Got a mice problem that I've tracked down to gaps in the stucco near
the ground. What seems odd to me is that the walls are not
constructed flush all the way down to the ground. In other words,
near ground level, there is a 90 degree indentation of about 1-2
inches. This goes all around the house, and I don't see a reason why
it's built this way (I'm not familiar with stucco or construction
techniques and materials). On the underside of this indentation
appears to be some kind of aluminum edging, and the mice are
exploiting the poor seal between the stucco and this aluminum edging.
I have also found some large openings along this underside at corners,
some you could stick a baseball into. I patched up the two places
where I found mice entering, but if they got in at these two spots, I
would think they can tear open new gaps elsewhere.

This is a new construction house (my sister's) but the seller was the
general contractor himself (not a professional) and as you'd expect is
a pain to deal with. Should I go around the perimeter of the house
sealing the indentation with stucco patch? I need a permanent fix to
this mice problem and would appreciate any advice or similar
experiences. Thanks for reading.