If that were my house, I would replace all of that material. It will be a problem. Only question is when. What I see is the definite beginning of the destruction of the material.

As far as DIY, if you have no experience at all, this is not the place to start alone. Replacing the material behind the gutters will require removing the gutters. Which is at the least a two man job, with three a better idea.

The fascia(the part behind the gutters) looks to be a two piece construction. There needs to be a drip edge installed on the top of the piece meeting the shingles. That can be done without removing the shingles. Having at least two people on that job is necessary.

Tearing off the old siding can be easily DIY. Replacing it can also be DIY, depending on what is used as new siding. I have installed siding (vinyl) by myself. I have seen Hardiplank siding methods for one person, but did not ever try any. Always used two or more people.

Thanks for the advise! I'm not sure I'd want to mess around with ripping off the existing siding and replacing it by myself, especially having no previous experience. At the same time, it's hard to stomach the cost of hiring a contractor right now, especially being a one-income family with a two-year old. If the siding issue isn't an immediate threat, and I only took pictures of the areas with visible damage, I may want to hold off on that renovation. At the same time, is there anything I can do to prevent the bad areas from getting worse...paint, sealant, etc.?

With regard to replacing the fascia boards, I feel like this would be a better place to start a DIY. Can you recommend any resources or guides that you feel are particularity helpful for those trying to learn this procedure?

Thanks again!

Basic carpentry for framing/finish trim on houses cover fascia installation. How involved in different types of trim books get depends on the books.

Try your local library first and the books in home improvement store displays second.

Hi ljbrandt,

Have you done your research for the repairs? So what's your plan for the moment since you have limited cash on your hand?

You won't be able to do any fix up on your siding, that just needs to be replaced. A friend of ours was somewhat handy, could handle very basic small fixes, but had never done any thing like siding before. He went and got prices for what he needed for materials at your typical big box stores, siding(vinyl) foam sheets and house wrap. He hired a "handyman" that had done siding before for occasional weekends, every other or so to help and instruct him on what to do. He worked on it for about 2 weeks, nights and weekends. He did also have 2-3 friends helping him. He had a single story rambler so not too much high ladder work. You would be surprised at how "inexpensive" the material is, but do plan on a few things/extra misc. expenses and fixes that may need done also. You will need a permit from the city and a dumpster.

Hi,

My plan for the moment is to leave the siding be for a year or two. When I save enough, I'll most likely hire a reputable contractor to preform the work, since it appears to be a 2-person minimum job.

The fascia boards and gutters I think I can replace on my own, given enough time to read up and research the best methods and materials. I know now that I definitely need to install gutter lips to allow the rain to go into the gutters, not behind them.

I don't see a drip edge for the roof? Is that common where you live? My first home and second home had similar damage and I hired a handyman to rip it out and we replaced it with cedar. Some people use hardy plank now which is good but more dusty when cutting. It does last a life time. It really is not such a big job. I would get that side fixed soon. Rot might bring on mold or termites, carpenter ants etc...you got a highway into your attic right now. There looks like there is water building up behind your gutters. So just tear them down and get if all fixed at the same time. My roofer was not a big believer in rain gutters. He felt they did more harm than good.

You need to install a metal drip edge to keep water from running back under the facia board.

The siding appears to be some kind of pressed fiber board that is extremely vulnerable to moisture at it's exposed edges. You might be able to scrape it, let it dry, then paint the edges. If you can identify it there might be a fund established by the manufacturer for this kind of failure. I know that Louisiana Pacific has had a bad history with fiber board siding but I don't recognize the simulated shingle pattern.

I would be reluctant to start replacing parts of the cladding system unless you can determine for sure that the sheathing behind it is not damaged.

That siding looks pretty old. You might want to make sure there is no asbestos in that siding before you go yanking it off. It would pay to at least get a few contractors out or an asbestos abatement co. to make sure it is asbestos free.
good luck