Thetford Roofers replace and repair rotting fascias, cracked soffits and leaking gutters for homeowners in Lakenheath and the surrounding villages.
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The fascia is the flat board that runs along the lower edge of your roof, directly behind the gutter. The soffit sits underneath it, bridging the gap between the fascia and the wall. Together they close off the roof structure, keep weather out of the eaves and stop birds and insects from nesting in the void. The guttering collects rainwater from the roof surface and channels it safely down the wall and away from your foundations.
When any of these components fail, the consequences spread quickly. Water works into the rafter feet and roof timbers, damp tracks down the wall, and the fascia board itself begins to pull away from the roof. A cracked soffit lets in moisture that saturates the insulation above your ceiling. None of this is visible from the ground until it has been going on for some time, which is why a methodical inspection matters.
The most obvious sign is paint peeling or bubbling on timber fascias. Paint fails when the wood beneath it is holding moisture, and by the time the surface looks bad the timber is usually soft to the touch. On uPVC, look for cracks, warping or sections that have bowed away from the wall - these let in water just as readily as rotten wood.
Gutters show their problems in different ways. A gutter that overflows along its length (rather than at a joint or outlet) is either blocked or has sagged and lost its fall. A gutter dripping at a joint has a failed seal. Downpipes that gurgle or back up are usually blocked with leaf debris or compacted silt. Left alone, overflowing water saturates the wall directly below and can eventually affect the ground-level brickwork and damp-proof course.
Bargeboards sit at the gable ends of a roof rather than the eaves and are often overlooked. They protect the edges of the roof covering and the top of the gable wall. Rotten or missing bargeboards are a direct entry point for wind-driven rain.
Because the angle for this page is the process itself, here is a clear account of what a thorough job involves, from the moment we arrive to the moment we leave.
Before any boards come down, every accessible length of fascia, soffit and bargeboard is inspected at close range, either from a ladder or from scaffolding on larger properties. We check the timber rafter feet behind the fascia, the condition of any existing ventilation strips in the soffit, and the state of the gutter fixings. This inspection shapes the quote - there is no point pricing a like-for-like uPVC overlay if the rafter feet are already soft, because the new boards will simply be fixed into rotting timber and will not hold.
We also look at the roof covering itself at the eaves. If the bottom course of tiles or slates is lifting or the lead flashing has slipped, it should be dealt with before new roofline materials go on. Fitting new fascias under a failing roof edge creates damp problems all over again.
Most domestic properties in Lakenheath and nearby villages can be accessed safely with ladder and stand-off brackets. Houses with high eaves, awkward roof angles or close boundaries may need a scaffold tower or a full scaffold run. The method affects both the cost and the programme, so it is worth knowing upfront.
Before any boards are removed, the working area below is sheeted. Old timber fascias can shed paint flakes, nails and debris, and gutters often hold stagnant water and decomposed leaf matter. Protecting paths, flower beds and any parked vehicles before the strip-out begins is standard practice, not an optional extra.
Existing guttering is disconnected and removed first. On houses where the gutters were simply leaking at joints, it is sometimes possible to re-use the guttering if the plastic or cast iron is otherwise sound, but in practice most gutter runs that have reached the point of calling in a roofer are better replaced entirely. Partial replacement often means mismatched colours and profiles that create more joint problems further down the line.
Fascia boards come off next. On a timber fascia, this reveals the rafter feet directly. On a property where uPVC was previously fitted over the original timber (a common approach used throughout the 1990s and 2000s), the strip-out uncovers what was hidden underneath. Overfascia systems cap the old board without removing it, and this is only appropriate if the original timber is genuinely dry and structurally sound. If it is soft, the overfascia will trap moisture and make the rot worse. A thorough job removes and disposes of decayed timber rather than hiding it.
Soffits come away with the fascia on most systems. Ventilated soffits should be noted and replaced like-for-like so that the roof void continues to breathe. Blocking soffit ventilation when replacing boards is a common mistake that leads to condensation problems in the roof space, particularly in properties where loft insulation has been added at ceiling level.
Any rafter feet that are soft, cracked or have suffered insect damage are cut back to sound timber and spliced with new treated softwood. This step is often skipped by contractors who are focused on the cosmetic result rather than the structural one, but it is the single most important part of the job. A fascia is only as solid as what it is fixed to.
If the wall plate or top of the wall is showing signs of moisture damage, this should be dried out and treated before new boards go on. On some older properties, mortar around the soffit line has cracked or receded, and pointing this up before installation prevents water tracking in behind the new boards.
uPVC is the most common choice for replacements. It does not need painting, does not rot, and a quality white or woodgrain uPVC board will hold its colour and shape for many years under normal conditions. The material is fixed with stainless steel or galvanised fixings rather than plain steel, which prevents rust staining through the board face over time.
Timber remains a valid choice where the property has specific character or where planning considerations apply. Treated hardwood or softwood fascias need priming on all faces (including the back and ends) before installation, and the fixings must be countersunk and filled. A timber job done correctly will last well; a timber job done in a hurry - with boards fixed unpainted or with exposed end grain - will need attention within a few years.
Soffits are available with or without ventilation. Fully ventilated soffits have a continuous mesh insert; part-ventilated boards have discrete circular vents at set spacings. The specification should match or improve on what was there before. Where the original soffit had no ventilation at all, it is worth considering whether to add it, particularly if the roof is older and loft insulation was installed after the property was built.
Bargeboards are cut and fitted at the gable ends. The joint between the bargeboard and the fascia at the corner of the roof is a common point of failure if it is not sealed and bedded correctly, so this detail should be checked on any job.
Half-round and square-line are the two most common gutter profiles on domestic properties. Half-round is the older and more common standard; square-line has been popular on new builds and 1980s-onward housing. Matching the existing profile matters where only part of the run is being replaced, because mismatched sections rarely seal well at joints.
Gutter brackets are fixed to the new fascia board at the correct spacing (typically no more than 1 metre between brackets) and set to a fall of roughly 5mm for every 3 metres of run, directed toward the outlet. A common problem with replacement guttering is brackets set level rather than at a fall, which leaves standing water in the gutter and accelerates algae growth and joint failure. On complex roofs with long runs or multiple outlets, the fall calculation needs care.
Downpipes are fixed to the wall with pipe clips at regular intervals, directed into the underground drainage system or a surface drain. Where the outlet goes into a soil stack, the connection must be watertight. Where it discharges onto a gully, the downpipe end should sit just above the gully grid rather than passing through it, to allow for rodding if the drain blocks.
Once guttering is in place, a hose-down test checks the fall and the seal at every joint and outlet. Any joint that seeps at normal flow needs to be stripped back and re-sealed - silicone applied over a leaking joint from the outside rarely holds. Downpipes are checked for flow and the connection at the base confirmed before sheets are removed.
All old materials - timber boards, old guttering, gutter brackets, fixings and debris from the strip-out - are cleared from the site and taken away. Any debris that has fallen into flower beds or on paths is collected. The working area is left as it was found.
uPVC is lower maintenance over the long term and is the practical choice for most homes. It does not need periodic painting, does not harbour rot or woodworm, and modern products are available in a range of colours and woodgrain finishes if plain white is not right for your property. The main limitation is that it cannot be painted if you change your mind later.
Timber suits period properties, conservation areas and situations where the visual character of the roofline matters. It requires maintenance - typically repainting every five to eight years on south-facing elevations and longer on sheltered sides - but a well-maintained timber fascia is durable and can be repaired and patched rather than requiring wholesale replacement.
As well as Lakenheath, we carry out fascia, soffit and guttering work across the surrounding area, including Thetford, Brandon, Mildenhall, Mundford, Elveden, Barnham, Kilverstone, Croxton, East Wretham, Brettenham, Red Lodge and Bury St Edmunds. If you are in a neighbouring village not listed here, call us and we can confirm whether we cover your area.
These questions will quickly separate contractors who think about the work from those who think about the quote.
If your fascias, soffits or gutters are showing signs of age or failure, call Thetford Roofers to arrange a roof survey. We will inspect the roofline at close range, tell you what needs doing and why, and give you a clear price before any work begins.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
