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Stucco is a popular exterior finish for homes in Colorado, but it’s also a project that can go wrong if you don’t know what to look for when hiring a stucco contractor.
In this article, we will go over the following:
- What to expect from a qualified stucco contractor
- What to ask for when hiring a stucco contractor
As well as offer a complimentary checklist to guide you along the hiring process.
What to expect from a qualified stucco contractor
If you’re looking to install stucco on your home, you must hire a qualified contractor who will walk through the entire process with you. Here’s what you should expect from a stucco contractor or company:
- A licensed and certified stucco contractor will answer the phone and meet with you exactly at the time arranged to discuss options for your home.
- They’ll evaluate your current stucco system or exterior and make recommendations based on its condition and the materials used in construction.
- Honest stucco contractors will answer all your questions, address your concerns, and provide prompt and detailed estimates so there are no surprises at the end of the job.
- Qualified stucco contractors will be able to apply for building permits from the city and county if needed and keep an eye on quality control throughout the job to ensure that everything is done correctly.
Stucco contractors will work with you every step of the way to make sure that your expectations are met, from start to finish! So, what steps should you take to ensure you hire the most qualified stucco contractor for the job? Read on!
Do your research!
You don’t want to get stuck with hiring a person who claims they are qualified to install your stucco system only to find out later that their only qualification is they watched a few D.I.Y. videos online.
That’s why it’s important to research the contractors in your area before ever inviting them out to do an estimate.
Here are a few tips when it comes to researching qualified stucco contractors in the Denver area:
- Check the website for the building department in the City of Denver to make sure the company is a licensed stucco contractor.
- Check the local Better Business Bureau for accreditation and other reputable sites for reviews of local stucco installers.
- Talk to your friends, neighbors, and family members about their experiences with stucco companies in your area.
The Risk of Hiring A Brand-New Stucco Contractor
Whether you need your stucco refinished or an entire new stucco system installed, you’re not only investing in the finished product. You’re investing your time and trust in the company you’ve hired, which includes their track record and years in business.
That’s why checking how long the stucco contractor has been in business is important before you sign on the dotted line. If the contractor is offering a warranty it may be risky. If they go out of business the following year, you’re out of your money and left with a costly repair if something wasn’t installed correctly or damaged.
You can check how long someone has been in business and if the business is in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State Business Search.
Qualified Stucco Contractors are Properly Licensed and Certified
When looking for a stucco contractor, it’s essential to ensure they are adequately qualified and licensed.
Colorado cities and counties require specific licensing and certification to work in that area and obtain building permits.
In Denver, contractors must have a license from Denver Community Planning and Development. To obtain this license, contractors must pass a rigorous exam based on construction codes and practices. They must also submit evidence of previous work, and financial responsibility, and undergo a criminal background check.
Another certification to ask for would be the SMA certification issued by the Stucco Manufacturers Association. This license is only available through an examination process that ensures contractors are qualified for stucco inspection, installation, repair, and maintenance.
Ask for the stucco contractor’s license and certification before signing contracts or paying any money. If they can’t produce it, many other qualified stucco contractors in Denver can help you!
V.A.M.P. Stucco is a licensed and certified contractor in every city and county in Colorado.
Stucco Brand Qualified and Certified?
When shopping around for a stucco contractor, you’ll want to ensure that they’re certified in installing your preferred brand of material.
This is important because many brands of stucco materials are on the market, but not all are created equal. Some stucco brands and system types differ in installation methods. If the contractor you hire isn’t certified to install that brand of stucco, you risk improper installation and more costly repairs in the future.
V.A.M.P. Stucco is qualified and certified to install all major stucco brands and trained in every stucco texture technique.
Remember, insurance coverage means more than just a card or piece of paper. It’s what’s in the policy that counts.
If you’re working with a stucco contractor, it’s a good idea to ensure the company has the appropriate insurance types and policies.
Ask to be added as a certificate holder and for a copy of the certificate and policy to check for their endorsements and exclusions. Additionally, ask their insurance to provide you with a required 30-day notice of cancellation.:
- Do they have minimum coverage amounts required by the state?
- Does their policy include completed operations coverage? If it does not, they are not covered when they are finished with your project.
- Do they hold additional endorsements for coverage if your project includes installing or repairing E.I.F.S. (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems)?
This is additional coverage that is required to work on EIFS and many contractors bypass it due to the cost.
- Check to be sure they do not have an exclusion for residential projects
- Make sure the policy is occurrence based and not a claims-made policy.
Occurrence-based will continue to provide coverage after the stucco company terminates coverage or goes out of business. Claims made policies are only valid as long as the policy is in effect. If the contractor goes out of business or terminates his coverage his claims-made policy is no longer providing coverage.
- Workers’ comp! An uncovered worker on your property is a liability for you, your homeowners’ insurance, and the contractor.
Unfortunately, some contractors get workers’ comp or insurance coverage so they can show it when they’re bidding on jobs but then cancel it the next day, so they don’t have to pay the premium.
Another common workers’ comp scheme is supplying a certificate for workman’s comp coverage that only covers one person and not every worker who will be on your property. They bypass reporting by paying their workers cash.
Find out if they have workers’ compensation insurance coverage here.
Here’s an example of what a C.O.I. (Certificate of Insurance) might look like. For details on how to read a C.O.I., check out this great resource.
The key takeaway when it comes to insurance coverage? Protect yourself and your property. Never sign on the dotted line without proof of proper insurance coverage.
READ More:How do I know if the contractor is giving me a fake C.O.I.?
Read the estimate before you sign
When you’re getting an estimate for stucco work, there are a few key things to look out for.
What to look for in a stucco estimate:
- Does the estimate list the brands of stucco material they plan to use for the job? Suppose the estimate isn’t transparent about materials. How do you know if you are paying a high-quality price for low-quality stucco products?
- What is the contractor planning to do? You can get three different estimates and all three can estimate for different scopes of work to fix the problem. Most contractors skip steps to complete the work properly because it will allow them to get the project done quickly and cheaply. Many times this allows them to come in the cheapest bid, which is another important reason to not only look at the price.
- Is the contractor planning to use subcontractors to complete the work? If so, do they have all of the appropriate insurance coverage and workers’ comp?
- Does it clearly state the payment commitment required of you? Does it list potential unknown costs if things like moisture damage are found?
- If signing the estimate requires a “deposit” before the work begins, run in the other direction! It’s illegal in Colorado to collect money for work not started. However, initial payments are to be collected when mobilization starts for your project. V.A.M.P. Stucco commonly starts acquiring materials and color matches about a month before your official start date so everything is ready to go on day one. Once the money is spent to prepare, you will receive your first request for payment.
- Payment plans and installments are available if needed to assist you in paying for your project.
It’s highly advisable to get a stucco expert to assist you with reviewing the estimates provided to you to help you make an informed decision. V.A.M.P. Stucco is happy to assist in reviewing any estimates provided to you by another contractor to help you make the best choice for your home and your budget. If someone else’s estimate is better, and it’s a solid contractor, we will want you to make the decision that is best for you!
When it comes to signing estimates, you can’t afford to NOT read between the lines. That’s why V.A.M.P. Stucco offers detailed, transparent estimates every time.
Will other contractors work on your home simultaneously as the stucco contractor?
If you have a stucco project in the works, there’s one thing you need to know: when to start or delay work based on the timeline of other projects.
This is especially important if you’re working with a roofer, window installer, deck, or gutter contractor. All of these projects can impact the stucco installation in your home—and knowing how each will affect the others will help ensure that your home projects are integrated together correctly.
Some contractors are in a hurry to complete the project regardless of other projects, which could affect the integrity of their stucco installation and the other projects for which you are paying other contractors.
V.A.M.P. Stucco will work with you to discuss what order your stucco project should be completed in!
Paying Your Stucco Contractor
We’ve heard horror stories of contractors collecting “down payments” before a job begins, and they disappear. Or asking for more and more money that was not in the estimate the further along in the project they get. You can do a couple of things when looking for a stucco contractor to avoid these scenarios.
First, know the law! In Colorado, some rules specify when and how much a contractor can retain before a project begins.
Second, understand what you are paying for and when. If it’s not outlined in the estimate and payment terms, don’t sign it! Ask for more clarification and information.
Finally, don’t give out your financial information to “have on file and never pay over the phone.” (Exception in cases of financing.) Pay by e-check or another secure means of payment after coming to an agreed contract to start the project.
Your Go-To Guide When Hiring a Stucco Contractor in Colorado
You’re not an expert in stucco, so it might feel overwhelming when you start searching for a reputable stucco contractor who can help you with your budget and do a great job.
We created this checklist to help you know which questions to ask potential stucco contractors and what to watch out for.
The do’s and don’ts when hiring a stucco contractor in Colorado
Do:
- Research the stucco contractors you are interested in hiring: years in business, referrals, and testimonials, reputable referral websites, etc.
- Ask to see a current license to do stucco work in the city and county where your stucco project is.
- Ask what brand of materials will be used to complete the project and ask the stucco contractor for a copy of their product certification.
- Ask for the stucco contractor’s certificate of insurance, endorsements, and exclusions in policies, and request to be a certificate holder.
- Read the estimate carefully before you sign or commit to the project.
- Will other contractors be working on your home simultaneously as the stucco contractor? If so, check to ensure that the stucco contractor knows when to start or delay work based on the timeline of other projects (ie: roofing, gutter, or window installation).
Don’t:
- Hire a stucco contractor who is hard to reach, does not show up when scheduled, and does not send a timely and detailed estimate.
- Hire a stucco contractor or company that has only been in business a short while; your warrantied project is at risk if they go out of business after completing it.
- Hire a contractor with stucco listed as only one of the services offered. Stucco installation takes skill and experience, find a stucco contractor like V.A.M.P. Stucco, whose entire business is stucco and only stucco.
- Go with a company or contractor who will subcontract the project to another company without providing you evidence the subcontractors have the proper certifications and insurance coverage.
- Pay any upfront costs until the contractor is mobilizing and preparing (for example: buying materials, and spending on labor) for your project.
Why you should hire V.A.M.P. Stucco
Now that you have the do’s and don’ts of hiring a stucco contractor, we can save you time by showing you that V.A.M.P. Stucco checks all the boxes when it comes to a reputable and qualified stucco contractor in the Denver metro area:
- V.A.M.P. Stucco has been in business since 2008
- Our customer testimonials and referrals speak for themselves!
- V.A.M.P. Stucco is certified to install every major stucco brand available in Colorado.
- Many Colorado homeowners, H.O.A.s, and Prime Contractors trust V.A.M.P. Stucco because their entire crew and staff specialize in stucco.
- V.A.M.P. Stucco is licensed and insured to install stucco systems in every Colorado city and county.
So many companies claim to be stucco experts in Colorado, but in the end, they over-promise and under-deliver.
That’s why at V.A.M.P. Stucco, we approach every stucco installation and refinishing project with integrity, expertise, and skill, keeping you, the homeowner, top-of-mind every step of the way.
Ready to hire a qualified stucco contractor in Denver? Contact us today!
About V.A.M.P. Stucco:
When it comes to stucco reskimming, re-dashing, repairs, or installation on your Colorado home, always call V.A.M.P. Stucco, a five-star rated Colorado stucco contractor. Quality is at the heart of everything from no-pressure, non-commissioned estimations to our licensed, certified, and skilled in-house stucco installers.
V.A.M.P. Stucco is licensed in all of Denver Metro and surrounding counties, and certified and trained to properly install all major stucco products. We pride ourselves on the quality of products we put on your home and our staff, all of which are in-house and insured, which means no subcontractors – we are always accountable for the quality of work.
We install, reskim, re-dash, refresh and restore stucco in all areas within 1 hour or 45-mile radius from our location at 2180 W. Cornell Ave Englewood, CO.
Including:
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Denver
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Aurora
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Englewood
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Broomfield
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Superior
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Lafayette
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Larkspur
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Greenwood Village
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Littleton
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Morrison
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Evergreen
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Roxborough Park
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Sedalia
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Castle Rock
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Parker
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Highlands Ranch
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Centennial
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Golden
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Lone Tree
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Lakewood
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Wheatridge
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Arapahoe County
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation estimate
V.A.M.P. is a family-owned stucco contractor serving the Denver Metro area, including Arvada, Aurora, Centennial, Castle Rock, Commerce City, Denver, and Englewood. We specialize in everything from completely installing stucco systems to refinishing and resurfacing existing stucco, including custom color-matching. See what our customers have to say about V.A.M.P. Stucco.
Hear from our satisfied customers:
“This company is fantastic in every way. 18 months ago, we had a leaking window in an existing stucco installation. VAMP was one of only 3 to return our initial calls (as this was a repair and not a full installation, many other companies seemed uninterested). Their responsiveness continued throughout the entirety of the project, which was a huge relief. They also sent out a qualified stucco inspector, who is part of the team, at no cost to provide us with a range of options to match a variety of budgets. Now, over a year later, the work still looks amazing. We cannot recommend VAMP highly enough.”
-Stefanie K., Denver, CO
