May I be blunt?

Good riddance stucco.  You were an awful part of my life for over two years.  I pulled up everyday in the driveway and thought to myself, what an ugly house, although pricey.  The inside was really coming together but you, stucco, were dreary and brow.  You covered the moldings and any other character the original builder intended to show.  You were cracked & damaged and haphazardly covered with concrete which may or may not had been painted.  I hated you and now, you are where you deserve to be, in black garbage bags, Dexter style.  If only I had a boat (but that would be mean to the fishes so I will take you to a recycling center).

I hammered on you for an hour or so and when I went to spinning 3 days later, my lungs hurt and my nose was running gunk the whole time.  My hands still hurt from holding the hammer so long, my palms and whatever you call that part between your thumb and index finger, so sore!   P had 10 times more done in 10 minutes than I had done in an hour and stepped on a sharp piece of chicken wire AND had a heavy piece of stucco fall on his head in which a big lump formed.  He wins this one.

Remember the before?

Front of house - Phase 1 - remove stucco by pounding on it with a hammer

Phase 2 - remove chicken wire and black paper by removing some nails and then just ripping (carefully so you don't pull off any moldings or damage shingles even more)!

In progress

Patio almost done

Backyard - concrete ripped up.  All was donated to local church to use for a new fence

Results so far: The shingles/shake are still there underneath. although many are cracked or have nail holes which will need to be patched or replaced.  The moldings are recessed which is a little odd. I thought they were supposed to go over the siding? 

Three more sides to remove wire and paper on.  Then we PAINT!!!  Any suggestions on color? 

What do you think??