Old wood Soffit and Fascia

[Zack Rosenbaum]

I purchased a 4 unit with neglected wood Soffit & Fascia (starting to rot in some areas). Does anyone have suggestions for repairing/replacing this with Vinyl or composite material? I’m looking for something reasonably priced while more durable and lower maintenance. If so what’s the cost to have it done professionally vs DIY (how long/difficult would this project be to remove old boards and install new material? — looking for recommendations.

[Daniel Hansen]

Afternoon Zack, 

The problem with wood fascia is the drip edge to the roof usually allows the water to bead and roll off the end, so unless it is sealed and painted really well the rot you're seeing is inevitable. I would look into a fiber/cement fascia product similar to James Hardie, this product is incredibly durable but also can be difficult to install due to its weight and fragility - it is very brittle and requires a special blade to cut. 

As for the soffit material, this is usually 1/4 ply that typically last for awhile given you roof and fascia are flashed properly. If you're trying to save cost I would just remove and reinstall 1/4 inch wooden ply and make sure it is calked at the seams and painter really well. A combo of the fiber/cement fascia and new ply soffit should be very durable and last you a very long time. 

As for DIY vs. having it installed by a professional, depending on your handy skills I would probably hire a company to have it done properly - they will know how to flash/caulk/paint everything that otherwise might get missed causing a decreased life span of the products. If you're handy, this is still a decent sized project as you're working on a ladder and above your head for most of it. 

Hope this helps!