Trade workmanship on UVPC fascia fitting

[Qichina]

Just had a firm to replace UVPC soffits fascia and bargeboards. On the back of the house the fascia is bowing out and two joined sections don't align, and the joint cover won't lie flat.

I'd be very grateful if a professional on the forum can tell me if they think this is acceptable workmanship. So far the company have said that it's like that probably because the rafters are protuding different lengths and the fascia follows the line of the rafter feet. So there's nothing they can do. Is this reasonable? In some places the soffit is a close fit on the fascia lip, elsewhere it's about 1cm difference (leaving only 5mm of soffit resting inside the fascia lip)

I thought you were supposed to get a stringline to ensure fascias were straight and parallel - and either shave or pack rafter ends to get a straight line?

If anyone can help - I have to talk to them further about this - I'm really need some ideas on what to say. It looks awful, is that the norm I should expect?
Hopefully you can see pictures attached:

Untitled

• Qichina
• 13 Jul 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Qichina
• 13 Jul 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Qichina
• 13 Jul 2011
• 1

//www.diynot.com/network/Qichina/albums/9329
THANKS!

 

[Framer]

it does not look a good job but is very typical for the standard of work these firms produce

unfortunately it is all about price in the upvc business

did you go for the cheapest quote?

 

[Qichina]

Thanks for the lightning quick response.

No it wasn't the cheapest quote - we went for them because their website stressed the high quality professional workmanship from a firm who've been doing it for 35 years and "well known for the sheer quality of our work".

 

[Framer]

if you are not happy give them a call and discuss it with them, if they are a reputable company they will sort everything out so both partys are happy

 

[Mw Roofline]

"well known for the sheer quality of our work".

If my lads did that they'd get my boot up their behind. The fascia needs to come off, some blocks screwed to the rafters with a stringline so the new fascia sits nice and flat and straight.

 

[Nige F]

Would the "sheer quality" lead us to their website - I`m off googling

 

[Mw Roofline]

Would the "sheer quality" lead us to their website - I`m off googling

Done it

http://www.aceroofing.co.uk/services/fascias-and-soffits/

 

[Nige F]

Good work - you`d get a job as a Private Dick

 

[Pinnacle69]

i would second what mw roofline said to do it properly it needs string lining and either chocking the rafters or cutting them all back to a straight reference line. However i think if they came back to your job they wouldnt go to this length probably just move tiles and prise off the fascia in the area where it bowed then pack it off and knock polytop back in?

 

[Mw Roofline]

Qichina, what was the outcome then?

 

[Qichina]

Thanks to all who've helped on this forum.
The outcome was that they packed out the fascia board under the join so that it's better.

However, they finished off the barge-board/front fascia corner on the other side and it's revealed a similar problem. I don't think there is a 90 degree angle anywhere. On request they did a bit of it, but it still looks wrong - basically because the front fascia is bowed, their's no way adjoing sections look square.

I was told that they normally just nail fascias and soffits to what's there - and shouldn't expect the rafter ends to be aligned in an old house like mine ( old? - it's a town-house built in 1970, probably at time of strictest building regs). Thanks to you guys on this forum I argued about string-lines and chocking any short rafters. The excuse was that if you use blocks to lengthen the rafter ends then the gutter will miss the tile-line!

This was originally supposed to be a 3 day job, but it's lasted 3 weeks. Wages lost on three separate occasions waiting for someone to come at an appointed time who didn't - no forewarning, no apologies. There were all sorts of things we had to raise with them - eg downpipe wedged hard onto drain not allowing room for thermal expansion, the other downpipe with only 3 brackets, a line of mastic only half finished above a window lintel, a brick dislodged leaving a gaping hole under a soffit, etc etc etc. In what other job is the customer expected to know as much as the professional in order to get any kind of quality control? If I was some little old lady unaware of any problems, then presumably they'd leave it like that and take the money and run.

It was like a war of attrition, and in the end I paid up. I just wanted them out of our lives forever. I can't see that this is a sensible way to run a business, but I guess they don't care - it's a once-off job so there's no question of repeat business. If they had said that the job would include a proper levelling off of rafter ends if needed, but that would add half a day to the labour charge - I would have willingly paid it. My prime concern was a quality job that would enhance the house's appearance and value. If we sell the house as we head for retirement, I think a discerning buyer could easily use the "wonkiness" of the joins etc to suggest a cut in price. I wouldn't blame them.