Fascia Replacement

[delaney]

We have original (28 yr) masonite fascia board attached to our gutters. Our gutters are not in bad shape but 1 area of fascia board is in really bad shape. Two different contractors told us we can NOT replace rotting fascia board w/o replacing the gutters with new gutters.

Is this true or just a scam to make more money? Also we're getting quotes for gutters ranging from $5-$7 a foot? Is this reasonable?

Also, they both want to use aluminum fascia -- won't that dent like aluminum gutters and downspouts?

We just really want to replace about a 12 foot area of fascia board without investing alot of money into a whole new gutter system for the whole house.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[TPro]

I wouldn't want to say it's a scam without knowing their reasoning but if the gutters truely are in good shape I can't think of a reason why they couldn't be used again.
I have removed gutters for various reasons including replacing rotted fascia boards and replaced the same gutters back on the house if they were in good shape.
Did they give a reason for not being able to re-use the gutters? Maybe that would help to explain.

Is it possible that there is a problem with the gutters that can't be seen from the ground and that is what caused the fasica to be damaged? They really should have given an explanation for wanting you to spend your money.

[delaney]

The guy told me that when you remove aluminum gutters they get damaged. I just found this hard to believe. The problem with the fascia is the material itself (Masonite hardboard) and gutters not being kept clean (too many gumball trees!)

[pushkins]

I must say that in part I have to agree with a contractor saying that they "may" have to replace the gutters, many times depending on the age of the gutters and the attachment method (esp. with pins driven through the lip into the facia) removing the gutters causes damage in the way of tears and dents in the guttering. Some contractors will automatically price in new gutters just so they don't have to fuss with the old ones.
Rotted facia is usually a good indication that your gutters are not working correctly and or there needs to be drip edge added to the roof.
$5 - $7 a foot for installed guttering seems a little high but that is always going to be dictated by location.

A good contractor should be able to replace 12' of facia without too much trouble and time.

If your still unhappy with the quotes you have, the answer is as simple the keypad on the phone. Remember your the client, the contractor works "for" you, if you only want 12' of facia replaced then tell them that's what you want and nothing more. (just make sure that 12' is all you need replaced first )

[delaney]

Thanks for the info.

On a similar note, we have another problem area around the exterior of the fireplace chimney. It looks like there is some type of rot or bird damage on 1 of the 8 corner boards surrounding the exterior chimney. The area is small but is very near the top of the chimney and it is wood not masonite hardboard like our siding. Any suggestions on how to correct and who to call (roofer or carpenter?)

The same guy who is trying to sell us new gutters/soffit/fascia said he could do it for $350 (OMG.) He stated he would have to buy a whole sheet of some blah, blah, blah ................................................

Couldn't we just patch it with some type of epoxy mixture and repaint the area?

[pushkins]

First you would need to ascertain that it is a small area of rot/damage, if your looking at it from 20 feet below the damaged area may be bigger than you first thought.
If it is a smaller area you will need to cut out the rotted wood and replace it. You cannot simply "putty up" rotted wood as the rot will continue and before you know it you'll be back up there repairing more and more.
If it is bird/vermin damage then an exterior filling product would be your cheapest option.
A carpenter or a roofer should be able to repair it but you might want to also consider contacting a "chimney company", because of the time of year and lack of chimney usage you will find a cheaper price now rather than waiting until closer to winter.

[jjacobs]

For a rip off with new 25 year shingles on a 1700 sq. ft roof, does $3400 sound like a reasonable estimate? No including $50 per piece of plywood-if needed.