Fascias, soffits & bargeboards
In short
The fascia carries the gutter and closes the ends of the rafters; the soffit is the underside that ventilates the roof. Both rot when a gutter has been leaking behind them, and replacing them is the moment to sort the eaves ventilation properly at the same time.
Also called: Fascia replacement · Rotten fascia · Soffit boards · UPVC fascias
Signs you need this
- Fascia board soft, dark, blistered or visibly rotten
- Guttering sagging or brackets pulling out
- Paint flaking off the eaves boards
- Birds or wasps getting in at the eaves
- Soffit boards sagging or with holes
- A damp loft with no ventilation visible at the eaves
The fascia is the board running along the eaves, fixed to the ends of the rafters, and it does two jobs: it closes off the roof structure and it carries the guttering. The soffit is the horizontal board underneath it, closing the gap between the fascia and the wall. Between them they are what makes an eaves detail rather than an open rafter end.
They rot from behind, almost always for the same reason. A gutter that leaks or overflows backwards puts water directly onto the fascia, which soaks, softens and lets go of the bracket screws — after which the gutter sags, leaks worse, and the process accelerates. The other frequent cause is roofing underlay that has rotted at the drip edge, so water running down the felt discharges behind the gutter instead of into it.
So the honest job is never just the boards. Replacing a rotten fascia without dealing with the eaves felt or the guttering that soaked it is replacing it on a timer. Where the underlay has failed at the eaves, felt support trays go in as part of the work — a small addition that fixes the actual cause.
The material question is straightforward. Timber is traditional and looks right on a period property, and it needs painting. UPVC needs no maintenance and is what most replacements use, and modern boards are a great deal better than the first generation that went yellow. On a listed building or a sensitive elevation in a conservation area, replacing timber with plastic may be a planning matter as well as an aesthetic one.
Capping is worth flagging as something to be careful about. Rather than replacing rotten timber, some installers screw a UPVC board over the top of it — which looks finished and leaves the rot underneath, still wet, still spreading, now sealed in where nobody can see it. Where the timber is genuinely sound and dry, over-capping is a legitimate way to remove maintenance. Where it is not, it is a bodge with a warranty on it.
Ventilation is the opportunity that gets missed. The soffit is where eaves ventilation lives, and most damp lofts are damp because there is no air path at the eaves — often because loft insulation has been pushed hard into the gap. Replacing a soffit is the ideal moment to fit continuous vent strip or over-fascia vents and put rafter trays in to hold the insulation clear. It costs very little on top of work that is happening anyway and it solves a problem people otherwise pay a great deal to chase.
What the job covers
- Rotten fascia and soffit removed — not capped over
- Rafter ends checked and repaired where rot has reached them
- Eaves felt drip checked, with support trays fitted where needed
- New boards in timber or UPVC to suit the property
- Continuous soffit or over-fascia ventilation installed
- Guttering re-hung to a proper fall on sound timber
What it costs
We don't publish a price for this yet, because a number pulled out of the air is worse than no number at all — your roofer has to honour it. On roofing it would also be close to meaningless: access is often the biggest single factor, and it varies enormously house to house. You'll get a firm price for your actual job when they ring you back, before any work starts. The quote itself is free and there's no obligation either way.
Common questions
Can new boards go over the old ones?
Only if the timber underneath is genuinely sound and dry. Capping over rot seals wet timber in behind a plastic board where it carries on rotting unseen, and it is one of the commoner bad practices in this part of the trade. If the fascia has softened, it comes off.
Why did my fascia rot?
Water from behind, nearly always. Either the gutter has been leaking or overflowing backwards onto it, or the roofing underlay has rotted at the drip edge so water runs down the felt and discharges behind the gutter rather than into it. Replacing the board without fixing whichever it was just resets the clock.
Should I go for UPVC or timber?
UPVC for most houses — it needs no painting and modern boards hold their colour well. Timber where the property is period and the detail matters, or where a listed building or a sensitive conservation-area elevation makes plastic a planning question. Timber needs repainting, which on a tall house means access.
Is this a good time to sort loft ventilation?
It is the best time. The soffit is where eaves ventilation goes, and while it is off, fitting vent strip or over-fascia vents and rafter trays costs very little on top. Most damp lofts are damp because the eaves are blocked, so this is the cheapest opportunity you will get to fix it.
Need this doing in Macclesfield?
Tell us the job and it goes straight to our local roofer — one call back, usually the same day. Free quote, no obligation.