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Alex Shepherd Roofing
Roofing service

Fascias and soffits

The fascia is the board along the bottom edge of the roof that the gutter hangs off. The soffit is the panel underneath it, closing the gap between the wall and the roof edge.

Together they cap the end of the roof structure and keep weather out of the rafter ends. When they rot, water gets into the roof timbers, and that is a much bigger job than the boards.

Covering
East Lancashire & Craven
Quotes
Free, no pressure
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07840 031508

What we do

  • Replacing rotten timber fascias and soffits with uPVC
  • Capping over existing timber where it is genuinely sound
  • Bargeboards on the gable ends
  • Soffit ventilation, which most older houses lack
  • New guttering fitted at the same time
  • Repairs to rafter ends where rot has got into the structure
  • Dry verge systems at the gable

Signs they need doing

  • Paint flaking or bubbling on timber boards
  • Wood that is soft, dark or crumbling, especially at the ends and behind the gutter
  • Gaps where the soffit meets the wall
  • Birds nesting in the roof space, which means there is a gap
  • Gutter brackets pulling away because the fascia behind them has softened
  • Green algae staining down the boards

Timber fascias behind a leaking gutter rot from the back. The front can look reasonable while the board behind it has gone entirely.

Capping over, and why we usually will not

There is a cheaper approach where uPVC is fixed over the existing timber rather than replacing it. It is quicker and it looks the same on the day.

The problem is that it traps whatever is behind it. If the timber is even slightly damp, it now cannot dry, and the rot carries on out of sight until the rafter ends are affected. You also cannot fix the gutter brackets into anything solid.

We will cap over where the timber is genuinely dry and sound and the customer wants to save money, and we will say so plainly if we think it is the wrong call on your house.

Ventilation, which is usually missed

A cold roof space needs air moving through it. Without ventilation you get condensation in the loft, which people then mistake for a roof leak, and over time it rots the timbers just as effectively as rain would.

Most houses built before the 1980s have no soffit ventilation at all. Replacing the soffits is the cheapest opportunity you will ever get to put it right, with vented soffit board or circular vents let into it. It costs very little at the time and it is awkward to add later.

What fascias and soffits cost

  • Total length of roof edge, and how many gable ends
  • Height and access, since a two-storey rear needs scaffold
  • Whether guttering is being replaced at the same time, which it should be
  • Whether any rafter ends need repairing, which will not be known until the old boards come off
  • Colour and profile, with white cheapest and woodgrain or anthracite costing more
Common questions

The things people ask us

For anything at two-storey height, yes, and it will be on the quote as a separate item rather than hidden in the price.

White is standard. Black, anthracite grey and woodgrain finishes are all available at a modest premium.

Reviews

What people said about the work

Read the reviews, then ring us and see if we match up.

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