Need Help with 2nd Story Bump Out - Drip Edge or no Drip Edge?

When I presented to the builder that the gaps should be sealed or caulked underneath the 2nd Story bump out, the builder replied no, you would never seal those gaps because the gaps are supposed to be there, because that is your drip edge if water were to get behind there it would need a place to drain.

Note that the second story is wood frame, not block. I have never heard of a drip edge made for wood.

Can someone help in terms of who is right and what needs to be done if anything?

See photo for reference

Location : Florida

Builder is correct. Those are drain plain weeps, and should not be sealed. Without them, the bottom of the bump out or beam can hold water and cause rot.

Thank you for clarifying. Is there any benefit for the bottom to be a soffit vs wood with drain plain weeps? I notice another 2 story has a soffit instead.

Yep, internet search “stucco bucket”.

It’s a weep screed, not a drip edge. They are a required component.

Great help to a new user … Thanks … Roy

I write it up as a defect if they are not there.

What is better a weep screed or a soffit?

2 different construction components
soffit the underside of an architectural structure such as an arch, a balcony, or overhanging eaves
weep screed or perforated casing bead is used to facilitate moisture drainage from the lowest termination of stucco, eifs or acmv cladding systems

2 entirely different construction components
soffit
the underside of an architectural structure such as an arch, a balcony, or overhanging eaves

weep screed or perforated casing bead
is a code & industry prescribed component that facilitates moisture drainage from the lowest wall or foundation termination of stucco, eifs or acmv drained cladding systems

2 entirely different construction components
soffit
the underside of an architectural structure such as an arch, a balcony, or overhanging eaves

weep screed or perforated casing bead
is a code & industry prescribed component that facilitates moisture drainage from the lowest wall or foundation termination of stucco, eifs or acmv drained cladding systems

The Journal Of Light Construction has actually written an article about Stucco Buckets and provided some real nasty pictures of what happens with them. Hope this helps you understand them.

Avoiding Stucco Buckets | JLC Online | Stucco, Exteriors, Waterproofing, Moisture Barriers

That is a good one!

very important info!

I’ve been writing them up for 15 years and seen countless with water damage, however, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I’ve never heard the term “stucco bucket” associated with it.

Thanks for the new term Dave.

A fellow inspector shared the same article Manny refers to above is where I first heard the term. Stucco is (almost) never installed correctly around here.

I read the above. However, the builder decided to put a soffit under the bump out on the same house model down the street vs the bump out without a soffit that has a weep screed/stucco bucket

Why would a builder put a soffit instead of a weep screed/stucco bucket, is there any benefit to having a soffit instead?

Photos attached of weep screed/stucco bucket vs soffit

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What are the pro’s and con’s of having a weep screed vs a soffit underneath the bump out? The exact same model house has a weep screed on one and a soffit on the other. See photos

IMG.jpg

check permit dates
they may have encountered earlier problems/reports calling out the soffit band as a latent deficient installation & learned from their ignorant mistakes the proper way to drain eifs/stucco