How to deal with a wood fascia installation I'm not happy with?

Exteriors Roofing
1

I replaced my entire roof and the contractor did a good job. But when he added fascia around the edges, he seemed to do a sloppy job. I contacted him and he said all I needed to do was get it painted. The seams don’t really match, there are some small gaps. I tried to upload images here but the forum doesn’t seem to allow that. I’m curious if other professionals would agree that it’s minor, if you would complain or if you would get it redone?

2

Ronni,

Contractors always use the excuse "don’t gawk, use caulk! Yes, using caulk and paint can hide a lot of imperfections but its not something we should rely on for craftsmanship. Caulk is a maintenance item. Over years the caulk will experience photodegradation, creating moisture intrusion. If moisture gets trapped on untreated materials it will begin to rot. In Florida, we have high humidities that can put a strain on exposed wood material. For this reason, a majority of Contractors are moving away from using wood products on exterior veneers.

Without any pictures, its difficult for me to recommend what I would use to fix the fascia. If you have room behind the eve’s drip, I suggest using Hardie Siding to cover the Fascia. It works great for protection against Carpenter bees, ants, termites and most Wood Destroying Organisms (WDO.) If you don’t have the space to accommodate 5/16" Hardie, try wrapping the Fascia with vinyl or aluminum.

Important lesson here:

  1. Never finalize payment until you are 100% satisfied with product.
  2. Don’t let a roofing contractor handle woodworking.

Regards,

Chester Kimes
ConServe, LLC
CGC1523986
(904) 444-1141

3

It is probably minor if the gaps are 1/8 of an inch or less. Larger gaps are a sign of not the highest quality work.

I would try to get them painted. Express you concerns to your painter. See if he has any suggestions for problem solving.

I would re-check after the paint job. If the painter can make it look right and you don;t have structural concerns then maybe it resolved itself with a good painter.

I think gaps should be minimal and I prefer a tight fit for all wood work. I prefer to prime all six sides and pre-paint before I hang fascia. But, these are things you need to know before you hire someone.

Fascia done the way I would do it will be more on the higher end of the price range.