Fascias and Soffits in Reading
Roof repairs, re-roofing and flat roofs across Reading and the Thames valley. Free surveys, fixed written quotes, tidy workmanship.
Reading Roofing Company replaces roofline — fascias, soffits, bargeboards and guttering — on houses across Reading. Roofline is the timber at the bottom edge of the roof that everything else hangs off, and when it goes soft the gutters sag, the eaves let water back into the wall, and the ends of the rafters start to follow.
Most of what we take off is either original painted softwood that has had one coat too few, or 1990s uPVC capped over rotten timber that was never dealt with.
Capping over versus taking it off
Capping — screwing new uPVC boards over the existing timber — is quick, cheap and common. It is fine where the timber underneath is dry and sound, and a false economy everywhere else, because it hides rot rather than removing it and gives the new board nothing solid to fix to.
Full replacement means the old fascia and soffit come off, the rafter feet and wall plate are inspected, any soft ends are cut back and spliced, and new board is fixed to timber that will hold a screw. We will tell you which your house needs after we have got a bar behind a board — not from the pavement.
What a roofline job includes
Fascia, soffit and bargeboards
Full replacement boards in 18mm cellular uPVC from makers such as Freefoam or Swish, in white, black or a woodgrain finish, fixed with colour-matched stainless nails.
Eaves ventilation
A continuous 10mm or 25mm vent strip in the soffit gives the loft the airflow Building Regulations expect. Skipping it is how a new roofline creates a condensation problem.
Felt support trays
Old underlay usually stops short or has sagged behind the fascia. Eaves trays carry water out over the gutter instead of behind it — a few pounds each, and the reason many gutters overflow.
Guttering to suit the roof area
112mm half-round is standard. Long terrace runs and steep slate slopes shed water faster and often want a deepflow or ogee profile with an extra outlet.
Roofline prices in Reading
| Property | Full roofline replacement | Guttering only | Days on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-bed terrace, front and rear | £1,400 – £2,400 | £350 – £650 | 1–2 |
| 3-bed semi | £1,900 – £3,400 | £450 – £800 | 2–3 |
| 4-bed detached | £2,800 – £4,800 | £600 – £1,100 | 3–4 |
| Bungalow | £1,600 – £2,800 | £400 – £750 | 2 |
| Cast iron replaced like for like, per metre | £90 – £150 | — | By arrangement |
Includes scaffold or tower access, removal of the old boards and disposal. Free survey and a fixed written price before we start; period fronts in conservation areas are priced separately in cast iron or cast aluminium.
Period fronts and shared runs
On the older Reading terraces the front gutter often runs the length of the row in cast iron, sometimes behind a parapet. Swapping one house's section for uPVC leaves a step in the line and a joint that will drip, so like-for-like in cast iron or cast aluminium is usually the sensible answer at the front, with uPVC at the back where nobody is looking. In a conservation area that may not be a preference so much as a condition.
Roofline is also the cheapest work you will ever get done while a scaffold is already up for something else. If a re-roof or a chimney job is on the cards, do both at once and save the access cost twice over.
Gutters full of moss?
Clearing and de-mossing before the roofline is judged.
Frequently asked questions
Ready for a free, no-obligation quote?
Call 0118 230 9278