In short
- Fascia is the board along the roof edge that the eavestroughs bolt to. Soffit closes the underside of the overhang.
- HomeStars' eavestrough guide names hidden fascia or soffit damage among the challenges that raise the cost of a replacement.
- One Ottawa firm lists gutter or fascia repair at $200–$800; no source we opened prints a soffit price, so the company sets the number after it sees the wall.
- The City of Ottawa gives no permit exemption to heritage buildings or Heritage District Overlay properties.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gutter or fascia repair, replacing damaged fascia boards or sections of gutter | $200–$800 | One Ottawa firm’s list (JDM Roofing); soffit has no published price |
Sources. JDM Roofing, Roof Repair Cost, 16.10.2025, seen 29.10.2026 (gutter or fascia repair line). Ice and ventilation: CAA-Quebec, Ice damming on roofs, updated 02.02.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Hidden damage and extra-work questions: HomeStars, eavestrough installation and replacement cost, updated 21.08.2026, and HomeStars, eavestrough companies in Ottawa, both seen 29.10.2026. Permits: City of Ottawa, projects not requiring a building permit and building permit projects, seen 29.10.2026. Work at height: Ontario, Working at heights training, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, Guide for home renovation and roofing businesses, seen 29.10.2026.
What the two boards do
Look up at the edge of the roof. The vertical board running along the ends of the rafters is the fascia. The eavestroughs hang from it. The horizontal panel under the overhang, between the fascia and the wall, is the soffit. Together they close the roof edge so rain, snow, birds and insects stay out of the attic.
Both boards sit where roof water arrives first. An overflowing trough, a slow leak at the edge of the shingles or ice that sits for weeks all land on them.
Signs the boards need work
- Paint peeling in strips along the roof edge, or a soft spot when pressed.
- A dark line under the eavestrough where water has run behind it.
- A trough that sags or pulls away from the wall.
- A soffit panel that droops, has a stain or has a gap at the wall.
- A hole at the corner that birds, wasps or squirrels use.
- Water stains on the ceiling under an outside wall.
Send photos of each. Rot in the wood itself is confirmed on site.
Repair or replace
A short stretch of fascia can be cut out and spliced. A run with rot at several points is usually replaced whole, because new wood spliced to wet old wood fails again. Soffit panels are replaced by section, and the type you choose matters: vented panels let the attic breathe, and solid ones close it off.
Because the eavestroughs bolt to the fascia, the company either takes the troughs down and puts them back, or replaces them. That is why the eavestroughs page and the eavestrough cost guide are worth a look together. HomeStars’ Ottawa page says hidden problems, such as rotted wood or poorly placed vents, only show up once old gutters are removed, and suggests asking how the company communicates extra work and whether it pauses for approval.
Ventilation and ice dams
Soffit vents are the intake half of the attic’s airflow. CAA-Quebec says ice along roof edges usually comes from poor attic ventilation and inadequate soffit ventilation, and that heat escaping into the attic keeps melting the snow above. Insulation pushed hard against the eaves can block the vents from inside. When a company replaces soffit, ask whether the new panels have vents and whether baffles keep a gap between insulation and roof deck. The ice dams guide explains the full mechanism, and roof ventilation covers the exhaust side.
Rules, ladders and paperwork
Work at the roof edge means ladders, scaffolding or lifts. Anyone on that ladder or lift for a construction job in Ontario, using fall protection, needs approved working at heights training. Ask the company whether its crew has it.
Permits are a separate question. The City of Ottawa lists structural repairs and alterations as needing a permit and gives heritage buildings no exemptions. A repair that reaches the rafter ends is structural. On paper, Ontario’s contract guide wants anything over $50 written out with the total, taxes, schedule and payment terms, and the bill can top the estimate by a tenth only through a change you sign.
Timing in Ottawa
Fall suits an inspection: leaves are down, the troughs are visible and the boards can be checked before the first freeze. Spring thaw is when staining under the eaves becomes visible. If a roof replacement is already planned, the roof replacement page is the place to say so, because the boards are easiest to redo while the old shingles are off.
Who you are dealing with
An independent Ottawa company that works on roof edges receives what you send. Someone from that firm checks the boards behind the trough, prices the repair and does it under its own contract.
Questions to ask the company
- Do you replace the fascia board, or cover the old one with aluminum wrap? What happens to the wood underneath?
- Does the soffit you install have vents, and will they stay clear of attic insulation?
- If you open the board and find rot further along, do you stop and call me before charging for it?
- Are the eavestroughs taken down and put back, or replaced, and which price covers that?
- Who paints or finishes the new boards, and is that in the quote?
Have this ready for the call
- Which walls show the problem, and whether it is the first or second storey.
- Photos from the ground and, if you can take them safely, close-ups of peeling paint, gaps, stains or holes.
- Whether the eavestroughs overflow or sag along the same wall.
- Any ice build-up at the eaves last winter, or water stains on ceilings under that wall.
- Whether the house is heritage-listed or in a heritage district.
Questions people ask
How do I know the fascia is rotten?
Signs people report are paint that peels in strips, wood that feels soft or crumbles, dark streaks under the eavestrough, and a trough that pulls away because the screws have lost their grip. A company confirms by probing the board on site. Send photos of each wall in the request.
Can I just paint over the damage?
Paint does not stop water getting behind the board, and the cause is usually water: an overflowing trough, a leak at the roof edge or ice at the eaves. A company has to find that source first, otherwise new boards fail the same way. Say what you have seen near the damage.
Why do soffits have holes or slots?
They are vents. CAA-Quebec says cold outside air should reach the attic through openings in the eaves, which must stay open and free of blockages. A soffit swapped for a solid panel, or vents buried under insulation, can feed ice dams.
Is aluminum wrap on fascia a good idea?
It depends on the board underneath. Wrap over sound wood keeps weather off it. Wrap over wet or rotted wood hides a problem that keeps spreading. Ask the company to check the wood first and to say in writing what lies under the metal.
Do I need a permit to replace soffit and fascia?
The City of Ottawa page on projects without a permit does not list soffit or fascia in the text we read, and structural repairs or alterations need a permit. Call 3-1-1 or write buildingpermits@ottawa.ca with the scope, and ask the company who handles it.
