Fascia, Soffit, and Bargeboard Replacement in London: UPVC, Vented Soffit, and Gutter Guide

THE ROOFLINE CONSISTS OF SEVERAL DISTINCT COMPONENTS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO FORM A WEATHERTIGHT, VERMIN-PROOF CLOSURE AT THE EAVES AND GABLE ENDS OF THE ROOF.

FASCIA BOARD: THE VERTICAL BOARD RUNNING HORIZONTALLY ALONG THE BASE OF THE ROOF AT EAVES LEVEL, FIXED TO THE CUT ENDS OF THE RAFTERS. THE FASCIA BOARD CARRIES THE GUTTER BRACKETS AND SUPPORTS THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE LOWEST TILE OR SLATE COURSE. IN A TRADITIONAL VICTORIAN TERRACE, THE FASCIA IS TYPICALLY 25MM X 150MM SOFTWOOD PAINTED WHITE. IN MODERN INSTALLATIONS, UPVC FASCIA BOARDS ARE 18MM FOAMED PVC (TYPICALLY 150MM OR 175MM DEPTH, AVAILABLE IN WHITE, CREAM, BLACK, ANTHRACITE GREY, AND CHARTWELL GREEN) WITH A SQUARE OR OGEE PROFILE TOP EDGE.

SOFFIT BOARD: THE HORIZONTAL PANEL FILLING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FASCIA BOARD AND THE EXTERNAL FACE OF THE WALL (THE TAIL OF THE RAFTER OVERHANG). THE SOFFIT ENCLOSES THE UNDERSIDE OF THE EAVES AND PREVENTS BIRDS AND BATS FROM ENTERING THE LOFT SPACE. IN TRADITIONAL VICTORIAN CONSTRUCTION, THE SOFFIT MAY BE 12MM TONGUED-AND-GROOVED SOFTWOOD, PLYWOOD, OR MAY EVEN BE ABSENT IN VERY EARLY PROPERTIES. UPVC SOFFIT PANELS ARE TYPICALLY 9MM OR 10MM FOAMED PVC, AVAILABLE IN SOLID (NON-VENTED) OR VENTED VERSIONS.

BARGEBOARD: THE BOARD RUNNING ALONG THE SLOPING GABLE END OF THE ROOF (THE VERGE), COVERING THE EXPOSED END OF THE PURLINS AND RAFTERS AT THE GABLE WALL. BARGEBOARDS SERVE A SIMILAR PROTECTIVE AND AESTHETIC FUNCTION TO FASCIAS BUT AT THE SLOPING GABLE RATHER THAN HORIZONTAL EAVES. IN LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACES, THE GABLE END IS TYPICALLY SHARED WITH THE PARTY WALL (GABLES OCCUR AT DETACHED OR SEMI-DETACHED PROPERTIES) — FOR TERRACED PROPERTIES, BARGEBOARDS ARE MOST COMMON WHERE THERE IS A BAY WINDOW ROOF OR SIDE RETURN.

BIRD COMB FILLER: A PROFILED PLASTIC COMB STRIP FITTED BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE FASCIA AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BOTTOM TILE OR SLATE COURSE TO PREVENT PEST ENTRY WHILE STILL ALLOWING AIR CIRCULATION. MARLEY VENTED RIDGE COMB, MANTHORPE UNIVERSAL EAVES PROTECTOR, AND TIMLOC OVER-FASCIA VENTILATOR TRAY ARE THE STANDARD PRODUCTS.

THE MAIN UPVC ROOFLINE SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS IN THE UK ARE EUROCELL, SWISH BUILDING PRODUCTS (NOW PART OF FLAMSTEAD GROUP), FREEFOAM, AND SOPHISTO (SOFFIT SPECIALIST). ALL SUPPLY MATCHING FASCIA, SOFFIT, BARGEBOARD, GUTTER, AND ACCESSORIES WITHIN A SYSTEM.

EUROCELL EUROFOLD CLOAKING FASCIA SYSTEM: THE LEADING DIRECT CLADDING SYSTEM IN THE UK FOR REPLACING TIMBER FASCIA AND SOFFIT WITHOUT REMOVING THE EXISTING TIMBER. EUROFOLD COMPONENTS FOLD OVER AND CLIP DIRECTLY ONTO THE EXISTING TIMBER FASCIA AND SOFFIT BOARDS — THE OLD TIMBER IS LEFT IN PLACE AS A SUBSTRATE FOR THE NEW UPVC CLADDING. THIS IS THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE AND FASTEST INSTALLATION METHOD AND DOES NOT REQUIRE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING SOFFIT BOARDS (WHICH IN SOME PROPERTIES ARE NAILED FROM ABOVE THROUGH THE ROOF COVERING). THE EUROFOLD SYSTEM IS NOT SUITABLE WHERE THE EXISTING TIMBER IS HEAVILY ROTTED OR WHERE THE TIMBER OVERHANG DEPTH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED.

SWISH DEEPLINE FASCIA (OGEE PROFILE): THE DEEPLINE RANGE IS THE STANDARD PROFILE FOR SWISH SYSTEM REPLACEMENT WHERE FULL REMOVAL OF EXISTING TIMBER IS UNDERTAKEN. SWISH SUPPLY THE FULL SYSTEM: VENTED SOFFIT PANELS (WITH INTEGRATED VENTING), DEEPLINE FASCIA BOARDS IN 200MM AND 250MM DEPTHS (WHERE EXISTING RAFTERS PROJECT BELOW THE WALL PLATE), AND MATCHING J-TRIMS AND CORNER PROFILES.

FREEFOAM SUITE: A MODULAR SYSTEM DISTRIBUTED THROUGH BUILDERS MERCHANTS (JEWSON, TRAVIS PERKINS) AND ROOFLINE SPECIALISTS. FREEFOAM SOFFIT PANELS ARE AVAILABLE IN HOLLOW TWIN-WALL AND SOLID FOAMED SECTIONS. THE HOLLOW TWIN-WALL PANELS ARE LIGHTER AND CUT MORE EASILY, MAKING THEM POPULAR WITH INSTALLERS.

COLOUR OPTIONS: THE MAJORITY OF LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACES ARE FITTED IN WHITE OR CREAM UPVC TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL PAINTED TIMBER. ANTHRACITE GREY (RAL 7016) AND CHARTWELL GREEN (RAL 6021) ARE POPULAR CONTEMPORARY COLOUR CHOICES THAT COMPLEMENT DARK SLATE ROOFS AND BRICK FACADES.

A CRITICAL CONSIDERATION WHEN REPLACING SOFFIT BOARDS IS COLD ROOF LOFT VENTILATION. BS 5250:2021 (MANAGEMENT OF MOISTURE IN BUILDINGS) REQUIRES A MINIMUM FREE AIR AREA OF 25MM EQUIVALENT HEIGHT ALONG EACH EAVES LEVEL IN A COLD ROOF CONSTRUCTION (WHERE INSULATION IS AT CEILING LEVEL RATHER THAN AT RAFTER LEVEL) TO PREVENT INTERSTITIAL CONDENSATION IN THE ROOF STRUCTURE.

IN MANY LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACES, THE ORIGINAL TIMBER SOFFIT PROVIDED SOME DEGREE OF NATURAL VENTILATION THROUGH GAPS AND IMPERFECTIONS IN THE BOARDS — THESE GAPS WERE PROVIDING INADVERTENT BUT EFFECTIVE VENTILATION. WHEN THESE ARE REPLACED WITH TIGHT-FITTING UPVC PANELS WITHOUT PROVISION FOR DELIBERATE VENTILATION, THE RESULT CAN BE CONDENSATION IN THE ROOF SPACE, MOULD GROWTH ON RAFTERS AND TIMBER ELEMENTS, AND REDUCTION IN ROOF STRUCTURE LONGEVITY.

VENTED SOFFIT PANELS: UPVC SOFFIT PANELS WITH INTEGRATED VENTILATION SLOTS OR CONTINUOUS MESH-BACKED VENTED SECTIONS. EUROCELL VENTILATED SOFFIT BOARDS AND FREEFOAM VENTED SOFFIT PANELS ARE THE MAIN PRODUCTS. THE MESH BACKING PREVENTS INSECT INGRESS WHILE ALLOWING AIR FLOW.

INDIVIDUAL SOFFIT VENTS: WHERE SOLID SOFFIT PANELS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FITTED OR ARE SPECIFIED, INDIVIDUAL CIRCULAR SOFFIT VENTS (RYTONS SOFFIT VENTILATOR, TIMLOC 1125 OR 1127 CIRCULAR SOFFIT VENT, 70MM DIAMETER) CAN BE INSERTED AT 900MM TO 1200MM CENTRES ALONG THE SOFFIT SPAN. EACH INDIVIDUAL VENT PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 60-70CM' FREE AREA PER VENT.

TILE VENTS: WHERE EAVES VENTILATION CANNOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FREE AIR AREA (IN VERY LOW-PITCHED ROOFS OR NARROW OVERHANGS), ADDITIONAL TILE VENTS (MANTHORPE TILE VENT, REDLAND RENOWN TILE VENT) INSTALLED IN THE ROOF SLOPE PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY IN-ROOF VENTILATION.

GUTTER REPLACEMENT IS TYPICALLY DONE AT THE SAME TIME AS FASCIA AND SOFFIT REPLACEMENT, AS THE EXISTING GUTTER IS USUALLY REMOVED TO ALLOW FASCIA INSTALLATION.

UPVC GUTTER PROFILES IN LONDON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES: THE THREE MAIN PROFILES USED ARE HALF-ROUND (SEMI-CIRCULAR — THE MOST COMMON ON VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN PROPERTIES, MATCHING THE ORIGINAL CAST IRON OR GALVANISED STEEL PROFILES), OGEE (AN S-PROFILE GUTTER WITH A DECORATIVE OGEE FRONT FACE — VERY POPULAR IN LONDON VICTORIAN AND GEORGIAN PROPERTIES AS IT CLOSELY MATCHES ORIGINAL CAST IRON OGEE GUTTERS), AND SQUARE OR DEEP-FLOW (RECTANGULAR PROFILE, GIVING HIGHER CAPACITY — MORE COMMON ON MODERN CONSTRUCTION OR WHERE HIGH RAINFALL RUNOFF IS ANTICIPATED).

HIGH-CAPACITY SYSTEMS: FOR ROOFS WITH A LARGE CATCHMENT AREA OR STEEP PITCH (WHICH INCREASES RUNOFF VELOCITY), STANDARD 112MM HALF-ROUND OR 114MM OGEE GUTTERS MAY BE UNDERSIZED. KAYFLOW K6 150MM DEEP FLOW SQUARE GUTTER AND WAVIN OSMA 150MM ROUND GUTTER ARE THE MAIN HIGH-CAPACITY ALTERNATIVES. THE DOWNPIPE SIZE SHOULD MATCH THE GUTTER CAPACITY — 68MM ROUND DOWNPIPE IS PAIRED WITH STANDARD GUTTERS; 110MM DOWNPIPE IS PAIRED WITH HIGH-CAPACITY SYSTEMS.

CAST IRON REPRODUCTION: FOR CONSERVATION AREAS OR LISTED BUILDINGS, UPVC IS NOT ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE. SAINT-GOBAIN PAM UK (HERITAGE RANGE) AND ALUMASC DEEP-FLOW ALUMINIUM GUTTERS PROVIDE CAST IRON APPEARANCE IN MORE DURABLE AND LIGHTER MATERIALS. CAST IRON GUTTER (LINDAPTER CI HALF-ROUND, OSCULATI) IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR HERITAGE APPLICATIONS BUT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HEAVIER AND MORE COSTLY THAN UPVC OR ALUMINIUM.

COST RANGES FOR ROOFLINE REPLACEMENT WORKS IN LONDON VARY BY PROPERTY TYPE, PROFILE SPECIFICATION, AND ACCESS REQUIREMENTS.

SIMPLE UPVC CLADDING OVER EXISTING TIMBER (EUROFOLD-TYPE SYSTEM, SINGLE-STOREY PROPERTY): £600 TO £1,500 FOR A TYPICAL LONDON TERRACE FRONT AND REAR (APPROXIMATELY 20-25 LINEAR METRES OF FASCIA AND SOFFIT).

FULL REMOVAL OF EXISTING TIMBER AND NEW UPVC INSTALLATION (GROUND TO FIRST-FLOOR HEIGHT, FULL PERIMETER OF A SEMI-DETACHED OR TERRACE, INCLUDING GUTTER REPLACEMENT): £1,800 TO £4,500 DEPENDING ON PROPERTY SIZE, PROFILE SPECIFICATION, AND ACCESS (LADDER OR SCAFFOLD).

SCAFFOLD ACCESS (WHERE A 3.5M+ WORKING HEIGHT IS REQUIRED — I.E., ABOVE SINGLE-STOREY OR FOR UPPER EAVES OF A TWO-STOREY PROPERTY): ADD £600 TO £1,500 FOR SCAFFOLD ERECTION AND STRIKE.

CAST IRON OR ALUMINIUM REPRODUCTION GUTTERING (CONSERVATION AREA / LISTED BUILDING): ADD 40 TO 80% TO THE STANDARD UPVC PRICE FOR EQUIVALENT COVERAGE.

LEAD OR GRP VALLEY GUTTER REPAIR (WHERE THE EXISTING VALLEY GUTTER IS LEAKING): LEAD VALLEY REPAIR £250 TO £600 DEPENDING ON LENGTH; FULL GRP COLD-APPLIED VALLEY REPLACEMENT £450 TO £900 FOR A STANDARD 3-4M VALLEY LENGTH.

GUTTER CLEANING AND RESEALING (WITHOUT REPLACEMENT): PROFESSIONAL GUTTER CLEANING BY VACUUM EXTRACTION OR MANUAL CLEAR-OUT £100 TO £250 FOR A STANDARD TWO-STOREY TERRACE; RESEALING OF EXISTING IRON GUTTER JOINTS WITH SILICONE OR FERNOX LS-X SEALANT £200 TO £500 IF ACCESS SCAFFOLD IS NEEDED.