[AL_z]

Good day all,

I'd appreciate some advice regarding the fascia board on my house's rear
extension. It was installed in 1991, by the previous owner, and is rotting
at the ends, and the paint is badly flaking off. I have to install some new
guttering, so I must decide whether to replace the fascia boards before I
start doing the guttering. I plan to do this all single-handed, with only a
ladder (no scafolding). The job has to cost as little as possible. However,
once it is done, I don't want to have to worry about it again during my
lifetime, and I could realistically live about another 20 years. I've never
worked on fascias before. It seems a bit daunting, as I don't like heights!

Do you think that replacing them would be worthwhile, or can I ignore a bit
of rot at the ends, provided the boards are still sound enough to support
the guttering?

One thing that occurred to me is that by using new fascia boards, I would
avoid having to strip and repaint the old fascia from up the ladder. If I
use new fascia boards, they could be primed and painted at ground level,
before installing, yes? And then it's just a matter of prying the old
boards off, and nailing the new ones onto the ends of the roof rafters. Is
that correct?

Are there any other options I could look into, like fixing some sort of
cladding over the old fascia? If I opt for entirely new fascias, what are
the options regarding materials? Is timber the only sensible choice, or are
there other, maintenance-free materials these days, that don't cost much
more?

Thanks for any advice.

Al