Stucco & Exterior Repair in Whittier
Whittier stucco repair for craftsman, revival and hillside houses: earthquake cracks assessed, old lath replaced and historic finishes matched.
Whittier has older plaster houses in its uptown district and hillside homes above it, and the city knows earthquakes well. Many walls carry cracks that date back to past shaking, alongside newer ones from water or settling. We sort out which is which, bring in an engineer where cracks suggest the structure moved and repair the plaster to match the house's original finish.
Old cracks and new ones
Diagonal cracks running from window and door corners, stepped cracks in masonry chimneys and long horizontal cracks near the floor line can all trace back to earthquake movement. Some are old and stable, others still open. We measure them, compare them with the house's foundation and framing from the crawlspace and, where movement looks ongoing, recommend an engineer's assessment before repair. Stable cracks are routed, filled and refinished. Seismic upgrades such as foundation bolting can be done in the same project.
Historic and hillside walls
In the uptown historic district, plaster repairs match the original texture and color, and visible changes may need city review. Older walls here often have wood lath behind the plaster, which we repair in kind or replace with metal lath where it has failed. On hillside lots, uphill walls take water from the slope, and we add drainage before rebuilding the base of the wall. Each part of the work is priced separately, from crack repair to drainage. Chimney work is coordinated with the engineer's report.
Stucco & Exterior in Whittier: questions
For a stable crack on a sound wall, yes. If cracks are widening, line up with sticking doors or follow a chimney, the cause may be structural movement, which an engineer should assess before the plaster is repaired.
Crack count and type, lath condition, historic finish matching, drainage on hillside lots and any seismic work set the price. The written quote lists each item apart, with seismic work kept separate from finish work.
Yes. We measure and photograph cracks, read moisture, check the foundation from below where we can and open a small area where needed. That tells us whether the job is cosmetic or structural. Photos of the cracks are included.
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Ask for a written quote or a call back. If photos would help, we ask for them when we reply.