Roofing
Gutters, fascia and soffit
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Gutters, fascia and soffit: what the job involves
Repairing or replacing gutters, downpipes, fascia and soffit boards — the rainwater goods and the boards behind them at the eaves. Most Irish houses now have uPVC; older ones may have cast iron or timber fascia that has rotted.
Also asked for as: gutter repair · gutter replacement · downpipe · leaking gutter · uPVC fascia
How the job is usually done
- Check the run from the ground and a ladder: leaking joints, sagging brackets, overflowing corners and rotten fascia.
- Agree repair or replacement, the profile and colour, and whether fascia and soffit are included.
- Set up access: ladders with stand-offs for a short repair, a tower or scaffold for a full replacement.
- Remove the old gutters, then the fascia and soffit if they are being replaced, and check the rafter ends.
- Fit new fascia and soffit (or cap the old boards), with eaves ventilation and a bird comb or eaves protector.
- Fit the gutter on brackets to a steady fall, the downpipes and the connection into the drain or gully.
- Run water through the system and clear the site.
Gutters, fascia and soffit: what is included
Usually included
- Removing the old gutters and downpipes
- New gutters, brackets, outlets and downpipes to the agreed profile and colour
- Testing the run with water
- Taking away the old materials
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Fascia and soffit, unless agreed
- Replacing rotten rafter ends behind the fascia
- Clearing or repairing the underground drain the downpipe goes into
- Scaffolding on three-storey houses, unless agreed
Materials and who supplies them
- uPVC gutter in half-round, square or ogee profile, or aluminium or cast iron on older houses
- Fascia and soffit boards, usually uPVC, with vents and a bird comb
- Brackets, unions, stop ends, outlets and downpipe clips
How long it takes
One or two days for a typical house; a full fascia and soffit replacement, a third storey or rotten rafter ends add time.
When to book
Any time of year, but autumn before the leaves fall and the heavy rain starts is when an overflowing gutter does most damage.
Gutters, fascia and soffit: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
Roof work must be planned so nobody can fall from the edge or through the roof: scaffolding or edge protection, roof ladders, and covers or nets over fragile sheets and roof lights. The HSA code of practice sets out what that means in practice.
Applies to: the roofer, as employer or self-employed contractor
Health and Safety Authority — Code of Practice for Safety in Roofwork; Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Part 4 (work at height) · hsa.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Birds often nest at the eaves and bats can roost behind fascia and soffit. Wild birds’ nests in use are protected, and bat roosts need a licence before they are disturbed — check before stripping the boards, especially from spring to late summer.
Applies to: the homeowner and the installer
Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2021; Habitats Regulations 2011 — National Parks and Wildlife Service · npws.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
What gutters, fascia and soffit costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Length of the run and the height of the house
- Gutters only, or fascia and soffit as well
- Access: ladders, a tower, a cherry picker or scaffolding
- Rotten rafter ends or timber fascia found behind the old boards
- Material and profile: standard uPVC, colour-matched, aluminium or cast iron
- VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced 13.5% rate by a VAT-registered roofer, unless materials are more than two-thirds of the price (Revenue’s two-thirds rule)
- VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.
Paperwork to ask for at the end
- A receipt naming the system, profile and colour, so it can be matched later
- The installer’s guarantee, and the manufacturer’s on uPVC boards
Safety
- Leaning a ladder on a plastic gutter is how both the gutter and the person end up on the ground; a stand-off is needed.
- Do not reach out from a ladder to the far end of a run: move the ladder.
- Old timber fascia painted before the 1980s may have lead paint; avoid sanding it.
Gutters, fascia and soffit: before you hire
Questions to ask a tradesperson
- Are fascia and soffit included, or gutters only?
- Will you overclad the old fascia or replace it, and why?
- How do you get up there — ladders, tower or scaffold?
- Is VAT included?
What you can do yourself
Clearing leaves from a bungalow gutter from a properly footed ladder is a reasonable homeowner job; working above first-floor height is not.
What to put in your task
- What needs doing?
- How high is the house?
- Is the house detached, semi-detached or terraced?
- What are the gutters made of now?
Photos that help
- Each side of the house from the ground showing the whole gutter run
- The leaking joint, sagging section or rotten fascia close up
- Where the downpipes go into the ground
Gutters, fascia and soffit by county
Choose your county for gutters, fascia and soffit close to home.
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Dublin
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Cork
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Galway
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Kildare
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Limerick
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Meath
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Tipperary
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Donegal
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Wexford
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Kerry
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Wicklow
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Mayo
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Louth
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Waterford
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Clare
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Kilkenny
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Westmeath
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Laois
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Cavan
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Offaly
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Sligo
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Roscommon
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Monaghan
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Carlow
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Longford
- Gutters, fascia and soffit in Leitrim
Roofing
Need gutters, fascia and soffit? Describe the job.
Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about gutters, fascia and soffit
Does gutters, fascia and soffit need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
Why does my gutter overflow at one corner?
Usually a blockage at the outlet or the angle, a bracket that has dropped so the fall runs the wrong way, or a downpipe that is too small for the roof above. Clearing it fixes the first; the others need the run re-set.
Should fascia and soffit be done at the same time as the gutters?
If the fascia is rotten or painted timber that needs redoing every few years, yes — the gutter has to come off to replace it anyway. If the boards are sound uPVC, new gutters can go on the existing fascia.
What is the soffit for?
It closes the underside of the eaves and usually carries vents that let air into the roof space. Blocking that ventilation can cause condensation in the attic, so replacement boards should keep it.