Do new fascias and soffits add value?

Digerty

My wife and I moved into a property 18 months ago and unforeseen circumstances may mean we might have to move house. During our purchase, the fascias and soffits came up in the survey as something that would need attention as they need replacing (the original wooden ones are rotting and need upgrading to plastic).

My question is this... do we replace the fascias and soffits before we list the property or would this be considered a waste of money? I assume new fascias and soffits wouldn't add value to a house but would improve kerb appeal. We'd like to use the money that the fascias and soffits would cost in the moving fees so we're hesitant on spending the money.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

TELLIT01

Not replacing them may give potential purchasers a lever to try to reduce the price. I would get estimates for replacement to see if it's financially worthwhile. Local estate agents should also be able to provide guidance.
If new gutters and fascia improve kerb appeal, and therefore saleability, it might be a price worth incurring. A house which looks well maintained it likely to sell faster than a tatty one.

Mutton_Geoff

Changing to plastic is not an upgrade, it's cheap and nasty. Replacing the timber like for like would be best. Shouldn't be that expensive and along with tidying up any other bits and pieces will improve the saleability of your house as it will no longer appear neglected.


You will more than recoup your costs in asking/achievable price but you won't add any value by doing it.

phill99

They will add zero to the value of your home. If there are two identical houses next to each other for sale at the same price, the one with the replacement soffits will probably be slightly more saleable.


But whey do they need to be upgraded to plastic? If the timber is perfectly serviceable, the they just need some localised repairs and repainted properly.

TELLIT01

Good quality uPVC fascia and guttering will last for many years and doesn't require painting. I'll agree that there is a concern that plastic fascia can be used to hide the state of the underlying timber and be a false economy.
In this case the vendor is seeking a cost effective cosmetic improvement to the property and isn't overly concerned with the long term. I'm not commenting on the ethics of the situation.

sevenhills

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Changing to plastic is not an upgrade, it's cheap and nasty. Replacing the timber like for like would be best.

Mine need replacing, I was thinking most just used plastic. Does the wood that they are secured to often need replacing too?

EssexExile

sevenhills wrote: »

Mine need replacing, I was thinking most just used plastic. Does the wood that they are secured to often need replacing too?

If the wood the soffits & fascia are secured to, the rafters, need replacing then it's a big job. If it's just the soffits & fascia that are dodgy then it's an easier job. If the soffits & fascia are fine but you're fed up with painting them then cladding them is even easier.

troffasky

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Changing to plastic is not an upgrade, it's cheap and nasty. Replacing the timber like for like would be best.

Best for what? Timber outdoors needs repainting every few years, UPVC does not. I know which is going to have a lower cost of ownership.



How many re-paintings does it take a piece of timber before it has a greater environmental impact than the equivalent piece of plastic?

kerri_gt

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Changing to plastic is not an upgrade, it's cheap and nasty. Replacing the timber like for like would be best. Shouldn't be that expensive and along with tidying up any other bits and pieces will improve the saleability of your house as it will no longer appear neglected.


You will more than recoup your costs in asking/achievable price but you won't add any value by doing it.

We had to repalce ours at the back when we moved, the upvc looks no different to the one at the front which had been recently painted, but I know what we'll be replacing the front ones with when the time comes. I can assure you they do not look cheap or nasty and I would much prefer maintenance free.

Ectophile

sevenhills wrote: »

Mine need replacing, I was thinking most just used plastic. Does the wood that they are secured to often need replacing too?

Putting thin plastic fascias over rotting wood is just storing up problems for the future. Any PVC fascias should be proper solid plastic.


It's always possible that the wood that the fascias is attached to is rotting. It was when I had mine done. What started off as a simple fascias replacement turned into a serious roof repair exercise.


Personally, I would always go for PVC, not wood. There's no way I would go up that far on a ladder to repaint wooden ones, and I don't want to pay someone else to do it every few years either.

RelievedSheff

The fascias and soffits and guttering really needed replacing on our last house but the house sold quickly within a few days and it was never picked up as a problem.

I personally wouldn't replace them just to sell the property unless they really are dropping off!