Stucco Water Intrusion
This is a perfect illustration of stucco water intrusion damage in Lake Forest, California. If there is soil, brick, or concrete installed above the stucco weep screed or over the bottom of wood siding, serious damage occurs. The pictures below illustrate the house before any work was performed. The top two pictures illustrate brick and soil above the stucco weep screed. The middle two pictures illustrate what the inside walls looked like after removing the drywall and insulation.
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| Before Front Yard | Before Side Yard |
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| Front Yard – Inside Wall | Inside Wall – Side Yard |
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| Side Yard With Soil Now Removed | Side Yard – Soil 8″ Over Weep Screed |
Stucco water intrusion damage and what these pictures illustrate.
The bottom left picture (where you see black) illustrates where a removed concrete retaining wall was previously installed against the house. In front of this wall was a brick planter. The black you see is what remains of tar that was used to seal the stucco prior to installing the wall and brick planter. It should not be surprising that it did not work.
The bottom right picture illustrates the level of soil looking out from inside the house that was above the stucco weep screed (about 8”). The middle right picture illustrates the inside damage from the soil.
Notice on the top left picture the red brick on the bottom (behind the plants). This was installed 10” over the wood siding. The middle left picture illustrates the damage from this red brick planter.
All of this work was performed at the request and approval of the homeowner 25 years ago. The person who did the work, wanting a big fat check, said “sure, not a problem – trust me, it will be great!” and performed all the “beautiful work” you see here. The customer could not recall but believes this wonderful Master of Design and construction was a licensed contractor.
What kind of damage was caused by the stucco water intrusion?
The stucco water intrusion damage was significant and required substantial demolition and rebuilding to a large section of the home. Moreover, a tractor was brought in to remove almost 10 cubic yards of soil. Plants, sprinkler system, low voltage lighting and 3 mature trees were removed to get the soil down and away from the home. The beautiful custom wood windows were removed because Subterranean Termites along with other nasty organisms ate them up along with most of two sides of the house.
The cost to repair the damage could easily purchase several very nice automobiles. Insurance did not cover any of the damage because it was due to negligence. There was also no building permit for the original work.
The pictures below illustrate the project after all the repairs and modifications were completed.
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| Front of House After Renovation | Front of House After Renovation | Side of House After Renovation |
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| After – Inside Front | Completed – Side Yard, Inside | After – Inside Front and Side |
The key important points to remember are:
The moral of this tragic situation is: NEVER place soil, cement, brick, or anything else against your house. Building code requires a minimum of:
- 4” between the weep screed and the ground or
- 2” between the weep screed and pavement (concrete, brick, etc.)
Always Hire a Reliable and Dependable Contractor to Remodel your Home
Always work with a trustworthy contractor like DAD’s Construction. We are experts in bathroom, kitchen, and interior remodeling. We remodel and manage projects in an efficient manner. DAD’s Construction will do everything to minimize the possibility of change orders. Our team will make sure we have all the necessary information to prepare a proposal that meets your requirements. Rest assured that we will provide you with a detailed, by line-item contract. We will make sure that the contents of this agreement are properly and clearly communicated to you. If you have questions or need updates regarding your project, we will always answer your inquiries.
How Can I Receive More Information on Remodeling my Home?
If you would like more information on enjoying the best bathroom, kitchen, and interior remodeling experience in Orange County, call Dan at (949) 380-0177 or at dan@dadsconstruction.com for a free in home consultation. DAD’s serves all of South Orange County California. This includes Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Foothill Ranch, Portola Hills, Ladera Ranch, Irvine, San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, Dove Canyon, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Newport Beach, and Aliso Viejo.
