On May 2, 2:43*pm, TomYoung wrote:

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The exterior wall is stucco and, based on what I've read on the
Internet, I should also be looking at sheathing that's been nailed to
the exterior studs to provide a base for the building paper, spacers
and wire mesh to which the stucco is applied. *But I'm not.

What I'm seeing is the building paper and wire mesh and, in some
places where the building paper is gone, the "backside" of the
stucco. *No sheathing. *I assume this is some sort of alternate method
of applying stucco to an exterior wall. *Is that the case?

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What you're looking at is an extreme example of code violating,
corner cutting, shoddy construction. Maybe I'm wrong, but it might be
best just to bulldoze the structure and build a decent house. Get an
opinion from your local city building inspector if you aren't afraid
of real bad news. Trying to salvage anything from your Pandora's box
could be a ghastly money waste. Try to find some professionals to
advise you before you get in too deep. Good luck.

Joe