Questions & Answers

Question: Why should I choose uPVC Fascia Boards over timber?  

Answer: uPVC fascia boards, soffits, gutters and cladding now account for 86% of roofline replacement and new builds in the UK.

The reason behind this is simple as uPVC fascia boards are a highly durable, environmentally friendly, cost effective, safe, secure and robust product. It is now widely recognised that the maintenance (in painting and sanding) and the technical performance of timber (poor thermal efficiency), especially for roofline, is no longer acceptable when compared with uPVC fascia and soffit boards.

uPVC roofline from FasciaExpert.co.uk will not rot, warp, bend or discolour as they are protected by Homeline’s revolutionary Heat Shield technology.  

Question: Fascias and soffits, what are they?

Answer: Fascia boards date back to classical Greek architecture. Fascias are the horizontal band below the roofline which the guttering attaches to. Most Fascias in the UK are now predominantly made from uPVC due to them being so low maintenance and durable. uPVC Soffits bridge the gap between the Fascia board and the brickwork. Very often the Fascia board has a lip, or a groove, in which the Soffit can rest on for additional stability. Together they preserve timber roof structures and brickwork, by transporting water away down the drain. If used in conjunction with the appropriate ventilation they also prevent condensation in your roof space.  

Question: Are FasciaExpert.co.uk's products fully guaranteed?

Answer: All FasciaExpert.co.uk rooflines are manufactured by Homeline Building Products and carry a comprehensive guarantee. Details of these guarantees can be found below.

•  White fascias and soffits - comprehensive 15 year guarantee
  

•  Foiled fascias and soffits - comprehensive 10 year guarantee
  
•  White & Black Gutters - comprehensive 10 year guarantee
  
• Brown & Caramel Gutters - comprehensive 5 year guarantee
  

Question: Is there a difference between a Fascia Board and a Bargeboard?

Answer: In essence they are the same product, but they are used for slightly different applications. A Fascia Board is commonly situated behind the uPVC gutters, and a Bargeboard is commonly located on an apex next to the verge. Both applications can use full replacement Fascia Boards or capping over Fascia Boards.

Question: Roofline lingo, I can’t find what I’m looking for?

Answer: Don’t be alarmed if you can’t find what you’re looking for, it could just be that they are called something slightly different to what you were expecting. Below are the most common phrases that can be referred to as more than one name:

Soffits, Also known as, Multi Boards, Flat Board, Planking, Multi Board, Gee Pee & General Purpose Board.
Reveal Liners, Also known as, Cappit Board, Capp Over Board, Cover Board, Cloaking & Window Board.
Window Trims, Also known as, Trims, Make Up, uPVC Trims & Arc’s.

Question: Is uPVC environmentally friendly?

Answer: Yes. uPVC is 100% recyclable and can be reused up to 10 times. All Homeline uPVC fascias and uPVC soffits are manufactured using environmentally friendly Calcium Zinc in accordance with Vinyl 2010. Some manufacturers still use Lead and Tin rooflines. 

Question: Do fascia boards discolour?

Answer: No, FasciaExpert.co.uk roofline products from Homeline have been manufactured for the same way for the past 30 years. Fascias and soffits do not suffer from discolouration, guaranteed!

Question: What accreditations are there for our fascias and soffits?

Answer: Homeline roofline products carry full BBA, BSI (ISO 9001 & 14001) and Kitemark accreditation meaning they are perfect for both new build and refurbishment DIY projects.

Question: Is it better to have a thicker fascia board installed?

Answer: A 16mm full replacement fascia board, as supplied by FasciaExpert.co.uk, is more than suitable as it’s designed to carry the full weight of roof tiles and guttering. The Homeline roofline system has also been tested and approved by the BBA for wind, snow and rain loading. To ensure our products perform as they should do, our installation guidelines must be adhered to.

Question: Can I use reveal liner (capp over fascia)?

Answer: FasciaExpert.co.uk recommends a full replacement of the old timber for a uPVC roofline replacement as very often you’re just papering over cracks by installing new uPVC over rotten wood. There are certain circumstances however where installers will use cap-over boards effectively. Flat roofs for example can be suitable for cap-over boards if you do not want to disturb the existing roof cover (i.e. Felt or EPDM rubber cover). Other installers apply a plywood face to the roof joists if they are slightly uneven before applying the new uPVC fascia board. 

Question: Are Woodgrain products guaranteed for external use?

Answer: Yes, all Homeline woodgrains are guaranteed for 10 years as long as they are fixed at 400mm centres, not 600mm as with white products. This is to ensure the product doesnt expand and contract in wamrer weather.

Question: Is Hollow soffit suitable for use a cladding?

Answer: Hollow soffit is only suitable for use as a soffit board, not as external cladding.

Question: How long are fascia boards?

Answer: All fascia boards, soffit boards and cladding supplied by FasciaExpert.co.uk are 5m in length. Gutters on the other hand are 4m in length.

Question: What are fascia box end?

Answer: Fascia boxends are generally situated at the corner of your building. The help merge the horizontal run of fascias and soffit into the bargeboard which then follows the verge line towards to apex. Boxends are constructed using 400mm fascia boards tas they provide the extra height needed to match the angle of the verge. This is combined with double ended fascia corners for the extra height they provide.

Question: How quick can you deliver?

Answer: If you place your order for all your fascia and soffit requirements before 11pm between Monday and Friday, then you can choose to have next day delivery. Alternatively you can choose a delivery date in advance which is suitable for you. We recommend ordering the products in plenty of time where possible to avoid any delays in installation.

Question: What if we haven't got it in stock?

Answer: FasciaExpert.co.uk carry the largest stock holding capacity of any online shop selling uPVC fascias and soffits in the UK. Therefore whether you need one length or 100 lengths then look no further as we will have it in stock. This even includes colours such as Black fascias, Grey fascias and Cream fascias. On the rare occasion we have a shortage we will contact you by email or phone.

Question: Why are our prices so good?

Answer: FasciaExpert.co.uk prides itself on offering high quality roofline products and low online prices. This is possible because we have the ability to deliver the roofline products directly from the manufacturer saving you money.  

Question: Do our prices include VAT?

Answer: Yes, our prices are fully inclusive of VAT. Some online retailers only add the VAT once you are through to the checkout. At FasciaExpert.co.uk, the price you see on the product pages is the price you pay.

Question:  Will my existing individual dry verge end caps be compatible with the ones stocked by FasciaExpert.co.uk  

Answer: The individual dry verge end caps we stock are manufactured by Klober. All manufacturers of dry verge supply slightly different profiles, therefore are only compatible with like for like replacements. Klober is one of the largest manufacturers of dry verge – so there is a good chance they are compatible.

Question:  How do I work out how many lengths of uPVC cladding I will need?

 Answer: You don’t want to order more uPVC cladding than you actually need, so here is a useful method of calculating your cladding requirements. The first step is to measure the area you wish to cover, width x height, once this has been done you would need to divide the figure by the below measurements for the relevant material you are proposing to use –

100mm Open V uPVC Cladding – (Code: GOV100W) -divide by 0.5
150mm Shiplap uPVC  Cladding - (Code: GSL150W) - divide by 0.75
300mm Hollow Cladding/Soffit  (Code: GHC300W) - divide by 1.5

You would then need to round the figure up to the nearest complete number to ensure you have full coverage and are not left short.

Question:  What do I use to stick uPVC trims in place?

Answer: We recommend clear silicone to adhere our uPVC trims to the reveals of your windows.  We stock all colours of uPVC window trims from White and Black to Rosewood, Light Oak and Grey.

Question:  How do I connect guttering to outlets, unions and stop ends?

Answer: It is recommended that Silicone lubricant is used in the fitting gutters. It allows for easy fitting when sprayed on the joints, and provides movement when expansion and contraction occurs in the product. 

Question:  How do I clean uPVC products?

Answer: For White uPVC products, we supply a uPVC frame cleaner perfectly suited for cleaning window frames after installation or as a general trade quality solvent cleaner which effortlessly removes stubborn ingrained stains and dirt from PVC. This product is particularly good in helping old windows, fascia’s, soffits and conservatories look like new. For any Woodgrained/Foiled or coloured uPVC products please avoid using any solvent based cleaners, simply use soap, water and our tissue wipe.