Understanding what happens on the day - from the first inspection to the final clean-up - helps you know what to expect when you have fascias, soffits or guttering replaced in Saffron Walden.
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Fascias are the boards fixed to the ends of your roof rafters at the eaves. Soffits are the panels that close off the underside of the roof overhang between the fascia and the wall. Both carry and support your guttering. When they fail, water gets behind them and into the structure.
Cambridge Roofers replaces and repairs fascias, soffits and guttering across Saffron Walden and the surrounding area, working in uPVC, timber and aluminium.
Before any material is ordered or scaffolding arranged, a roofer needs to look closely at what is already there. A ground-level look is a starting point, but the real assessment happens at roof height, where the condition of the boards, the rafter ends behind them and the state of the guttering joints can actually be seen and tested.
During this inspection, the roofer should be checking the condition of the existing fascia and soffit material, whether the rafter ends behind them show any rot or damage, how the existing guttering is fixed and whether any sections are already pulling away, and what size and profile the existing guttering is. This information determines exactly what materials are needed and whether any structural timber repair is required before the new boards can go on.
If rotten rafter ends are discovered only once the old fascia comes off, that adds time and material cost to the job. A thorough upfront inspection reduces the chance of that surprise.
For a full fascia, soffit and guttering replacement on a two-storey house, scaffold or a tower is needed to work safely at eaves height. Low-level work on a single-storey extension can sometimes be done from a good-quality ladder, but for extended work on a full run of boards, a scaffold provides a stable platform and is safer for both the operatives and the property.
Before anything comes down, the work area below is protected. Guttering and fascia removal produces debris and the old material needs to be handled carefully to avoid damage to plants, paths or anything below. Drop sheets or boards are laid on the ground where necessary.
The existing guttering comes off first. On older properties this often means cast iron guttering, which is heavy and must be lowered carefully rather than dropped. The downpipes are detached from the wall and the gutter sections are unbolted at the joints and brackets. Old cast iron brackets are usually screwed or bolted through the fascia, so they leave behind fixings that need removing cleanly.
Once the guttering is down, the old fascia boards come off. On timber fascias this is usually a matter of pulling the fixing nails or screws and working the board away from the rafter ends. On older properties the fascia may have been fixed directly into the ends of the rafters with no separate batten, which sometimes means the board is tightly wedged and takes care to remove without splitting the rafter end.
Soffits vary in construction. On many older homes the soffit is a separate board nailed underneath the fascia. On others it is a continuous sheet that runs from the fascia back to a groove or channel in the external wall render. The method of removal depends on how the original was constructed.
With the old boards off, the rafter ends are exposed and can be properly assessed. Any softness, discolouration or sponginess in the timber needs to be dealt with at this stage. Minor surface rot that has not reached the structural core of the rafter can be cut back and treated with a preservative or a consolidant product that re-hardens the remaining wood. Rafter ends where the rot has progressed into the structural section need to be cut back to sound timber and spliced or sistered with new timber.
This is the stage that is easiest to cut corners on because it is hidden once the new fascia goes over it. Ask your roofer to show you the rafter end condition before the new boards go on, or to take photographs. Any honest roofer will be happy to do this.
The wall plate and the top of the external wall at eaves level should also be checked for damp. If guttering has been leaking for some time, water may have been running down the face of the wall and soaking into the masonry at the top.
On most modern installations the soffit goes on before the fascia. A channel or support batten is fixed to the wall at the right height, and the soffit panel is slid into it and fixed at the outer edge. uPVC soffits are cut to length on site and joined with clip-in cover strips rather than butted directly, which allows for thermal movement.
If the existing soffit was solid and ventilation is being added, vented soffit panels or separate circular ventilation inserts are fitted at this stage. Ventilation is particularly important in roofs where the insulation has been upgraded, as better-insulated roofs can produce more condensation in the void if airflow is restricted.
The fascia board is fixed to the rafter ends, usually with stainless steel or galvanised screws rather than nails, to reduce the risk of future movement. On uPVC installations the boards are joined with internal union pieces rather than butted ends, again to allow for movement. The top edge of the fascia needs to sit at the correct angle to support the bottom edge of the roof tile or slate without lifting it.
A drip strip or over-fascia ventilator is usually fitted between the last course of tiles and the top of the new fascia board. This directs any water that runs off the tiles into the gutter rather than behind the fascia, and it maintains airflow under the roof covering.
Guttering brackets are fixed to the fascia at the correct centres and at a fall of roughly 5mm per metre towards the downpipe. The fall needs to be consistent, not just an average, or water will pool at the low points between brackets. A string line or laser level is the right way to set this out; eye-balling it is not accurate enough over a long run.
Gutter sections are clipped together at the joints with rubber-sealed connectors. Stop ends are fitted at the open ends of the run and outlets are positioned directly above the downpipe positions. Downpipes are fixed to the wall with pipe clips at regular intervals and directed into the drain or soakaway at the base.
Before the scaffold or access equipment comes down, the guttering should be tested with water to confirm that every section drains to the downpipe, that no joints are leaking and that the fall is correct along the whole run. Pouring a bucket of water at the high end of each gutter run and watching it reach the downpipe is a simple check that takes five minutes and confirms the installation is working before the team leaves.
All off-cuts, old materials and packaging are removed from the site. For most jobs in Saffron Walden this means one or two van loads of old uPVC or cast iron guttering, old fascia boards and packaging from the new materials.
If your fascias, soffits or guttering need attention in Saffron Walden, call Cambridge Roofers. We will talk you through exactly what is involved for your specific property before anything is agreed.
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