Rotting wood by guttering facia

[Aure]

Hi All,

I'm a first-time poster here and just about to buy my first house.

One of the properties I am looking at seems pretty ideal for us but does have some issues with some broken floorboards (which I know I can fix relatively quickly) and some other minor issues; one problem I have come across, though I am unsure.

Some of the guttering is hanging down due to rotting wood. There were tenants in the house, and the neighbours reported it only a week ago (I have spoken to them) as they saw it break. It's been quite dry recently, So not worried about water from the gutter landing on the floor; there is a drain there anyway.

I have looked on Checkatrade, and to get a professional to do it costs about £800; some family members are telling me not to bother buying the house, though, as it could cost tens of thousands if there are more significant issues with the roof, but I'm not sure.

So I have a few questions.

1. Do you think this is a +10k job?
2. Do you think it's just a case of replacing the wood, soffit/facia and guttering like suggested on Checkatrade?
3. Is this a job to leave to a professional, considering I have never done anything like this before (even though I like trying my hands and new things)?
4. Could I get someone to come out a take a look as part of a viewing? I am not sure how that etiquette works.

Photos Attached

I appreciate any help.

 

[opps]

I am a decorator and not a roofer.

The barge board can probably be repaired by removing any rotten timber and splicing in fresh timber and "gluing" it with epoxy resins. The horizontal section, it will be cheaper to replace the timber.

It isn't a big job, but to do it properly, you need scaffolding.

A single lift scaffolding, if you know someone and are willing to pay cash, for that small area you could get a kindly scaffolder to erect a "tower" for less than £200.

Epoxy resin to splice the timber, £25 if you buy it from Oxera. You will need an oscillating saw to cut away the rotten timber (beg, borrow, steal). You will additionally need the double barrel gun to dispense the epoxy. Then need a decent sander to sand away the excess resin... and then prime, undercoat and paint the timber.

I can't comment on the price that you have been offered, I have no idea if they are going to replace all of the timber or splice some in.

As a decorator, I am concerned about the fact that I can see the knots and harder grain lines. I suspect that it has been previously painted with a low sheen waterbased paint. Had it been painted with black oil based gloss, the sheen level would consistent.

As a short term fix, you may be able to move the gutter fixing to the left of the image, assuming that you can find sound timber.

Hopefully, a roofer here can explain why the timber is so rotten.

How old is the property?

Edit... I cannot, from your pictures, see why the whole roof might need replacing... again, I am a decorator and not a roofer.

 

[Aure]

Thanks for the info.

The property was built in 1991, I did think that it looked like it had previously been patched over, as I could see a cable tie which I can't seem to spot in the photo.

Unfortunately, also it is right above the parking space. It is a concern how it is that rotten on one side though, I guess that could indicate a bigger issue.

 

[opps]

Thanks for the info.

The property was built in 1991, I did think that it looked like it had previously been patched over, as I could see a cable tie which I can't seem to spot in the photo.

Unfortunately, also it is right above the parking space. It is a concern how it is that rotten on one side though, I guess that could indicate a bigger issue.

Again, I am not a roofer. I think that the timber was painted with cheap (read: pants) waterbased paints, hence the lack of longevity.