Questions about stucco
We are empty nesters looking to build a new home. The house plan we have chosen is an Italian Victorian design and we are not sure it will look right using any exterior treatment except stucco. We are, of course, looking for very low maintenance with every area of our house. We live on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi (extremely humid & can expect a hurricane every few years) and are building on the water. What kind of maintenance can we expect if we use stucco instead of brick or vinyl? Does the "new" stucco have to be painted every few years? If not, is the cleaning labor intensive? What things do we need to look for from a contractor if we do decide on stucco? Is stucco as fire resistant as brick---do owners of stucco homes get as big a break on insurance as do brick home owners? Basically, how much maintenance can we expect from a stucco home? Thank you so much for your time and effort.
Stucco should be as low maintenance as you can get.
Check out this link: Number one material against hurricanes.
Integrated color cement finishes will bleed and fade over time. Sometimes the bleeding and fading add a nice mottled effect. The truth is, most of the houses we have done over the last 40 years have been painted. You may need to re- assess the color after 12 years or so and paint. The masonry paint they make these days is super good and should last and last. They make synthetic finishes which is paint. We are doing more synthetics these days mainly to match what we are tearing off. Also, if you want a deep color, like this blue house, it really needs to be done with synthetic to avoid splotches.
Cleaning stucco can usually be done with a garden hose. If a moss or mildew grows on the wall, it can be killed with bleach. There are people in the house washing business that can mix chemical additives soft washer so you don't have to do it. The moss or mildew shouldn't hurt anything if it is left alone.
I don't see why you can't get a break on your fire insurance. Real cement stucco, 3/4 inch thick, has a four hour fire rating. There was a fire at the Arts Club of Washington. The fire marshal said the stucco we did saved the kitchen. Here's a link to the job:
If you check my site, we don't put wide gobs of caulking around the windows. This caulking isn't made to be put on too thick, so it shrinks and cracks and has to be re-done. We don't put caulking around windows unless we are trying to match existing. Our houses don't leak and rot.
Finding someone qualified to do the work is everything. You may try a google search. You may call a big building supply that sells materials, particularly plaster, and ask.