Stucco Siding Cost, Options, Plus Pros and Cons

Stucco siding is a plaster-like cladding, specially blended for exterior weathering. It’s a very popular siding option with over half of new single-family homes sold in the western quadrant of the US. having such an exterior.

via Western Art and Architecture

In fact, according to the U.S. Census data, stucco (and not vinyl) is the #1 siding option in America.

The base of stucco consists of sand, cement, and lime. It may sound plain a bit like “Plain Jane”, and in many regions it may even be applied in its most simple form. But there are so many variations to texturing and coloring of stucco that it may deserve a second look by a discerning homeowner.

Cost

Application of stucco requires solid masonry skill, as cement can harden quickly. It’s usually applied in one of the two installation methods; Both entail the wooden wall sheathing as the first layer, or substrate, followed by a water barrier sheet, which in turn is followed by a metal lath so the cement layer has something to bind to.

Then, there is a scratch coat of cement which makes the top layer(s) easier to apply. The two variations are then a decision point for a homeowner who must decide on whether it’s best to go with a single coat or multiple coats — usually 3 layers. The outermost layer is where the texturing and design are emphasized.

Stucco siding costs between $8.50 and $16.50 per sq. ft. installed. Higher costs per sq. ft. come mainly from additional layers and/or sophisticated design techniques, such as dashing (which we’ll cover below). Cost factors also deal with regional availability of materials and qualified installers.

A typical two-bedroom or three-bedroom sized home with approximately 2,000 sq.ft. of siding will have a price of $17,000 to $33,000 for a standard stucco siding. As there are numerous factors that impact the price, we will help explain that, but first let’s break down the costs.

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CertainTeed Siding: Cost per Sq.Ft., Pros & Cons, Comparisons

CertainTeed siding is considered by many to be the gold standard for vinyl siding, the brand that all others like Alside, Ply Gem brands (Georgia Pacific & Mastic) Royal and those sold at Lowe’s and Home Depot are compared to. To be sure, some CertainTeed siding lines are premium in quality. Others are above average, and some are just so-so in quality and durability.

Right off the bat CertainTeed siding installation cost can range anywhere from $8.00 to $17.00 per square foot, depending on the siding line you choose and project specific variables like complexity, where you live, and the contractor you select for the job. That said, the most common CertainTeed siding jobs run between $11.00 and $15.00 per square foot installed.

Average Cost To Install New Siding Typical Range: $5,780 - $8,210
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But is CertainTeed vinyl siding any good?

Yes. It is average to very good in quality and durability. The Monogram line is one of the better-rated lines available. At the entry-level end of the spectrum, Encore is a cheap vinyl siding line that is only slightly better than most of what you find at the big box stores.

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Atlas Roofing Shingles: Pinnacle Shingles Costs, Pros & Cons

Are Atlas asphalt shingles good enough to be compared with top shingle brands GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed and IKO?

Atlas’s strategy is to produce good products, if not the absolute best, that are reasonably priced. Quality among the Atlas roofing lines ranges from average to very good. In short, they represent good value for the money. This is especially true in the 3-tab niche.

*The brand’s 3-tab StormMaster Slate and GlassMaster shingles get top ratings compared with competitors like Owens Corning Supreme, GAF Royal Sovereign and CertainTeed XT 25.

*Atlas Pinnacle Pristine, its leading line of dimensional shingles, are in the middle of the pack when compared best-sellers from other top asphalt shingle brands.

Atlas roofing shingles colors

Specifically, Atlas roofing shingle ratings are a little lower than Owens Corning Duration and GAF Timberline but ahead of CertainTeed Landmark and IKO Cambridge.

Overview of Options and Costs

Atlas makes 8 lines of fiberglass-based asphalt shingles. Your options are 2 lines of 3-tab or strip shingles, mentioned above, and 6 dimensional/architectural shingle lines.

Prices fall between $75 and $160 per roofing square for just the shingles. One roofing square is 100 square feet, so that’s $0.75 to $1.60 per square foot for shingles.

And like all other major roofing brands, Atlas produces a complete roofing system, which includes underlayments, starter shingles, hip and ridge caps and ridge ventilation.

Installed prices: Whether adding a single layer to an existing roof or tearing off the old roof and redoing everything, installed cost ranges from around $4.00 to more than $8.50 per square foot.

What’s Here: In this Atlas Shingles guide, you get detailed information on all the Atlas products, the pros and cons, and the costs, allowing you to make the best decision for your home and even compare Atlas to GAF, Certainteed, Owens Corning, and Malarkey.

In this review we start with Atlas’s premium or luxury shingles, then cover the architectural shingles, and finish with the 3-tab shingles.

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