Cob houses are the latest trend in B.C., especially on the islands. I'm not sure how they hold up but they look good and really lend themselves to creative ideas. On my home island, there is a crew of women who call themselves the Cob Girls. They work together to build structures for each other. I've seen several small outbuildings (cookie stands, outhouses, workshops) built from cob. The best thing is that it seems easy to build with.

Stucco, on the other hand is a nightmare in wet climates. Of course it would help if they installed the flashings correctly. Shoddy construction is often the result of a building boom and unqualified contractors and/or workers. One of the best ways to insure quality is to hire Union workers. You get what you pay for.