Replacing soffits and bargeboards

Wondered if anyone has any tips/horror stories to pass on. We are buying a house, for which I know that we need to replace the soffits and bargeboards soon after moving in - they are rotten (1970s house). I want to replace with standard white UPVC.... strangely the guttering was recently replaced, but the soffits etc.left as is

My father recently got Everest in to do his and despite the £11000 cost, it was a crap job - the fitters fitted the things in freezing cold weather and rushed the job and the overall fit and finish is very disappointing....

How much variation in the quality of material do you get with cost? What are the pitfalls to look out for with removal of the old ones?

Thanks for any tips you might pass on....

Nick.

Reply to
Nick Dawson
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Look at neighbouring houses who have had this work and get recommendations, prefeably from local firms, and two or more estimates if possible. If the gutters and down-pipes ar OK then I don't see any reason why these can't be reused if that's what you want.

An unscrupulous fitter could use cheap sealant and boards, and rush the job.

None that I have come across, but my experience is very limited. Usually a crow bar is used to prise off the old wooden boards, and the fitters should arrange removal of all waste on completion. Obviously if a platform tower or scaffolding is required then this will push up the cost compared with ladder-only work. My mother-in-law recently had new gutters and down pipes, plus white upvc soffits and fascias on a dormer bungalow (including around two dormer windows and some exterior painting) for about £1,000. This was done off ladders by a two-man local firm who had done good work on neighbouring properties. The boss came and gave the estimate, then came and did the work. If a firm employs an estimator then that's £500 per week that has to be factored in to all jobs. Another quote from a firm that employs an estimator was for £1,300, just for the upvc work and no exterior painting. Good luck!

Reply to
Phil Anthropist

bargeboards

£11,000???????????????????

Has he now reopened his mansion..

P
Reply to
Peter

For anything other than a mansion thats an outragous price!

Get quotes from *real* builders not double glazing cowboys. Remember thoes fitters on your dads house were probably sub contractors working for a pittance and resenting the fat commision the salesman stung your father for while they do all the work.

The works easy and requiress little skill and the materials are cheap. The only compliation is the need for scaffolding.

Regards

Reply to
marble

Eleven grand!! Your Dad should get Everest back in right away and get the job fixed properly. I'd expect a new roof for that, or does your Dad live in Blenheim Palace?

I used a local firm called SuperSeal who gave me the option of removing all the old wood, or replacing the rotten wood before putting the uPVC over the top. I went for the latter ( they were both the same price but keeping the wood improves the protection for the truss ends). This was about ten years ago and I've had no trouble at all since.

TonyB

Reply to
TonyB

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