Should I hire a roofer or a siding contractor for soffit and fascia?

Call a roofer when the soffit and fascia problem starts at the roof, or when you are re-roofing anyway. Call a siding or exterior carpentry contractor when the soffit and fascia need work on their own. The Board for Contractors says that if the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor’s License is required,^[3] so whichever you choose, look the licence up with DPOR and make sure it covers the work.

When the roofer should lead

Soffit and fascia sit where the roof ends, so some of their problems are roof problems. Virginia's Board for Contractors defines it this way: roofing contracting (ROC) covers the materials that make a watertight surface for roofs, and it includes roofing system components when they are installed in conjunction with a roofing project.^[1]

Hire the roofer to lead when:

• You are re-roofing. Gutters come down and the roof edge is open, so it is the natural moment to replace soft fascia and tired soffit. Ask for it as a separate line in the roofing contract.
• The drip edge is missing, bent or rusted. Drip edge sits at the shingle edge, so replacing it means working on the roof.
• The rot comes from above. Stains running down from the roof edge, soft roof decking, or leaks at the eaves point to the roof, not the fascia.
• Ventilation is changing. Adding ridge vents or new soffit vents works best planned by one trade, so the air path from soffit to ridge is designed together.

Roof work is not a homeowner job; leave anything on the roof surface or at the shingle edge to a professional.

When a siding or exterior contractor should lead

For soffit and fascia on their own, the work is exterior carpentry and siding. Home improvement contracting (HIC) covers repairs or improvements to dwellings and townhouses,^[1] and the RBC building classification also provides for that work.^[1] The Board for Contractors' list of specialty services has no separate siding specialty,^[1] so siding businesses are normally licensed under one of those.

Hire a siding or exterior contractor when:

• The roof is sound and the problem is rotted fascia boards, sagging or loose soffit panels, or holes animals made.
• You want vinyl soffit or aluminum fascia covers. Siding crews install these routinely.
• You are re-siding. Soffit goes up before the top course of siding, so it is usually one job.
• The wood needs paint more than replacement. Painting and wallcovering contracting (PTC) includes surface preparation, caulking and sanding before painting, inside and out,^[1] so a painter may be the right call for sound wood with failing paint.

When it is a third trade

• Rotted rafter tails behind the fascia are framing. A contractor licensed for repairs to the house can do it; if the roof decking is soft too, the roofer will need to be involved.
• Animals in the soffit or attic need to be out before anyone closes the holes. See why birds or squirrels get into soffits.
• Older paint. Under the EPA's rule, anyone paid to disturb paint in a home built before 1978 must be certified, including sole proprietors.^[5] That applies to roofers, siding crews and painters alike.

Licences and permits

Virginia sorts contractors by job size: Class C contractors take jobs over $1,000 but less than $30,000; Class B contractors take jobs of $30,000 or more but less than $150,000; Class A contractors take jobs of $150,000 or more.^[2] Check the actual record, because "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor’s license is valid."^[3]

The Board's own advice is that if you want only roofing or plumbing work, you may want to hire a contractor licensed in that particular specialty,^[3] and that a general building contractor may contract for specialty work but must hold that specialty licence or have a specialty contractor do the work.^[3] So when one business takes on both roof and soffit work, ask which licence covers which part. For more, see how to check a contractor's licence in Virginia.

Permits rarely decide the question. Under the Uniform Statewide Building Code, replacing an unlimited amount of roof covering or siding on a house needs no permit application where the design wind speed is not over 100 miles per hour,^[4] and installation or replacement of trim and application of paint are exempt as well.^[4] But a building official may require a permit for replacement siding and roofing in a locally designated historic district, and for exempt work in a special flood hazard area.^[4] For roofs specifically, see whether you need a permit to replace a roof.

Getting the bids right

The Park Service's maintenance guidance notes: "With the exception of cleaning and minor repairs to gutters and downspouts, most roof maintenance work will necessitate use of an outside contractor."^[6] Whoever you call, get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications,^[3] and write down who handles the gutters, the drip edge, any new vents and the painting. "Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work."^[3] For what drives the price, see what soffit and fascia replacement costs; for siding firms in general, see what to look for in a siding contractor.

Stop and call a pro if

• You see water stains on ceilings or attic sheathing near the eaves, or the roof edge sags.
• The fascia is soft in more than a board or two, or the rafter ends behind it give under a screwdriver.
• Animals are living in the soffit or attic.
• The damaged eaves are above the first storey.

A short run of rot on a one-storey eave may be a job you can do yourself; see how to replace a rotted fascia board.

Getting it done on Loclis

Browse soffit and fascia businesses or roofing businesses, find exterior pros around Blacksburg, or read more exterior answers. Or describe the soffit and fascia job once, with photos, and licensed local businesses will quote it.