New facia boards, any experts please?

[grannyjanny]

We need to have facia boards fitted. A local builder has given us a quote & said they will be fitted over the existing wood & no vents. We had a localish firms rep call the other day (doing the rounds) & he said they take the wood down & theirs have vents in. We didn't want a quote from them but got us thinking about what we are having done. Any advice welcomed.

[grannyjanny]

[rosebud]

 Granny Janny, my son is coming to visit within the hour i shall ask him he is a manager in a company that deals with allsorts of property, so i shall ask him & let you know asap OK. ;D ;D

[grannyjanny]

Thank you Rosebud that would be very helpful.

[Lottiman]

Hi grannyjanny i am not a builder but have been in the trade as a decorator for 20 years and would not advise fixing new PVC fascia over existing timber or as it is known (overcap).Mainly because any rot/decay in the timber in the wood just carries on behind your nice new fascia that the PVC is fixed to, plus any decay in the ends of rafters may be missed always get three quotes and try to use someone that has been recommended, or try to see some of the work that they have done, hope this helps lottieman.

[grannyjanny]

Thank you Lottiman. That's helpful too.

[davyw1]

There are two types of UPVC plastic facia, the one the local builder wants to fit is thin, about an 1/8 of an inch which is screwed to existing facia board.
The seconed is actual UPVC facia board about an 1/2 thick which is the better of the two.
If you know of a local plastics firm you could buy your own and have some one fit it, the hardest part is puting the guttering back on.

Also a good firm or builder would reccomend new guttering and down pipes not because he wants to make more money but the job would look pretty crap with white facia and black guttering.

[hippydave]

I had mine done by a company called  faciamaina  they are a nationwide company and they removed all the old wood boards and even replaced decayed roof joists and cracked ridge and hip tiles and replaced the guttering and all downpipes and it was all done in a day and it looks great even after 2 years.

[rosebud]

 Grannyjanny, reply i promised.
Do NOT let him fix new fascia boards over the existing ones my son said that would be a real bodge job & will /could cause you lots of problems later.
He said its good practise to fit new soffits when you have fascia boards done & a good company will check on other parts while they are doing the job. You will need ventilation but good firms will do that anyway. 
He said do not give in to this trader he is a bad workman.
Good luck with what you decide to do.
Mary ;D.

[grannyjanny]

Thank you everyone for the very helpful replies. The builder in question said he would do the work in May. I rang to ask for a price for another job connected & he said he was delayed by a couple of weeks. It sounds as though it's a good job he was delayed ::). Our SiL also said not to leave the existing wood on, he was a builder but sadly suffered a severe head injury so building work is out now. Back to the drawing board. Thanks again folks. My OH is amazed at the info on A4A. He sees it as gardening only, if he only knew ;) ;D.

[rosebud]

 Hi Grannyjanny, you had a lucky escape by the sounds of it, the next thing would have been money upfront :o :o.
I hope you find a good builder to do the job, my son said get at least 3quotes or someone by recommendation..  ;D

[pumkinlover]

Glad you are not going with the old wood method- sounded dodgy to me ;)

[cornykev]

As above
3 quotes
Recommendations and go and see the work, some people are only too glad to show you good work that has been done for them
No money up front
And have written conformation of the exact work being done
;D

[telboy]

gj
The advice so far has been constructive, but what about your soffits & bargeboards?
I'm not a doom merchant but if your roof gradient is on minimum spec. for your roof slates/tiles then water will not run off effectively & will affect the timber & then rot will set in.
Treat the gable end(s) as the front/rear elevations (and include ventilation). Also make sure they fit a 'drip' that slides under the old felt front & back as the old felt will have 'aged' and fallen down the back of the old facias.
It's won't be cheap gj, but think of the future - don't do a cheap fix! :-*