The overhang keeps rain off your walls and shades your windows. Here is what it is made of, how wide it usually is and what extending or repairing it costs.
What it is
What a roof overhang does
The overhang, or eave, is the part of the roof that extends past the exterior walls. It throws rainwater away from the siding, windows and foundation, shades the walls and windows from high summer sun and gives the soffit vents somewhere to sit.
The overhang is made up of the rafter tails, the fascia board on the front and the soffit underneath. On a gable end the overhang is called a rake.
Sizes
How wide should a roof overhang be?
There is no single right width. Many homes have overhangs in the range of 1 to 2 feet; HomeGuide prices soffits by that 1 to 2 foot width. Deeper overhangs shade more and protect siding better, but catch more wind uplift, so the framing has to be designed for it under the building code.
Homes with little or no overhang can still be ventilated with a vented drip edge or roof-edge intake vent. See soffit vent types.
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