Soffit painting in Exeter
Professional soffit painting services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£210-£360
Typical Duration
3-6 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Soffits painted with proper exterior paint to protect timber and complete your roofline. Prepared, primed if needed, and two coats applied for lasting weather protection.
Protect Your Roofline Before It Rots
Soffits are out of sight under your roof edge, but they're taking a hammering from weather. Unpainted or poorly maintained timber soffits rot from the outside in. By the time you notice, you're replacing boards, not just painting them.
💡 Pro tip: Soffits aren't just decorative - they protect your roof timbers and provide essential loft ventilation. Let them rot and you're looking at structural problems and damp in your roof space. A paint job every few years is cheap insurance.
Why Professional Soffit Painting Matters
Anyone can paint soffits. Getting even coverage on awkward overhead surfaces while working at height takes experience and proper access.
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Safe, stable access (scaffold/tower) | Dodgy ladder position |
| Clean, dry surface before painting | Paint straight over dirt and cobwebs |
| Two coats, working overhead without drips | Patchy coverage, paint everywhere below |
| Ventilation holes kept clear | Painted over vents (causes condensation) |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Access | Safe working platform (ladder/scaffold/tower) |
| Prep | Clean surface, scrape loose paint, fill if needed |
| Paint | Two coats exterior wood paint, vents kept clear |
📦 You're Left With
- Protected timber that'll last years longer
- Fresh, clean roofline
- Ventilation maintained (no blocked vents)
Pricing Guide
Access costs vary massively depending on your property.
| Property Type | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Bungalow (ladder access) | 3-4 hrs | £160-£210 |
| Two-storey house side | 4-5 hrs | £210-£260 |
| Full house (scaffold needed) | 5-6 hrs | £260-£310 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Scaffolding hire NOT included - add £200-400 depending on property size and access.
⚠️ Access costs: For two-storey properties, scaffold hire often costs more than the painting labour. If you're having gutters, fascias, or roof work done, get the soffits painted at the same time while access is already up.
Perfect For Your Project If...
✅ Timber protection - catch it before rot sets in
✅ Full roofline refresh - doing fascias and gutters too
✅ Selling your house - scruffy roofline is the first thing buyers see
✅ Regular maintenance - keep everything weather-tight
Why Choose Us for Soffit painting in Exeter?
Weather protection for vulnerable timber
Clean finish with no drips or runs
Sealed against damp and rot
Exterior-grade paint used throughout
What to Expect
Step 1: Access Setup
Safe working platform sorted - ladders for bungalows, scaffold/tower for two-storey. Can't rush this bit, it needs to be safe.
Step 2: Clean & Prep
Brush off cobwebs, bird muck, and dirt. Scrape any loose or flaking paint. Check for rot - soft wood needs replacing, not painting over.
Step 3: Paint Two Coats
Two coats of exterior wood paint applied overhead. Keep ventilation holes clear. Clean edges where soffit meets fascia and wall.
🔧 DIY Tips
Fancy doing it yourself? Here's what you need to know:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Safe, stable access (ladder standoff or scaffold tower)
- 2-3 inch brush for cutting in
- Small roller for flat soffits (faster and less drips)
- Scraper for loose paint
- Sugar soap for cleaning
- Exterior wood paint (undercoat and top coat)
🪜 Safety first
- Don't use ladders unless you're confident working at height
- Ladder needs standoff so it's not resting on gutters
- Never overreach - move the ladder
- Scaffold tower is safer for whole-house jobs
- Don't work in windy conditions
🎨 Painting overhead
- Clean everything first - cobwebs and dirt show through paint
- Work in sections to keep a wet edge
- Don't overload your brush - causes drips on you
- Use a small roller on flat soffits (quicker, neater)
- Keep ventilation holes clear - don't paint them shut
- Two thin coats beat one thick one
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Unsafe ladder position (resting on gutters, too steep)
- Painting over dirt and loose paint
- Blocking ventilation holes with paint
- Painting in damp conditions (won't dry properly)
- Only doing one coat (always looks patchy on overhead work)
💡 Pro trick: Use a small foam roller on flat soffits instead of a brush - much faster and you get smooth coverage without the arm-ache. The roller also means far fewer drips landing on you or the ground. Save the brush for edges and detailed bits.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Colour matching: Soffits usually match your fascias - typically white or cream. If you're painting both, get them done together with the same paint. Mismatched whites look rubbish and show you did them at different times.
Doing fascias and gutters too? Definitely get it all done while the access is set up - scaffold costs are the killer on roofline work, so maximise what you get done.
Found rot while prepping? Stop and get it replaced before painting. Paint won't fix rotten wood, and painting over rot just hides the problem until it gets worse. I can replace damaged sections before painting if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What actually are soffits?
They're the horizontal boards under your roof overhang - the bit you see when you look up at your roofline from below. They protect the roof timbers from weather and usually have ventilation holes for your loft. Often made of timber or uPVC.
Can you paint uPVC soffits or just wooden ones?
Wooden soffits, yes - that's what needs regular painting to stop rot. uPVC soffits don't usually need painting (that's the point of them), but they can be painted if you want to change the colour. Needs special uPVC paint and careful prep to make it stick.
How do you reach the soffits to paint them?
Ladders for bungalows and single-storey extensions. Scaffolding or a tower for two-storey houses. Access is usually the biggest cost factor - if you're having gutters cleaned or fascias painted, get the soffits done at the same time while the access is already sorted.
How often do soffits need painting?
Wooden soffits usually need doing every 5-8 years depending on which way they face. South and west get more sun and rain so fade faster. If the paint is flaking or the wood looks dry and grey, it's time. Catching it before the wood rots saves you a fortune in replacements.
Will you do the fascias at the same time?
Absolutely - makes sense to do both while the access is set up. Fascias and soffits usually need the same prep and paint, so it's efficient to do them together. I'll quote for both if you want.
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