The short answer
Usually yes, when the fascias are old or the eaves are suspect. A new roof already needs scaffold along the eaves, so replacing the fascias, soffits and gutters at the same time saves paying for access twice. It also lets the roofer sort out the eaves detail properly, with the felt supported over the gutter, rather than working around a board that will fail soon.
A re-roof opens up the roof edge completely, which makes it the best moment to deal with the boards beneath it. Not every job needs it, though.
Access you only pay for once
Scaffold is often the biggest single reason to combine the work. To strip a roof safely, the roofer needs access all round the eaves, and fitting a fascia needs exactly the same access. Hiring it again later, for a job that could have been done in the first week, means paying for the erection, the hire and the taking down a second time.
Does the scaffold cost really matter that much?
It adds up. HomeBuilding put scaffolding at approximately £1,000 including permits for a 3-bed semi (HomeBuilding, Sep 2025), while MyJobQuote gave £550 to £750 for one week of hire at a front elevation (MyJobQuote, Oct 2026). Those are typical UK figures and your house will differ, but they show access is a real slice of the bill.
Scaffold standing over a public footway may need a licence that the highway authority grants, under section 169 of the Highways Act 1980. Somerset Council charges £124.60 for each 28-day period (April 2026). A second round of scaffold can mean a second licence and a second fee. The licence is handled together with the scaffolder, and one erection avoids the repeat.
Why the eaves are best done together
A roof covering and its eaves detail work as one system. Underlay runs down the slope and over an eaves support tray into the gutter, and the first course of tiles or slates is set to a line that depends on the fascia. If a new roof goes on above an old, bowed or rotten fascia, the new work inherits the problem.
What is the risk of leaving the old fascias?
The old board may look fine from the ground and be soft behind. Once the new roof is on, getting at the eaves means lifting a perfect new bottom course. Rafter feet that are damp or rotten are easy to deal with while the roof is open and awkward when it is closed.
The new roof also gives you a fresh set of lines to match. A straight new fascia under a new covering looks right, while a tired, wavy one beneath it shows up from the street. Our answer on eaves felt rot explains what is found when an old edge is opened up, and why a tray is part of the fix. It is a good example of damage that stays hidden until someone lifts the board.
When it is fine to leave the boards
Combining is a default, not a rule. There are real cases where the boards stay.
Can sound fascias be kept with a new roof?
Yes. If the boards are sound, the rafter ends behind them are dry, and the profile suits the new work, there is no case for ripping out good timber or plastic. One retailer describes a uPVC fascia as lasting between 20 and 40 years, though that is a seller's figure and not a promise. A board of that age may only need the gutter taking down and refitting.
Sometimes the roofer lifts a short section to look before deciding. That quick look, photographed so you can judge it yourself, costs little and settles the question. A sound board then stays, and the gutter goes back on it after the roof is done.
Listed buildings and conservation areas add a layer. Changing a fascia to a different material may need consent, and our answer on fascia planning permission covers that. A re-roof in a matching covering on a house normally falls under Class C permitted development, and the boards are checked separately from it. If you are unsure which applies to your house, ask us during the visit and we will point you towards the right council team.
How the two jobs run together
When we survey a roof we study the eaves as well as the covering. You are shown photographs of your own roof edge: the board, the felt where we can reach it, the gutter fixings and the soffit.
In what order do the two jobs go?
Roofline work can run alongside a re-roof, and the order matters. Scaffold goes up first, and the gutters come off before the roof is stripped. The covering and underlay are renewed, with the eaves tray set at the bottom. Then the fascia, soffit and gutters go on, so the whole edge is finished in one sequence and the new gutter sits against the new first course.
If you have decided on a re-roof and are weighing the rest, tell us whether you want the roofline included. Where the soffits or fascias are not part of the job, the quote says so plainly. We give one written price covering whatever is agreed, with no surprises at the eaves because we have looked at them first.
Read gutters, soffits and fascias for the fuller picture of what we fit, or ask for a survey and mention the roofline when you do.
More on fascias and re-roofs
Does doing the fascias with the roof mean one visit?
It means one scaffold and one run of work. The gutters come off, the roof is renewed with the eaves tray set, and the new roofline goes on after it. At the survey you hear which parts are included, and the written price reflects exactly that.
Will a new roof hide a problem at the eaves?
A new roof over a failing edge hides the problem for a time, then makes it harder to reach. Opening the eaves during the re-roof lets the roofer see the rafter ends and the felt, and mend what is there. So the fascias are examined closely during our visit, alongside the covering.
The full picture: Gutters, soffits and fascias in Taunton · More short answers