Hindsight is 20/20 but before lath/stucco, in those areas where you wanted shutters, blocking intead of the styrofoam for that detail should have been used before the lath /stucco. Putting in blocks now would entail stucco removal. Simply using longer screws to reach the framing members will work, but the styrofoam inbetween could give out in the event that the wind catches a shutter and could damage the stucco in that area. If you could make a decorative wood frame the same height as your shutters using say a 1x4 similar to how a cabinet door is hung on a cabinet face frame, then mount the 1x4 w/ the longer fasteners through the stucco/styrofoam, into the framing members. The 1x4 would sandwhich the stucco/styrofoam between the framing members and the 1x4 giving full support to the shutters. The shutters would mount on the 1x4. Remeber to use a masonry bit to drill out the stucco where the fasteners are going to go through, (pre-drilling through the stucco), to lessen the chance of the stucco cracking in that area.

Yes, I have. Aren't there several ways to do those? Are you referring to the method of cutting the existing nail flange between the stucco and the window and doing a full frame replacement? Or are you thinking the retrofit method of leaving the vinyl frame in? Virtually all examples I've seen of leaving the existing frame in have existing aluminum windows, not vinyl. I have seen one video where wood filler is placed slightly higher than the frame for the new window to rest on. With the pictures I posted, would you treat my two windows that have the raised stucco frame around the window differently than the other windows that stick out an inch and don't have the stucco frame? I'd love to leave the stucco alone and just do retrofit with the stucco flange, I just worry about my existing windows being vinyl and not aluminum. I also worry about that raised frame around those two windows since the Pella guy said they'd only do it if they removed the stucco around the window.

Hi @toddinmn. Thanks for your note and apologies I didn’t see your reply sooner. I actually just posted a new post with pictures, seeking more focused suggestions on how to trim the windows since there is not enough room to build up the stucco. Here are the pix — my contractor didn’t finish the scratch coat around the windows pending the solution. His ideas are wood trim or asking our window company for trim to match our Milgard windows. Thx for your help!

I would put some 1x4 trim around the windows that would allow for access to the window in the future without disturbing the stucco.