Fascias, Soffits and Guttering in Newark

Your fascias, soffits and guttering do a quiet but important job: they carry rainwater off the roof and away from your walls. When they fail, the damage creeps into the roof timbers and brickwork. We replace and repair fascias and soffits in Newark and across Nottinghamshire, fitting low-maintenance uPVC roofline that looks sharp and keeps the weather out for years.

W Hartley Jnr Ltd is run by Will Hartley, who has been roofing for over 20 years, and roofline work is a big part of what we do. Whether you need a single run of gutter fixing or new fascias, soffits, bargeboards and gutters all the way round, you get a free, no-obligation quote with honest advice about what your house actually needs.

What fascias, soffits and bargeboards are

It helps to know which part is which, because each one fails in its own way.

• Fascia: the long board fixed along the ends of the rafters at the edge of the roof. It supports the bottom row of tiles and carries the gutter, so it takes the full weight of the water running off the roof.
• Soffit: the board underneath the roof overhang, running back from the fascia to the wall. It closes off the roof space from birds and weather while still letting air in to ventilate the loft.
• Bargeboard: the angled board that runs up the gable end of a pitched roof, protecting the edge of the roof where there is no gutter.

On older houses, all three are usually painted timber. On newer homes and anywhere the roofline has been replaced, they are more likely to be uPVC, which does not rot and needs little more than a wash now and then.

Why fascias and soffits fail

Timber fascias and soffits last well while they are painted, but once the paint cracks, water gets into the grain. The wood swells, softens and eventually rots, usually worst at the joints and behind the gutter brackets, where water sits. Common signs include:

• flaking paint and soft, spongy wood when you press it
• gutters sagging or pulling away from the fascia
• gaps where birds or wasps are getting into the roof space
• damp patches or green staining on the walls under the gutters
• water spilling over the front of the gutter in heavy rain

A rotten fascia can also let water into the ends of the rafters and the bottom of the roof. If that has already happened, we can repair the roof edge as part of the job, and our roof repairs page explains how we deal with water damage further up.

Full replacement or capping over? Honest advice

There are two ways to fit uPVC soffits and fascias, and the right one depends on the state of the timber behind.

Full replacement means taking the old boards off completely, checking and treating the rafter ends, and fitting new uPVC fascias, soffits and bargeboards with new guttering. It costs more, but it deals with any rot properly and gives you a roofline that will last.

Capping over means fitting uPVC boards over the existing timber. It is quicker and cheaper, and it can be a sensible option when the timber underneath is sound and dry.

What we will not do is cap over rotten wood. Covering rot only hides it while it keeps spreading, and the new boards end up fixed to timber that cannot hold them. We check the existing roofline before we quote and tell you honestly which option suits your house.

Guttering repairs and replacement in Newark

Guttering takes a battering from leaves, moss, frost and the weight of snow and ice. Small problems grow quickly, because a gutter that overflows or leaks puts water exactly where you do not want it: down your walls and into the foundations.

Our gutter repairs in Newark cover:

• leaking joints, resealed or replaced
• sagging runs re-fixed with new brackets and set back to the right fall
• cracked or broken sections replaced to match
• downpipes cleared, re-fixed or replaced
• full guttering replacement, usually fitted at the same time as new fascias

If your gutters are old cast iron or a discontinued profile, a full replacement is often the better long-term option than patching. We will explain the choice when we look at the job.

Gutter cleaning

Blocked gutters are one of the most common causes of damp walls and rotten fascias, and they are easy to put off because you cannot see into them from the ground. We clear out moss, leaves and silt, check the outlets and downpipes are running freely, and let you know if we spot anything else that needs attention, such as a loose bracket, a cracked section or slipped tiles above the gutter line.

Gutter cleaning is also a good chance to look at the roof edge in general. If there is nothing wrong, we will say so.

Pairing roofline work with a new roof

If you are having a new roof fitted, it almost always makes sense to replace the fascias, soffits and guttering at the same time. The scaffolding is already up, the bottom courses of tiles are already off, and the new roofline can be fitted to suit the new roof properly. Doing both together saves you paying for access twice.

The same applies to other work at the edge of the roof. We fit new edge trims and drainage outlets when we replace a flat roof, as explained on our flat roofing page. When we replace a conservatory roof, we fit guttering to suit the new roof.

Colours, finishes and nesting birds

uPVC roofline comes in more than plain white, and the right choice depends on the look of your house, your windows and the rest of the street. Rather than list options here, we talk you through what suits your home when we quote.

One thing to be aware of: if birds are nesting in the roof space behind your fascias or soffits, the work may need to wait until the young have fledged. Wild birds and their nests are protected by law, so please mention it when you get in touch if you know birds are nesting there, and we can plan the work around it.

Fascias and soffits in Newark: how to book

W Hartley Jnr Ltd is based in Balderton and fits fascias and soffits across Newark-on-Trent, the surrounding villages and further afield in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough. We are fully insured, and our work carries guarantees of up to 10 years depending on the job, confirmed in writing on your quote.

You can see examples on our projects page. For a free quote on fascias, soffits, bargeboards and gutters, call 01636 499231 or send us the details and we will arrange a visit.