Rotten roofline boards and sagging gutters cause real damage to Sturmer homes - here is exactly what the job involves, from first look to clean-up.
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Fascias are the horizontal boards fixed to the ends of your roof rafters, directly behind the guttering. Soffits are the boards that close off the underside of the roof overhang, running between the fascia and the wall. Together they seal the roof edge against rain, birds and insects, and they carry the weight of your guttering.
Guttering channels rainwater away from the roof edge and down through downpipes to drains. When any part of this system fails - rotten boards, cracked joints, blocked or sagging gutters - water sits where it should not. Over time that means saturated rafter feet, damp in the eaves and eventually damage to the roof structure itself.
The problem is that none of this is easy to see from the ground. By the time you notice paint peeling or a brown stain on a ceiling, the timber behind has often been softening for a year or more.
This section covers the full process in the order it happens. Knowing what should happen at each stage means you can ask the right questions of any roofer and judge whether the work is being done properly.
A proper look at roofline work needs more than a glance from the pavement. The boards need to be seen close up, ideally with a ladder or scaffold tower, so that soft spots in the timber can be felt and any movement in the fascia can be checked. A roofer who quotes purely from the ground is guessing at the condition of the timber.
At this stage, the rafter feet should also be checked. The rafter feet are the very ends of the roof timbers that sit behind the fascia board. They are the first part of the roof structure to rot when fascias have been failing for a while, and replacing boards over rotten rafter feet is a waste of money - the new boards will fail again quickly.
The guttering should be checked for sag (the brackets may have pulled away from the rotting fascia), for cracks, for leaking joints and for blockages. Downpipes should be checked for blockages lower down, and the way water discharges at the bottom should be noted.
Once the assessment is done, the roofer should be able to tell you clearly what needs replacing, what can be repaired and what is fine. Not everything on a house fails at the same time. One elevation may have rotten fascias while the back of the house still has solid boards with years left in them.
You should be told whether rafter feet need attention, whether the existing guttering run has the correct fall (gutters need a slight slope to drain - usually around 1 in 600, or about 2mm for every metre of run), and what material is being used and why. If capping over existing boards is being suggested (fitting new uPVC over the top of old timber), the roofer should explain why that is appropriate in your specific situation and what the condition of the underlying timber is.
Capping over is a cheaper option and it does work in some cases - where the existing fascia is still structurally sound and dry. It is not appropriate over rotten or wet timber, because moisture will be trapped and the problem will continue unseen underneath.
Roofline work is almost always done from a scaffold tower or, on longer runs, a full scaffold. Ladders alone are not safe for this type of work, particularly when removing old guttering and pulling away fascia boards. Any roofer working without adequate access equipment on a two-storey house should be questioned about this.
Neighbours and parked vehicles may need to be considered if scaffold boards or towers are going up on a boundary. This is straightforward to manage with a bit of notice.
Old guttering comes down first - it is easier to work at the roofline once the guttering is clear. The existing fascia boards are then removed. This is the stage where the real condition of the rafter feet and the underside of the roof deck becomes visible. Any surprises found at this point should be flagged to you before work continues.
Soffits are removed next. On older properties the soffit is often a single solid board nailed in place. On more recent builds it may be a ventilated soffit panel that also allows air into the roof space - replacing like for like matters here, because blocking off ventilation to a cold roof can lead to condensation problems in the loft.
All of the old material needs to be cleared as it comes down. Leaving broken guttering and rotted boards sitting on a flat-roof extension or a conservatory while work continues on another elevation is a sign of a disorganised job.
If rafter feet are found to be soft or partially rotted, they need to be cut back to sound timber and a new length spliced in, or a repair piece bolted alongside. This is not a complex job but it is an important one. Skipping it to save time means the new fascia has nothing solid to fix to.
Any remaining exposed timber - wall plates, the underside of the roof deck - should be treated with a preservative before new boards go up. This is a step that costs very little in materials and time but adds meaningfully to how long the finished job lasts.
In uPVC, fascias are available in a range of board depths to suit different roof overhangs and architectural styles. Standard depths are typically 100mm, 150mm and 200mm, and the most common finish is smooth white, though woodgrain foiled boards in light oak, rosewood and anthracite grey are widely available at a higher price. Colours other than white will fade somewhat over the years, so it is worth seeing a sample in daylight before committing.
The boards are fixed through the face into the rafter feet (for fascias) and into battens or the wall (for soffits). Joints between boards are covered with clip-on trim rather than filled with mastic - uPVC expands and contracts with temperature, so it needs to be able to move slightly. Mastic-filled joints on uPVC will crack as the boards move.
Ventilated soffits, where needed, have pre-cut slots that allow airflow into the roof space. If your existing soffit was ventilated, the replacement should be too.
Timber fascias and soffits are still fitted in some cases, particularly on listed buildings or where the character of the property matters. Timber needs to be primed, undercoated and top-coated before it goes up - not painted in situ after fitting, which makes for a poor finish and leaves end grain exposed. Treated hardwood or moisture-resistant softwood is the appropriate choice for timber roofline work.
Guttering in uPVC comes in a handful of standard profiles. Half-round is the most common and suits most houses. Ogee (or K-style) has a more decorative front face and is sometimes used on period properties. Square-line guttering has a more contemporary look. Cast iron effect (usually a heavy-grade uPVC or cast aluminium) is available for houses where plastic looks out of place.
The fall of the guttering must be set correctly. Brackets are fixed to the fascia at intervals - typically every metre - and the fall is established from the high point (usually furthest from the downpipe) to the outlet. A string line helps keep the run straight and at a consistent angle.
Joints between gutter sections are sealed with a rubber gasket inside a union clip - no mastic, which again cracks with movement. Angles and stop-ends are clipped on. The downpipe is then connected to the outlet and run down the wall, clipped at regular intervals, to the drain or soakaway.
Half-round uPVC guttering in 112mm (the standard residential size) is typically priced from around £5-£8 per metre for the guttering itself, before fitting. Square-line or cast iron-effect guttering costs more. A full gutter replacement on a semi-detached house might run to £400-£900 depending on the number of runs, corners and downpipes, though the total will depend on the specific layout of your property and what is found on the day.
Before the scaffold comes down, water should be run through the guttering system to check the fall is correct, joints are watertight and downpipes are clear. This is the obvious check that is sometimes skipped - it only takes a few minutes and it proves the job is done correctly.
The roofer should also check that the roof tiles still overhang the fascia by an appropriate amount (typically 50mm) and that no tiles have been lifted or displaced during the work.
Old fascia boards, guttering, screws, clips and off-cuts all need to go. The area around the house should be left clean. If skip hire or van disposal is included in the price or charged separately, that should have been agreed upfront.
uPVC is by far the most widely fitted material for roofline work today. It does not rot, does not need painting and is lower maintenance than timber. A well-fitted uPVC fascia should give many years of service without attention beyond an occasional wash down. It is the right choice for the majority of houses.
Timber is worth considering if your home is listed or in a conservation area, or if you simply prefer the look and are willing to maintain it. Painted timber fascias need repainting every few years to keep the end grain sealed. Left unpainted, softwood fascias will rot within a few seasons.
Aluminium fascias and guttering are an option for those who want a longer-lasting alternative to uPVC without going to timber. Cast aluminium guttering in particular is popular on Victorian and Edwardian style houses where plastic looks wrong.
Sagging gutters are usually caused by brackets pulling out of a fascia that has softened with rot, or by brackets that have simply worked loose over time. A gutter that sags creates a low point where water pools rather than running to the downpipe. Joints then leak and water spills over the back of the gutter onto the fascia below, accelerating the rot.
Leaking gutter joints are often caused by old mastic that has dried and cracked, or by rubber gaskets that have hardened and shrunk with age. In many cases a leaking joint can be re-sealed without replacing the guttering, provided the rest of the run is in good condition.
Blocked gutters are one of the more straightforward problems. Leaves, moss and debris collect in the gutter and eventually block the outlet or the downpipe. Water then backs up and spills over, or sits in the gutter where it causes the fascia behind to stay constantly damp. Gutters on houses near trees should ideally be cleared once a year, in late autumn after the leaves have fallen.
Cracked or split soffits are common where the original boards were painted softwood and the paint has been allowed to break down. Once bare timber is exposed to the weather, it deteriorates quickly. Splits allow moisture into the roof space and give birds and insects a way in.
For most Sturmer homeowners, uPVC is the practical choice. It costs less to install, needs no ongoing maintenance and, fitted correctly, will outlast timber in the same environment without any attention. The main objection to uPVC is aesthetic - some people feel it looks wrong on older properties or those with stone or brick detailing.
If you are drawn to timber, the key question is whether you are willing to maintain it. A freshly painted hardwood fascia looks excellent, but if it is not repainted every few years the paint will break down, moisture will enter the end grain and rot will follow. Timber on a difficult-to-reach elevation can easily be neglected for too long.
uPVC in woodgrain finishes is a middle ground that some homeowners find acceptable where plain white would look too stark. The finish is a foil applied to the outer face of the board and it is reasonably convincing at normal viewing distance.
Full fascia and soffit replacement on a typical semi-detached house tends to fall in the range of £1,200-£2,500, depending on the size of the house, the number of elevations, whether rafter feet need repair and the material chosen. Detached houses or those with dormers or complex rooflines will cost more.
Gutter replacement alone (keeping existing fascias) is typically £400-£900 for a semi-detached, as above. Gutter repairs - re-sealing joints, replacing sections or resetting brackets - are much less, often £80-£200 depending on how much work is needed.
These are honest typical ranges for this type of work in the UK. The actual price for your property will depend on the specific layout and what is found when the boards come off. Any quote given before a close inspection should be treated as provisional.
Once a year is the standard advice for most houses, typically in late autumn once the trees have shed their leaves. Houses with large trees close by may need clearing twice a year. If your downpipe has blocked more than once, a gutter guard mesh fitted over the guttering can reduce how often clearance is needed.
Leaking gutters are most often caused by a failed joint - either old mastic that has cracked, a rubber gasket that has hardened, or a section that has pulled apart because the gutter has sagged. A gutter can also leak over the back edge if it is not falling correctly toward the downpipe. In older cast iron systems, cracks in the iron itself are common.
The fascia is the vertical board at the edge of the roof behind the guttering. The soffit is the horizontal board underneath the roof overhang, between the fascia and the wall. Both boards protect the rafter ends and the roof edge from weather and from birds and insects entering the roof space.
Full replacement on a semi-detached house typically costs £1,200-£2,500 in uPVC. Timber is usually more expensive to fit and to maintain. The price varies significantly depending on the size and layout of the property and the condition of the underlying timber.
uPVC is the lower-maintenance and lower-cost option for most homes. Timber is appropriate where the character of the property or local planning conditions make uPVC unsuitable. If you choose timber, budget for repainting every few years to protect it.
We carry out fascia, soffit and guttering work in Sturmer and across the surrounding area, including Haverhill, Kedington, Steeple Bumpstead, Withersfield and nearby villages in this part of Suffolk and Essex. We also work in Sudbury, Halstead and towards Braintree and Great Dunmow for larger or existing customers.
The only way to give you a reliable price is to look at the boards and guttering up close. Call us to arrange a roofline inspection and we will tell you exactly what needs doing, what can wait and what the work will cost.
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