The roof edge is three parts: the drip edge (a metal flashing that carries water off the sheathing into the gutter), the fascia (the vertical board the gutters hang on) and the soffit (the underside of the overhang, where the attic's intake vents live). In the Lower Mainland they fail together, and usually from the same cause: water that should have gone into the gutter went behind it instead. Here is what each part does, why they rot here, what repairs cost and what to insist on when you re-roof.
The parts of a roof edge
Sheathing edge. The plywood deck stops at the rafter tails. If water gets to its cut edge, it wicks in and delaminates.
Drip edge. An L- or T-shaped metal flashing nailed over the deck edge and under the underlayment and starter shingles. It kicks water out past the fascia into the gutter and stops wind-driven rain from curling back under the shingles. Many 1970s to 1990s Lower Mainland houses were built without it, with the shingles simply overhanging the edge; that's where the rot starts.
Fascia. The board nailed to the rafter tails, usually 1x6 or 1x8 cedar or spruce, often wrapped in aluminum or vinyl on newer houses. It closes the roof edge and carries the gutters.
Gutter apron. On some roofs, a wider flashing that runs from under the shingles down into the gutter, bridging the gap behind the gutter completely.
Soffit. The panels under the overhang, in plywood, cedar, aluminum or vinyl. Perforated or vented soffit is the attic's intake, and the BC Building Code's 1-in-300 vent rule depends on it.
Why they rot here
Our 1,100 to 1,900 mm of annual rain finds every gap. The usual chain: gutters clog with conifer needles and overflow at the back; without a drip edge or apron, water runs down the fascia and into the soffit; the fascia softens, the gutter hangers pull loose, the gutter sags and holds more water, and the cycle speeds up. Ice at the eave in a cold snap pushes water back under the shingles and does the same from above. Shaded north eaves under trees stay wet for months and rot first.
Moss sliding off the roof and sitting in the gutter, downspouts that drain onto a lower roof, and soffit vents painted shut all add to it. By the time the paint bubbles on the fascia, the wood behind it is usually soft.
Signs of trouble
- Peeling paint, dark staining or soft spots on the fascia, especially behind the gutter
- Gutters pulling away from the house or sagging between hangers
- Water dripping behind the gutter in rain, or running down the siding
- Sagging, stained or holed soffit panels; wasps and birds getting into the overhang
- Shingles that overhang the edge with no metal visible beneath them
- Daylight at the eave from inside the attic
What repairs cost
| Work | Typical price (Lower Mainland) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fascia replacement | $6 to $25 per linear ft (aluminum-clad $8 to $20) | Thin local data; price depends on height and whether gutters come off |
| Soffit replacement | $6 to $20 per linear ft (aluminum $6 to $12) | Single company's published range |
| Drip edge added during a re-roof | Usually included or a few hundred dollars | Insist on it |
| Drip edge retrofit without re-roofing | Small repair, $300 to $600 and up | Shingles have to be lifted; not always possible |
| New 5-inch seamless gutters | $10 to $25 per linear ft, $1,500 to $4,000 per house | Often done with fascia |
| Downspouts | $100 to $300 each |
The fascia and soffit figures come from a single Lower Mainland company's published pricing plus national repair data, so treat them as a guide and get local quotes. Our soffit and fascia service page explains the options.
Fix the order, not just the part
Replacing rotten fascia behind a clogged gutter under a roof with no drip edge fixes nothing for long. The right order on a failing edge is: roof edge (drip edge or apron, sound sheathing) first, then fascia, then gutters, with soffit vents checked and opened. Roofers who do soffit and fascia will usually do all four in one job, and the best time is during a re-roof, when the edge is exposed and the gutters are off anyway.
What to insist on when you re-roof
- Drip edge on every eave and rake, under the underlayment at the eaves and over it at the rakes, in a colour that matches the fascia.
- Starter strip along the eaves, not inverted shingles.
- Eave membrane (ice and water shield) at least 900 mm up from the edge. The code doesn't require it in the Lower Mainland's climate zone, but BC's roofing association and most roofers treat it as standard.
- Sheathing edge inspection with a per-sheet price for replacing soft plywood ($80 to $150).
- Gutter and fascia check with a price for anything that's rotten.
- Soffit vents confirmed open and matched to the ridge vent. See roof ventilation.
Ask for these by name and compare quotes on them; the quote comparison guide puts the roof edge on its checklist because it's where cheap roofs fail first.
Materials for fascia and soffit here
Aluminum-clad wood fascia and vented aluminum soffit are the low-maintenance choice and the most common on re-roofs; they don't rot and the vent area is built in. Painted cedar looks right on character houses but needs repainting every few years and rots at the ends. Fibre cement fascia is gaining ground: it holds paint and doesn't rot, at a higher install price. Vinyl soffit is cheap but brittle in the sun over time. Whichever you pick, the drip edge and the gutters decide how long it lasts.
Common questions
Why doesn't my roof have a drip edge?
Many older Lower Mainland roofs were built without one; the shingles simply overhang the fascia. Water runs back along the underside and rots the fascia. Any proper re-roof adds a drip edge.
Should soffits be vented or solid?
Vented, over any attic. The soffit is the attic's air intake. Solid panels or painted-over vents starve the attic and cause condensation.