Damaged soffit and fascia on an inspection report
Soffit and fascia repair is priced by the foot. Get the rot and its water source priced in writing, then ask the seller for that.
Updated · By 
Ben Sikes
What does damaged soffit and fascia mean on an inspection report?
Damaged soffit and fascia means the wood at your roof edge is failing, usually from water. Fascia is the board at the roof edge that holds the gutters. Soffit is the board under the overhang. Before your deadline, have a carpenter or roofer price the damaged run in writing, then ask the seller for that figure. The house is not yours yet, so ask the seller, through your agent, for permission for the contractor to open or probe the run.
Key takeaways
- Thirty feet of rotted soffit and fascia comes to $1,170 to $1,800 at Fixr's replacement rates, paint included.
- Rot needs water. Ask the bidder to name where the water comes from, not just price the wood.
- Rot can reach the rafter tails behind the fascia. Those are priced separately, per board foot, and only if the seller lets the contractor open the run.
What does soffit and fascia repair cost?
Soffit and fascia work is priced by the linear foot, and the price climbs from patching to replacement. Match the row to what your contractor writes down.
| Scope | Source | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Patch cracks or replace a small section, labor only | Fixr | $225 to $600 |
| Eave repair, national range | Fixr | $460 to $1,330 |
| Replace fascia, labor and materials | Fixr | $15 to $20 per foot |
| Replace soffit, labor and materials | Fixr | $20 to $30 per foot |
| Replace fascia, range across materials | This Old House | $7 to $40 per foot |
| Replace rafter tails | Fixr | $6 to $12 per board foot |
Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote. See Kept to price the rest of the report.
Say your report flags rot along 30 feet of the back eave. At Fixr's replacement rates, new fascia is 30 × $15 = $450 to 30 × $20 = $600. New soffit is 30 × $20 = $600 to 30 × $30 = $900. Fixr puts painting at $4 to $10 a foot, so 30 × $4 = $120 to 30 × $10 = $300. Priced part by part, the run comes to $1,170 to $1,800.
That leaves out rafter tails. Ask the seller, through your agent, for permission for the contractor to open or probe the run. If they refuse, ask the bidder to price the rafter tails as an allowance per board foot. Also ask the contractor to say whether the bid covers taking down and rehanging the gutters. The written bid settles the total.
How serious is damaged soffit and fascia?
How serious it is depends on how far the water went. Wood rot is caused by fungi, and those fungi need water to survive, says the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI). It lists damaged flashing and ice dams among the sources. Advanced decay leaves wood "unable to support much weight."
The board you can see is often only part of it. This Old House says water at the roof edge often affects more than one component. Its repair checks the rafters behind the soffit and replaces any rotted one "to ensure the structural integrity of your roof overhang." Opening the soffit can also turn up pests.
Two signs point to a bigger job. A building-supply guide says fascia that can't hold the gutters needs replacing. It adds that leaks at the soffit or fascia often point to a roof or gutter problem.
Can damaged fascia be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Damaged fascia can be repaired when the damage is a small crack or hole. Fixr puts a patch at $100 to $200 per hole. The supply guide says minor rot can be cut out, treated and filled.
Large soft or crumbling sections, or severe sagging, call for replacement, the supply guide says. This Old House warns that replacing only the visibly failed section "can leave weakened wood in place." Ask the contractor to write down which fix each run needs, since that sets the line you ask for.
Fixr says some repairs may be DIY, but it recommends a pro because water damage can run further than a visual check shows. If you plan to take a credit and do it yourself later, still get the bid first.
Who can price it before your deadline?
A carpenter or roofer can price it. Fixr says to have one inspect the entire area when you find fascia damage, not just the spot on the report. Siding installers and general contractors work on eaves too.
The work itself is short. Fixr puts a small patch or section at 3 to 4 hours. This Old House says 300 feet of soffit on a one-story home takes one to two days. How to get repair estimates during the inspection period covers getting the bid back in time.
Ask for three things in writing: the length to replace, the price, and the water source. If the report also flags attic airflow through the soffit vents, that's its own line: see attic ventilation on an inspection report.
What should you ask the seller for?
Ask for a named fix with the bid behind it. Replace 30 feet of rotted fascia and soffit at the rear eave is a scope. Fix soffit is not.
- Ask for a credit in the bid amount if you'd rather hire your own contractor and see what's behind the boards yourself.
- Ask for the repair if you want it done before closing. Include the water source in the scope, and ask for the invoice.
What to ask for after a home inspection covers which items are worth asking about. The buyer repair request letter template has the wording.
What if the seller says no?
If the seller says no, a short run of rotted trim is still a repair you can price and budget. You can pay the bid yourself, offer to split it, or ask for a smaller credit. What changes the decision is rot running into the rafters. Get that priced before your deadline. Your contract sets the deadline and terms, so confirm the dates with your agent.
For the other outside items a report can flag, see exterior findings on an inspection report.
How do you know what the rest of your report is worth?
If the eaves are one line of many and your deadline is close, upload your inspection report to Kept and spend your bids where they count.
Sources
Cost figures are modeled from public wage and materials data unless a line says observed. Kept is accountable for the numbers on this page, and corrections go to support@usekept.com. How we price.