Fascia on the rake edge blew off in a high wind last week and I lost a day trying to get it back up/on myself. Only one piece, but it's 12 foot long and my arms aren't. So I bought a second piece figuring I'd just cut them short enough to handle and overlap them 3" on each end and use plenty of silicone....
But it raises the issue - I am always working solo. I tried John Carrolls book and it didn't have nearly enough info/ideas for me. Does anyone know of a DIY book or website that has LOTS of info on doing things BY YOURSELF, I mean literally, no one else around to help out, etc. ? No kids, no neighbors, wife has no upper body strength and won't stand on anything higher than a 6' step ladder...
Been there, done that. Normally, my wife helps me quite a bit, but when she was pregnant I was kinda on my own for pretty much anything that involved lifting, reaching, climbing, bending, or stooping.
The best advice I can give you is to get as clever as you can about finding or making and using mechanical aids as a third hand, things like clamps or cleats to hold stuff in place while you position and attach it. For example, for reattaching your fascia, you could temporarily attach cleats to the house to support the fascia board while you attach it; nail it in place in the middle first, then work outward toward the ends. Another option for that job would be drive a nail through the fascia board, near its center, just far enough that the point of the nail sticks out the other side. Then you should be able to hold the board in place with one hand, while you drive that nail home with the other hand. That will be enough to support the board while you drive in the rest of the nails.
It's not easy working alone, but with a little thought and ingenuity (ok, sometimes a *lot* of thought and ingenuity), you can probably discover workarounds for most situations.
You might also be able to persuade your wife to get on platform scaffold much more easily than you could get her up a ladder. It's waaaay more stable, especially at significant heights, and perhaps just as important, it *looks* more stable too.
Another option is to invite a bunch of buddies over to help you, with pizza and beer afterward. Very important: pop and lemonade while the work is going on, beer only after the job is finished. :-)
Avoid the stress. The Yellow Pages are your friend. Call a handyman or whatever. Rule of thumb in many trades is that eight man hours solo yields five or six hours of completed work, and the same journeyman with a helper doubles that or better. Just increasing your circle of friends will help. Be a good neighbor and do some favors and you won't lack for assistants. Let it be known you stock Michelob and Sam Adams. Good luck.
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