Stucco, unstuck

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Q. We have a huge problem and need advice, or just encouragement that we’re doing the right thing. Our house had new stucco put on about a year and a half ago, and now it’s bubbling. We consulted with a different stucco company, and were told that the stucco needs to be removed and replaced, that the bubbling is the result of its being put on when it was too cold, so it couldn’t adhere correctly. We watched it go on in layers, and at times that fall it was pretty cold, under 40 degrees. We thought the company that put it up knew what they were doing, and realize now that they didn’t. Unfortunately, we’re being told by our contractor that the subcontractor has to be given another chance — that only certain areas, not all of the stucco, have to be removed, and that otherwise we’ll have to pay another party to do the replacement. Is this reasonable? We really don’t want the first guy to do it again. Is the contractor right?

A. I understand your not wanting someone who did a faulty job to do it again, and I wonder if they will, but your contractor is right about the fact that if the problem goes further, such as court, and you didn’t allow the person you’re making a claim against to try to rectify the problem (assuming they do so in a professional manner, without charge), then it has been my experience that you may not be awarded full value for damages. Unless their work was so completely faulty and egregious, they may be given a second chance.

Having appeared as a professional witness over 50 times, I have seen this kind of decision, but I would also consult an attorney who knows construction-related law. You can insist on third-party oversight with a manufacturer’s representative, who reviews the work at stages and can validate the system with a warrantee. Most residential projects have no warrantee paperwork, unlike commercial projects, whose size and cost are so much greater that warrantees and certifications are commonplace.

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