What is the price for stucco touch-up work after a window replacement in Ottawa?

Window replacements almost always disturb the surrounding stucco, and in Ottawa this is one of the most common stucco repair calls. Whether you had a full-frame replacement or an insert (retrofit) installation, some amount of stucco work around the opening is usually needed.

Cost Ranges by Scope

For a single standard window, stucco touch-up typically runs $300 to $700. This covers patching the stucco around the perimeter of the frame where it was cut or chipped during removal, reapplying proper flashing integration, and matching the existing texture and colour as closely as possible.

For multiple windows done at the same time — say 5 to 10 openings as part of a whole-house window replacement — you'll often get a better per-window rate. Expect $200 to $450 per window when done in bulk, bringing a 10-window job to roughly $2,000 to $4,500 total for the stucco restoration.

Larger openings like patio doors or picture windows cost more — $500 to $1,000 each — because there's simply more perimeter to address and the sills tend to need more extensive rebuilding.

Several factors push the price up or down:

• Full-frame vs. insert replacement: Insert (retrofit) windows disturb less stucco because the existing frame stays in place. Touch-up for inserts is often just caulking and minor patching — $100 to $250 per window. Full-frame replacements require cutting back stucco to the rough opening, which means a proper multi-coat repair.- Stucco age and condition: Older stucco (20+ years) is often more brittle and may crack or crumble further from the window opening than expected. Your contractor may need to cut back to solid material, enlarging the repair area.- Colour matching: This is the biggest aesthetic challenge. Stucco fades and weathers over time, and a fresh patch will look noticeably different against a 15-year-old wall. Options include: accepting a slight colour mismatch (cheapest), recoating the entire wall face to blend the patch ($8 to $14 per square foot), or applying an elastomeric paint over the wall ($3 to $6 per square foot) which unifies the colour.- Flashing and moisture management: The Ontario Building Code requires proper head flashing above windows in stucco walls. If your window installer didn't integrate new flashing with the stucco drainage plane, your stucco repair contractor needs to address this. Cutting in new flashing adds $75 to $200 per window but prevents water from running behind the stucco — critical in Ottawa where ice damming and wind-driven rain are real concerns.

A practical tip: if you're planning a window replacement on a stucco home, coordinate the stucco touch-up before booking the window installer. Have a stucco contractor assess the walls first and, ideally, schedule them to come in right after the window crew finishes. Leaving cut stucco edges exposed to Ottawa weather — even for a few weeks — invites moisture problems, especially during our spring thaw or fall rain season.

Some window companies offer stucco repair as an add-on, but in most cases you'll get better results hiring a dedicated stucco contractor for this work.

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