improvement projects are more challenging than others such as stucco repair. Stucco is an exterior finish material made up of Portland cement, sand, lime, and water and is often used because of its durability and appeal. Stucco can be applied to other surfaces like metal and wood to enhance their appearance.
Seek Referrals
If you have a stucco exterior, there are chances that other homes in your community also have stucco façade. Begin your research by asking for referrals from neighbors, friends, and family. A contractor that has worked at your friends’ or neighbors’ house is tried and tested. You can get an honest firsthand review from people in your circle, and you can also check the quality of its work. So, seek referrals from your community and circle
License and Insurance
If you hire a contractor without a license and insurance, there is sadly nothing to cover you in unfortunate events.
Referrals and Portfolio
Stucco repair or applying fresh stucco is a tricky job that can go wrong in many ways. Therefore, it is better to inspect past projects of the contractors closely. You must ask contractors for referrals and portfolio and must cross-check them. If some of these projects are in your area, you should go and inspect their quality.
Stucco Contractors : How to Choose the Right One
Whether you need specific stucco repair or your entire house exterior needs a facelift, you’ll probably find yourself looking to hire a stucco contractor. Being that this is an issue most people only encounter once or twice in a lifetime, if at all, you most likely don’t have the phone number for one handy. You may ask a friend or coworker if they know anyone, but you shouldn’t hire someone on a whim. As with most things, you want to evaluate your options to ensure you’re hiring the right stucco contractor for your needs.
RESEARCH MORE THAN ONE STUCCO CONTRACTOR
Don’t just do a google search and pick the first name that comes up, or the one closest to you. While these may, in fact, be the ones you ultimately choose, it’s wise to compare and contrast several different contractors.
In addition, be sure that you’re looking specifically for a stucco contractor, and not a general home improvement contractor. While the latter may be able to get the job done, a contractor specializing specifically in stucco will be more qualified to handle the project. They’ll have a wider knowledge base in this specific area, especially concerning products or possible problems.
CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION
Once you’ve narrowed down your options to two or three contractors, it’s not a bad idea to reach out them for further information. Most contracting companies encourage potential customers to contact them if the customers are interested in hiring for a job, or have questions. You can inquire more about specific materials used, whether or not they sub-contract the work, if they get their supplies direct from the manufacturer, etc.
GET AN ESTIMATE, AND THEN SOME
You want to get an estimate from your stucco contractor, but consider going a little further than that. Ask when they can start the work, and how long they think it will take. Your stucco contractor probably won’t be able to begin work right away, but they should be organized enough to give you an idea of the start date.
Invest Some Time When Choosing a Stucco Contractor
When a home improvement project requires a stucco contractor, most homeowners will likely not have the names and phone numbers of any installers stored in their computer, smartphone, or address book. Since the need for a stucco contractor may be a once-in-a-lifetime circumstance, the first reaction of a homeowner might be to ask a friend or a family member if they or someone they know could recommend a reputable company.
While this could provide a viable lead, it will in all likelihood merely scratch the surface of what will be needed to make a comfortable and informed decision on the contractor who will ultimately be awarded the project. In other words, it would be prudent to invest some time in doing research, or homework, before settling on a stucco contractor – and while there are indeed several stucco companies to choose from in Toronto and the GTA, homeowner diligence upfront will pay dividends in the long run from the standpoint of return on investment.
Ready to Answer All of Your Questions
A reputable stucco company, such as Canadian Stucco, should basically anticipate that potential customers will want and need to know this type of information and be willing to respond openly and honestly.
How to Repair Stucco
At first glance, the seamless coat of stucco on the East Boston house looked as bulletproof as a sidewalk, the perfect foil against the harsh wet weather of this coastal city. Yet beneath its lush cloak of ivy, the cement shell was a mess of cracks and buckling, signs that water had gotten in and damaged the underlying wood lath
When properly installed, stucco (a cement- or lime-based plaster) is about as carefree and long-lived a cladding as anyone could wish—100 years is not uncommon. But when big cracks or blisters appear, the time to make repairs is right away, before the damage grows
Watch The Weather
Freezing temperatures can ruin wet stucco. Wait for nighttime temperatures that stay above 40 degrees before tackling repairs. Hot, dry, windy weather can also interfere by sucking out moisture the mix needs to cure properly. Work in the shade so the stucco doesn’t dry too fast. Between coats, keep the patch moist by covering it with a plastic sheet
Work Safely
The alkalis in wet cement can cause burns. So when working with fresh stucco, wear gloves or touch the mix only with your tools, not your fingers. Keep a bucket of water nearby to wash any splashes off your skin.
Finish It Right
No patch, no matter how expertly textured, will match the color of the old stucco around it. To do that, you need to apply a pigmented coating over the entire surface. The patch at this house was covered with a thick, sprayed-on acrylic elastomer that bridges and seals hairline cracks. Other acceptable coatings include concrete paints and stains, mineral paints, lime washes, and “fog coats” of pigmented cement. Whichever coating you use, make sure it’s alkaline tolerant and permeable to water vapor. Otherwise, it will be peeling off in no time.
GUIDELINES TO CHOOSE A SUITABLE STUCCO CONTRACTORS
Whether you are in need of a stucco repair or you just wish to have a completely fresh siding for your property, it is important for you to select an efficient stucco contractor. You must take out time to search for a stucco contractor. At first, you need to make thorough research and then filter them on the basis of their efficiency and your requirements. If you fail to choose a suitable stucco contractor for your project you might need another one in future to fix what the earlier one had done to your property. If you don’t want to face such a situation in future, here are some tips which will help you find the right contractor for you.
RESEARCH
Every search-operation begins with proper research. It is recommended to not to go for the first option that appears to you during your research. You might find it impressive but that should not be the end of your research. Thorough research is crucial to achieving success in this operation. You can also take Google’s help in this regard by simply typing “Best stucco companies near me” Once your research is done, filter them on the basis of your requirements.
REFERENCE
Ask your friends, colleagues and relatives for recommendations. You can do it directly or you can post about your search on social media platforms to get references. Social media is an amazing platform to initiate the process. Such recommendations give you an authentic report on stucco contractors as the people who recommend them, have real life experiences of working with them. Another fact is that, if you have a stucco exterior, there are possibilities that other homes in your locality to have stucco façade. So your neighbors can also be a trustable source for such referrals.
LICENSE
You have no control over the future but you can certainly be prepared to face any unfortunate events in the future. License and insurance are the weapons that will help you win the fight against such unforeseen events. That is why it is important for you to make sure that the professional stucco contractors in Milton, Mississauga, or surrounding GTA you choose holds valid license approved by the state. Insurance to protect customers against damage is also available. If anything goes wrong during the project, you will have the right to claim the damage through insurance or bond.
GET ESTIMATES AND COMPARE
Most of the stucco contractors usually provide free quotes and bids. Your duty here is to get estimates from different contractors and compare them to ensure that you are paying the right amount. It is an obvious fact that quotes will vary but if there is a prominent difference then you must ask for an explanation.
