Find a Gutter Installer you can trust in Bromyard.

You don’t always need to replace your gutters with your roof. Often people think that it’s a requirement, or simply the best thing to do, but it’s not always necessary. The reason why people think it’s required is because to re-roof a home, the guttering often needs to be removed and put back on.

If the time has come to replace your roof, then the chances are that your guttering is pretty old too. When you start to get quotes for your roof replacement, ask the roofer to take a look at your guttering as well. If there are signs of peeling, rust, cracks or sagging, then it makes sense to replace your gutters with your roof. If you get them done at the same time, you’ll save money labour costs, which is the reason why most homeowners do it.

Another reason to replace your gutters with your roof is the risk of damage. Re-roofing is a significant project, so the guttering needs to come off most of the time – running the risk of brackets and pipes getting damaged in the process. So if your guttering is still looking good right now but you think it might need replacing in a couple of years, it might be worth just doing it at the same time as your roof to save you money and the stress if damage does occur.

However, if your guttering has only recently been replaced, then there’s no need to replace it again with your roof. But because it needs to come off, make sure you speak to the roofing company about keeping it safe and doing their best to avoid damage. It’s also worse ensuring that they have the correct insurance to cover you both in case your guttering does get damaged during your roof replacement.

Soffits and fascias sit along the sides of your property, over the join between your walls and your roof. The fascia attaches to the end of your roof rafters, hiding and protecting them. The soffit fixes on the bottom of the fascia, bridging the gap between your fascia and wall. Your guttering attaches to the fascia, which also joins to the bargeboard on your gable end, if you have one.

Gutters are a crucial component of any roofing system. They’re designed in such a way to protect your home or property from serious water damage, but keeping them clean and in good condition is something that’s almost always forgotten or ignored. Do not be deceived even when rain water is still running from them or they don’t appear to be clogged. Failure to clean maintain your gutters can lead to a wide range of outcomes and they aren’t so pretty. According to experts, gutter cleaning should be done twice a year - once in the spring and once in the fall. In order to help you realize the importance of cleaning your gutters, we’ll look at some of the possible outcomes of a neglected gutter.

• Leaky roof. If your gutters get clogged and cannot move water away from your home, it begins to build up on the roof and eventually lead to damages like rot and mold. As the damages spread, the end result could be a severe damage to the attic and supports.
• Damaged foundation. If the gutters are not functioning as they should, water saturation becomes a great threat to the foundation of your home or property. The concrete will crack or wood rots and you can also end up with mold.
• Creepy crawler infestation. Wherever you have stagnant water, there are also bugs. This is because they love the wet and moisture-filled gutters. You get unwanted visitors like carpenter ants, roaches and mosquitoes, just to mention a few.
• Driveway and path damage. When the downspouts aren’t directing the water to the appropriate spot, the excess that comes in contact with these surfaces can lead to cracks or sagging.

The soffit and fascia is the outdoor underside region of your roof which would need to be repaired or replaced when it’s in a critical condition. Your soffit and fascia may actually require more frequent replacement or repair depending on the material that the soffit or fascia uses. If you notice your soffit and fascia needs to be replaced, then you’d probably also like to know how much it going to cost. Well, you’ve come to the right place! The price to replace a soffit and fascia can vary significantly which can be a bit annoying when you’re trying to calculate the overall cost you’ll be expected to pay.

The price of a soffit and fascia is based on the following variables:

✓ The materials you wish to use for the new fascia, soffit and guttering

✓ The type of the property. For instance, semi detached houses may come at a lower price due to the less roof space they require when compared to their counterparts, which can reduce the cost of replacement.

✓ If you’re going to also replace the gutter at the same time will also increase the cost of replacement.

✓ The current overall condition of the roof. For example, if you also have broken or slipping roof tiles, the soffits and fascias can be more difficult to replace, hence, increasing the cost of the project.

Generally, the average cost of fitting soffits and fascias as replacement options for your homes will range between £1200 - £3,000. What’s more? Soffits and fascias normally have a per metre cost. The average price of soffits and fascias per metre can range between £100 to £130 when you opt for a white uPVC option.

If you live in an average home with an average amount of guttering and you’re used to a bit of DIY, it’s relatively easy to replace gutters. But if you have a home that’s more than two-storey or you have guttering that’s more complicated, it’s best left to the professionals.

Lots of homes these days have uPVC guttering. uPVC is a hard-wearing plastic that will last a long time without much maintenance except your usual gutter clearing. It’s relatively light, so lots of people think it’s easy to replace uPVC gutters. If you live in a bungalow, you may be able to just use a ladder to take down your old guttering and replace it with new uPVC gutters, but if you live in a two-storey home it can be a bit more complicated. If you do attempt to replace your gutters yourself, make sure you’ve got a sturdy ladder that will comfortably reach the right height, and never rest it on the fascia or the guttering itself.

If you have cast iron or copper guttering, this is much heavier and bulkier than uPVC. Certainly don’t try to replace these on your own – make sure you have another competent DIYer to help you. Reputable roofline specialists will use scaffold towers to make it easier to handle heavy gutters and they will always work in pairs on this type of guttering, so make sure you have the right tools and equipment to work with.

Just because it’s easy to replace gutters, it doesn’t mean you should. It’s better to ask a reliable roofline company to help you, since they have the skills to fit guttering properly and have experience with working at height.

Fascias and Soffits, just like any other components of a home, do not last forever. They can become tired and worn out over time which implies that you’ll have to replace them to prevent further damage. Getting this project completed can be quite costly, but it doesn’t have to be. Fitting soffits and fascias is very simple task which will leave you with both a modern and contemporary styling which requires little maintenance and also more savings. What’s more? You don’t have to worry about repainting the fascias and soffits on an annual basis, all you need to do is a gentle wipe down of the features with a damp cloth to have them look good.

If you’re a competent DIYer and confident enough to pull off this task, then all the better. However, if otherwise, we’d strongly recommend you hire the services of a reliable contractor who can guarantee the best results for help. Here are the steps you can follow to fit your fascias and soffits.

Fascias ( a 18mm fascia board)

✓ This is designed for a direct fix without a need for a timber substrate. Simply secure them directly to the rafters with the help of 2 x 65mm a4 stainless steel fixing nails per rafter.

✓ Ensure that the rafters are level.

✓ Cut the boards back 5mm per edge to enable expansion where any white corner trims, joint trims or angle trims is needed.

✓ Secure the guttering to all third rafter.

Soffit ( 9mm soffit board)

✓ Ensure that the preservative treatment to the structural timber has dried out.

✓ Fix all utility boards of about 100mm to 605mm in width at a maximum of 60mm centres.

✓ If ventilation is needed, there are some soffits that are available in 150mm to 605mm widths and also provides the 10mm air gap needed for roof with a pitch above 15 degrees

Knowing when best to clean your gutters can do a lot of good. Wile some people assume that fall is the best time for gutter cleaning after the leaves fall, others believe spring is the most appropriate time to clean the gutters before things start to grow there. The truth is, both camps are right. However, the best time to clean your gutters depend on a wide range of factors which are all unique to you. In order to help you make the most informed decision possible, we have created this post to help you figure out the right time to clean your gutters. Let’s take a look!

Where you’re located. What we get is four season in a year as well as as a good amount of rain. As a result, you may want to put into consideration cleaning your gutter at least twice a year - clean the gutters once in the spring and once in the fall. It’s important to make gutter cleaning a part of your normal spring schedule as well as part of your fall maintenance routines.

What surrounds your home. If you happen to have tree surrounding your home, then it’s more likely that dead leaves clog up your gutter pretty quickly. A single tree is enough as it’s going to shed leaves that will find their way into your gutter, accumulate and affect its performance and integrity.

What your gutter currently looks like. If you gutters already have an entire ecosystem of animal life and plants hamging over the edges, then the best time to clean the gutters is now rather than having to wait a particular season to act. A dirty gutter should be attended to immediately in order to prevent some unnecessary damages as well as expensive repairs.