The short answer
Yes, if the gutters are in good enough condition to be unclipped, set aside and refitted on the new boards. Sound metal and sturdy plastic often can be. Old, brittle plastic may crack on the way down, rusted brackets will not hold, and a run that never had a proper fall is better renewed while the boards are off and access is already in place.
The gutters hang from the fascia, so they come off before the boards change. Whether they go back depends on age, material and how they cope with moving.
Why the gutters have to come off first
Fascia is the name for the long board that finishes the roof edge, and in most houses the gutter is fixed to it with brackets. To fit a new board, the old one has to be removed, and the gutter has to be unclipped before that can happen. There is no way to swap the board with the run left hanging in place.
Does taking the gutters down damage them?
It can. Metal and thick plastic lengths usually lift off cleanly, with joints separated and fittings kept. Old uPVC that has been in sun and frost for years may have gone brittle, and a joint that held for ten winters can snap when it is pulled apart. The brackets are the next weak point. Screws may be rusted, and plastic brackets can crack as the weight comes off them.
A roofer assesses all of this before starting. At the survey we examine the run, photograph the joints and brackets, and say whether the existing gutters are likely to survive being moved. That way nothing surprises you halfway through the job, and the choice between refitting and renewing is made with the evidence laid out in front of you.
When refitting the old gutters makes sense
Refitting works when the gutters are sound, the profile and colour still suit the house, and the joints are in good order. Cast iron and aluminium runs in decent condition are often kept, and so are good plastic runs that have not gone brittle.
Will the old run still have the right fall?
This is the point most often missed. The run needs a slight slope to the outlet, and Brett Martin gives 1mm of drop for every 600mm of run as its guidance. New boards give you the chance to reset that line properly. If the old run sagged because the old timber had rotted, putting it onto fresh boards cures the sag as a side effect. Our answer on gutter fall explains how the line is set out.
New seals and brackets are normally fitted on a refit, even when the gutters are reused, because a joint that has been pulled apart should not go back together with its tired old seal. That is a modest extra against the cost of renewing the whole run, and it protects the work you are keeping. A tired seal is the commonest reason a refitted run drips within a season.
When it is better to fit new gutters too
There are good reasons to renew the run while the boards are off. The first is condition. A gutter that already leaks at several joints, or has rusted through, will not survive a refit. The second is access: the scaffold or tower is already up, and doing both jobs together avoids paying for access twice.
Should the new fascias and gutters match?
If the new boards are white uPVC and the old gutters are a different colour, the join looks odd, particularly on a front elevation that faces the street. Fitting a matching run gives a clean finish. Size is another reason, because a small gutter that overflows in heavy rain can be swapped for a larger profile while the fixings are being redone.
New boards usually bring work to the soffit as well, the panel beneath the overhang. Our answers on capping fascias and on whether roofers fit fascias explain how the roofline work is done and who does it.
How the decision reaches your quote
The survey covers the boards and the gutters together. We check the timber for softness, look at the run from below and along its length, and photograph any joint, bracket or outlet that worries us.
What do I get in writing?
You get one written price, and the choice is made clear. If the gutters can be refitted, the price reflects the refit. If we think they will not survive being moved, we explain why and price new guttering, so you can see the reasoning in the photos. Nothing is decided on the day without you seeing what we have seen.
Access is part of what sets the cost, along with the length of run, the number of corners and the material. Make sure each quote states if VAT and scaffold are in the total price.
Fitting a whole new covering at the same time changes the sums, and the gutters, soffits and fascias page lists the work we do together or apart. Send a ground-level photo of the worst stretch of roof edge to start the survey booking.
More on fascia and gutter work
Can the gutters stay up while the fascias are replaced?
Not in practice. The gutter brackets are fixed to the fascia board, so the run has to come off before the board can be removed. Short sections are sometimes lifted and propped, but the usual method is to unclip the whole run, change the boards, then refit the gutters or hang new ones.
Do I need new brackets if I reuse my gutters?
Usually, yes. Old brackets may be rusted, brittle or bent from the first fitting, and new boards give a fresh fixing point. Fresh brackets also let the fall be reset correctly. The seals at each joint should be renewed as well, since a pulled-apart joint seldom reseals well with the old compound.
The full picture: Gutters, soffits and fascias in Taunton ยท More short answers