Find the right finish for your home
The material and colour you settle on shape two things at once: how your roofline performs, and how your home looks from the street. This guide runs through the main material types, the colours and finishes on offer, the profiles you can pick, and how to land on a finish that suits your property.
What is a roofline made from?
Fascias, soffits, guttering and cladding are usually made from one of three materials. Each has its own strengths and its own natural home on a property.
uPVC
The material most rooflines are made from. uPVC resists rot and never needs repainting, which keeps upkeep and cost down. It comes in a broad range of colours and woodgrain finishes, and suits the great majority of homes.
Best for: most domestic fascias, soffits, guttering and downpipes, where low upkeep and value matter.
Aluminium
Rigid, strong and long-lived, aluminium is often chosen for guttering and fascias on larger or more exposed properties. It holds its line over long runs, and powder-coating opens up a wide choice of colours.
Best for: exposed, larger or higher-specification properties, and long seamless gutter runs.
Composite Cladding
Composite boards blend materials into a durable, textured wall finish that asks little in the way of maintenance. It's used for exterior cladding rather than gutters, adding character and protection to external walls.
Best for: decorative, hard-wearing wall cladding and architectural detailing.
Materials at a glance
A quick summary to help you weigh up the options. We confirm the right specification for your property at the assessment. Treat this as a general guide, not a recommendation for any particular home.
| Material | Typical use | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC | Fascias, soffits, guttering, downpipes | Low-maintenance, wide colour choice, cost-effective |
| Aluminium | Guttering and fascias on larger or exposed homes | Rigid, long-life, powder-coated colours, holds long runs |
| Composite | Exterior wall cladding | Textured, hard-wearing, decorative, low upkeep |
Colours and finishes
The finish you pick sets the character of your property, from bright traditional white to a deep modern grey or a timber-effect foil. These are the options we work with most often.
White
The traditional, bright and familiar choice. Clean, and easy to coordinate with almost any property.
Anthracite Grey
A modern favourite, often close to RAL 7016. Pairs naturally with grey windows and newer builds.
Black
A bold, defined edge that suits both period homes and modern properties after strong contrast.
Rosewood
A rich, reddish-brown woodgrain foil for a warm, traditional timber look without the upkeep.
Golden Oak
A lighter, honey-toned woodgrain that complements brick, stone and softer classic facades.
Irish Oak
A mid-brown woodgrain with a natural grain effect, a popular alternative to painted timber.
Black Ash
A dark woodgrain foil that pairs a contemporary tone with a subtle, textured grain.
Aluminium colours
Powder-coated aluminium opens up a further range of solid colours for a crisp, flat look.
Profiles and styles, explained simply
Colour is only half of it. The shape of your boards and gutters (the profile) does just as much for the overall look. Here's what the common terms actually mean.
Gutter profiles
Square (or squareline) gutter has flat, straight sides for a clean, modern edge. Ogee gutter has a decorative S-shaped front face that echoes traditional cast iron, which is why it suits period and character homes. Both carry rainwater well; the choice mostly comes down to appearance and the volume of water you need to move. Our guttering page goes into more detail.
Fascia profiles
Flat fascia is a simple, square-edged board for an understated finish. Ogee fascia carries a shaped, decorative profile with a stepped front. Bullnose fascia has a gently rounded top edge for a softer look. Which one is right usually comes down to matching the existing style of your home and your bargeboards.
Do your soffits need ventilation?
Your soffits (the boards beneath the roof overhang) do more than finish the underside of the roofline. Where ventilation is needed, air drawn through the roof space helps manage condensation in the void, and that in turn protects the roof structure above it.
The airflow can be built into the soffit boards themselves or added through separate vents. Solid boards may be fine where ventilation is handled elsewhere. How much you need, and of what kind, depends on the way your roof is built, so we assess it as part of the quotation rather than assume one approach fits every home.
How do you choose the right finish?
With so many combinations on the table, a few simple questions usually narrow things down to the finish that's right for your home.
Match your windows
Picking up the colour of your window frames is one of the easiest routes to a cohesive look: anthracite roofline with grey windows, or a woodgrain finish to echo timber features.
Period or modern?
Ogee gutters and shaped fascias tend to suit older and character properties. Flat profiles and anthracite or black finishes lend a cleaner, more modern edge.
Think about kerb appeal
Look at your brickwork, roof tiles and doors together. A finish that works with the whole facade lifts the look of the property and shows it at its best.
Materials & finishes questions
There is no single best material. uPVC suits most homes for its low cost and low upkeep; aluminium is favoured where strength and a long life on exposed or larger properties matter; composite cladding adds texture to walls. The right choice depends on your property, exposure and the look you want, which we assess before advising.
Coloured and woodgrain-foiled finishes can differ in price from standard white, as can specific profiles and systems. Rather than quote a blanket figure, we confirm the exact materials, colours and their cost in your written quotation.
Often, yes. Many homeowners coordinate the roofline with window frames, for example anthracite grey roofline with grey windows, or a woodgrain finish to echo timber features. We will help you choose a colour and profile that works with your windows, doors and brickwork. For more questions, see our FAQs.
Ready to choose your finish?
Tell us about your property and the look you are after. We will talk through materials, colours and profiles and confirm availability in a written quotation.