Capping Soffits and Fascias Cost

Trying to find out how much it will cost to cap your fascias and soffits?

In this guide, we break down all capping prices for different house sizes, labour fees, and the cost of capping boards. So that anyone can determine how much it will cost them overall.

Ready for a quote?

We have a range of roofers ready to offer you a free quote!

For more information, take a look below!

How Much Does a Capping Board Cost for Fascias and Soffits?

Capping fascias and soffits is cost-effective compared to the typical fascia and soffit replacement cost. It involves capping with uPVC to prolong their lifespan and make maintenance easier.

The cost to cap fascias and soffits varies depending on the specific layout and size of your home.

To cap the fascias and soffits of an entire 3-bedroom home will set you back around £200 for the materials and about £600 for labour, with the job taking around 1 day, provided there aren't any complications or setbacks.

The size of the soffits also needs to be taken into account. For example, if you live in a tall home that isn't large in the sense of the surface area, you will naturally need fewer materials to cap your home. Similarly, the price will increase if the opposite is true for buildings like bungalows that tend to cover more land.

Consider how easily accessible your home is. If you don't have much access from the side of your home, a contractor may struggle to reach those areas of your home. Because fascias and soffits sit up at roof height, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) rules mean scaffolding is needed to work there safely. Costs can be higher where access is difficult or a larger setup is required.

Capping Fascia and Soffit Prices

The overall soffits and fascias cost will include materials, labour, and installation expenses:

Supply Only Costs

uPVC fascia costs can vary from £8 to £10 per metre for standard white fascias or £12 to £15 per metre for woodgrain or coloured finishes, along with the cost of a basic soffit board averaging around £4 to £6 per metre. As such, the average supply cost for capping soffits and fascias (materials only) amounts to approximately £280 to £380.

Fascia prices depend on:

• Thickness
• Profile
• Finish

When receiving a quote, supply costs will amount to approximately 25% of the final cost, with the remaining price taking into account labour fees and any additional materials and expenses. Although you could potentially save on materials by purchasing yourself from a DIY store, a professional workman is likely to already be charging at trade prices.

Find Tradespeople, compare up to 3 quotes!

It's FREE and there are no obligations

Get started

Additional Costs

Additional costs can easily crop up when you have your fascias and soffits capped. Jobs like replacing roof tiles and roof cleaning can be quite tough to determine from the ground, so it's worth getting them looked at while you have contractors working on your roof.

To start with, you'll need to factor in the additional cost of scaffolding hire:

Scaffolding Hire Cost

Scaffolding is usually needed for a fascia and soffit capping job, as HSE rules require safe working and edge protection at roof level. The cost will depend on the size of the property, how easy it is to access, and how long the scaffolding needs to stay in place.

Scaffolding hire costs depend on the height of your system and the duration you need it for. Typical scaffolding costs are around £4,500.

Once your scaffolding is in place, here are some jobs you can consider getting done at the same time as your fascia and soffit capping:

Roof Cleaning Cost

It's hard to see your roof's condition while you're on the ground, but your contractors will be able to see more while they're working at height. If they notice a build-up of moss and algae, it's worth removing it while the scaffolding is up around your property to make the most of your hire period.

Roof cleaning costs are typically around £450, taking between 3 and 7 hours depending on the size of your property and the ease of access to the roof itself.

Replacing Roof Tiles Cost

While the contractors are working on your roof, it's easy for them to identify any issues you may have lingering that would be beneficial to repair, broken roof tiles being one.

No one wants a leaky roof, and cracked, damaged or deteriorating roof tiles are a surefire way of letting unwanted moisture into your property, leading to potential damp problems.

Roof tile replacement costs around £170 per 5 roof tiles. This is a small cost compared to the full total for an entire roof replacement, which can be over £10,000.

Solar Roof Tiles Cost

Perhaps you want to upgrade your home's energy source by installing solar roof tiles or panels on your roof.

The cost of solar roof tiles is higher than panels, totalling £12,000 versus the solar panel cost of £4,000.

Solar tiles cost more because of their advanced design that blends into your property's roof almost seamlessly.

Solar panels, on the other hand, are fairly obvious to spot, but their bigger size means they're quicker to install, and there are more solar panel manufacturers around than there are solar tile makers, helping them to be priced more competitively.

Labour Costs and Timescales

Labour is determined by the number of workers the contractor needs and the time the job will take. When you receive a quote, ensure that you clarify what exactly is included in the amount.

As standard, the quote will include materials and labour, but sometimes scaffold hire, waste removal, and other costs are incorporated into the price.

Of course, if the job hits any unforeseen delays or setbacks, further charges could be incurred, so have a conversation with the firm you select about these potential problems and find out how they deal with them.

Typically, you should expect to pay £150 to £300 per day for a tradesman to do this work. You will often need two tradesmen working together for this kind of job.

How Long Does It Take to Cap Soffits and Fascias?

Soffit and fascia capping will take longer if you have a larger property or if there are complex access arrangements.

Here are some average time frames:

Ask a Trade

Got a question that only a tradesperson can answer? We have thousands of trades ready to answer any question you may have.

Ask your question

What Is Fascias and Soffits Capping?

The majority of roofs are fitted with boards called fascias onto the rafter edges and soffits that fill the gap between the fascia and the edge of the roofline.

Fascias are directly exposed to the elements, whereas soffits are somewhat protected from the weather by the fascias. However, the soffits can still absorb moisture over time, causing them to soften, weaken, and rot.

Fascias and soffits are traditionally made from different types of timber, which isn't the ideal material considering how exposed they are to the weather. With that in mind, more people are replacing their timber fascias and soffits with uPVC ones.

With uPVC, your soffits and fascias are much more protected and require far less maintenance to prevent them from weakening.

While replacing timber with uPVC is a wise investment, it can be quite costly considering the time needed to correctly remove the timber fascias and soffits, and then the cost to install completely new ones.

It also means factoring in scaffolding, which HSE rules require for safely working up at the eaves. However, there is an excellent workaround available in this instance.

Instead of replacing your existing fascias and soffits with new ones entirely, you can cap them instead. This way, you protect the timber, improve the look of your home, and do away with the need for repainting, though the capping will still want an occasional clean and check for damage.

Cost Factors of Capping Fascias and Soffits

The cost of installing capping for fascias and soffits depends on several factors, with the primary cost factor being the size of your home.

It's natural that the bigger your home is, the more you can expect to spend on capping work.

Some homes are shaped quite uniquely, which can require more lengths of fascias and soffits, which also bumps up the overall price.

The main issue with timber fascias and soffits is the cost of the materials and the frequency with which they require replacing or repairing.

Scaffolding is one of the most common additions to a capping quote, since HSE rules call for it whenever there's work up at the eaves. The size of your home and how easy it is to reach decide how much is required.

What's Involved in Capping Fascias and Soffits?

Soffits and fascias are traditionally timber boards that protect the edges of your roof and need very frequent maintenance to keep them in any way fit for purpose.

Periodically timber boards need to be repainted, to help preserve the wood rather than leaving the current paint to peel and become unsightly.

Timber maintenance isn't just about aesthetics, as weakening fascias and soffits can potentially lead to decay and other roof issues, which are likely to become more costly than capping your fascias and soffits with uPVC.

A solid fix to these problems, without the need to remove and install an entirely new set of fascias and soffits, is to cap them with uPVC to extend their life.

The uPVC capping, or "overcapping" as it is sometimes referred to, will be attached over the existing fascias and soffits, protecting them from rain, wind, and other harsh elements.

It can also help direct rainwater away from your roof, albeit not as an alternative to guttering.

Trained professionals not only have the experience of working on jobs like fascia capping, but also have experience working safely at height.

Here's a quick step-by-step guide to illustrate how capping is done:

• The existing fascias and soffits are prepared.
• The contractor will attach a level string line to ensure the capping is completely accurate.
• The fascia and soffits are fitted with colour-matching nails to ensure they look perfect.
• Gutter brackets are then fitted, or refitted if required, and the gutter is fitted.
• A bird comb is usually fitted to the bottom of the roof tiles to prevent birds from accessing your roof space.

Do My Fascias and Soffits Need to Be Capped?

If you have existing timber fascias and soffits, you could definitely benefit from capping, just based on the longevity of your existing materials. However, some people work out what areas of their homes are worst affected by bad weather, and choose to cap just those areas.

For example, if the houses in your street are built quite close together, the sides of your home may be well protected from the elements anyway, so you'd only need to cap the front and the back.

Benefits of Capping Fascias and Soffits

There are various reasons why you may want to cap your fascias and soffits. These include:

• Cheaper than full replacement.
• Extends the life of the timber underneath.
• Provides a cost-effective boost to the visual appeal of your roofline.
• Offers numerous aesthetic options thanks to the colours available.

You'll also be capping with a material that is easier to maintain than traditional wood. This makes ongoing maintenance more straightforward.

Cost of Removing Fascias and Soffits Caps

There are numerous reasons why you could want to remove existing capping on your fascias or soffits. One example is replacing capping to be reinstalled in a different colour or style.

Another reason could be if you wanted to access the roof tiles for a repair or a refurbishment.

Removing capping is relatively straightforward compared to installing them, as they often require removing the screws and carefully bringing the capping down to the ground. Once removed, you can either give it away or break it down to take to your local recycling centre.

Checklist: Hiring Contractors for Capping Fascias and Soffits

When deciding on which tradesmen or contractor to enlist to perform capping work on your fascias and soffits, you may wish to consider the following points:

• Do they have the right experience for the job? Ask about any projects they've carried out on similar jobs, and request recent examples of their work, prior experience, and relevant qualifications.
• Do they carry public liability insurance? While not always legally required, most reputable tradesmen have insurance to cover accidental damage or personal injury, especially when working at height.
• Do they have positive reviews and feedback? Search online and check their MyJobQuote profile to see testimonials from past customers.
• Have you received multiple quotes? It's recommended to get at least three separate quotes to compare prices, which you can do without any obligation to go ahead with the work.
• Has the quote been itemised? A detailed breakdown ensures there are no hidden charges and confirms what's included, such as waste removal.
• Does the work come with any guarantees? Most tradesmen will offer a guarantee covering the initial work and a period afterwards in case of issues.

FAQs