FAIME
What Drives the Cost of
Exterior Stucco & EIFS Work
We do not publish a price list, and this page explains honestly why — along with the eight factors that actually set the number on a GTA exterior project, what can move it once work starts, and how to compare two quotes so you are comparing the same thing.
Why there is no price list on this page
You will find contractors publishing per-square-foot rates for stucco and EIFS. Those numbers are not dishonest, but they describe an average wall, and nobody owns an average wall.
The same elevation, same square footage, same finish can differ substantially in price depending on what is behind it, how you reach it, and how much of it is edges rather than field. A published rate that does not account for those is a number you will be quoted against and then revised away from — which is worse than no number at all.
So instead: here is exactly what we look at. Understanding these lets you read any contractor's quote — ours or anyone else's — and see whether the price makes sense for the work described.
Eight factors that set the number
What can move a price after work starts
A quote should hold. The honest exception is what nobody could see before opening the wall — and on exterior work there is almost always something that cannot be confirmed until the finish comes off.
- Wet or deteriorated sheathing. The most common one. Water has been getting in longer than the visible damage suggested.
- Framing damage. Less common, more serious. Sustained moisture reaching structure rather than stopping at the board.
- A second water source. Fixing the obvious entry point occasionally reveals another that was masked by the first.
- Previous repairs done badly. Buried patches, missing mesh, sealant used as a structural fix — all of which have to be undone before doing it properly.
Our commitment is straightforward: if we open a wall and find something that changes the scope, work stops and you get a photograph and a revised number before we proceed — not a line item on the final invoice. Anything visible at assessment is already priced in.
How to compare two contractors fairly
The lowest number is only the best value if it covers the same work. Ask both contractors these — including us — and the quotes become genuinely comparable.
Is the substrate included?
Does the price assume the sheathing is sound? What happens if it is not? A quote silent on this is not a fixed price.
Which system, by name?
Not just “stucco”. Which system, what insulation thickness, what mesh weight. Specifications differ, and so does what they cost.
Is sealant included?
Joints, window perimeters, penetrations. Sealant is the shortest-lived component and a common quiet omission.
What is the warranty?
How long, and on what — workmanship, materials, or both? Ours is 2 years on workmanship, in writing in the contract. Materials carry separate manufacturer warranties.
Insurance and WSIB?
Ask for the certificate, not the claim. Uninsured work on your property is your exposure, and it is a real reason one quote is cheaper.
Who is actually on site?
Employed crew or subcontracted out? We self-perform our painting and EIFS work, with crews scaled to the scope.
Two real jobs, two very different scopes
The factors above are easier to read against real work. No prices appear here or anywhere on this site — FAIME quotes only after a site visit — but the difference in scope between these two exteriors is exactly what the factors above describe.
Full Rebuild — Innisfil
Rotten and loose wood cut out and replaced with extra supporting timber added, EPS insulation board fixed flat across every face, fastener heads spotted, fibreglass mesh in a full base coat, then a long-life finish coat and a full property clean-up. Substrate repair and insulation both sit underneath the visible finish.
See the Innisfil rebuild →Refinish — Scarborough
The wall itself was sound; the coating was not. Failing finish ground off, mesh-reinforced base coat levelled flat, tinted finish troweled on, clean caulk lines at the base. No framing repair, no insulation layer — a materially different scope on a similar-looking elevation.
See the stucco refinishing →Frequently asked about exterior pricing
Get a Real Number
Site visits and written quotes are free. We look at the wall, tell you what is actually happening, and price the work we can see — with a 5-year workmanship warranty in the contract.
Request a Free Assessment