Gutter replacement cost depends on how many feet of gutter go up, how many stories the crew works at, the material and thickness, the number of downspouts, and what the crew finds behind the old gutters. Guards, tear-off and the contractor’s overhead and profit sit on top. Ask each contractor which of these the total includes.
What are the line items in a gutter replacement bid?
A gutter replacement bid can cover the gutter run, hangers, downspouts and their discharge, guards, a drip edge, repair of the board behind the gutter, removal of the old system, permits, and the crew’s labor, plus the contractor’s overhead and profit. A bid may list these on separate lines or give one total, so ask which lines the total includes.
Our guide to Gutter Replacement Bids: Linear Feet, Downspouts and What to Check turns these lines into a table you can fill in for each bid. This page answers the earlier question: what moves the price of each line.
What can move each line item?
Each line has its own drivers. The table gives the main lines, what can change each one, and a question to put to every contractor. A blank answer means the bid is silent on that line, and you can ask before you compare the totals.
| Line item | What it is and what can move it | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Linear feet of gutter | The total length of gutter along the roof edges that get one. Material, hangers and labor grow with it, and more corners and lower roof sections mean more pieces. | What total linear feet is in the bid, and which roof edges does it cover? |
| Gutter size and profile | The width of the channel and its shape. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Solution Center lists gutter channels in 4-, 5- and 6-inch sizes, and says that K-style and half-round styles differ mainly in appearance. | What width and profile is on the bid, and why that size for my roof? |
| Material and thickness | Aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, vinyl and zinc differ, and bids can name the same material at different thicknesses. The next section describes the materials. | Which material, finish and thickness or gauge is the gutter, and the downspout? |
| Seamless or sectional | Seamless runs are formed to length, and sectional gutters come in set lengths that are joined. Whether one method costs more depends on the product and the contractor. | Is the run seamless or sectional, and where are the joints? |
| Downspouts: count and size | Each downspout adds material and labor. The Illinois circular sizes downspouts by roof area, and the Department of Energy guide says to install them every 20 to 50 feet along the gutter. | How many downspouts, what size, and how was that worked out? |
| Downspout discharge | Where the water goes once it leaves the downspout. Extensions, splash blocks or buried pipe add parts and labor. A later section gives the distances one Department of Energy guide names. | Where does each downspout discharge, and what extensions or pipe are in the bid? |
| Gutter guards | A screen or cover over the channel. The Illinois circular describes leaf screens made of hardware cloth, expanded metal or plastic mesh. A bid with guards and a bid without them price different jobs. | Are guards included, optional or excluded, and which type? |
| Fascia and soffit repair | The board behind the gutter and the underside of the eave. Rot or damage found when the old gutter comes off can add repair work that a first estimate did not show. | How is fascia or soffit repair priced: per foot, as an allowance, or left for a change order? |
| Tear-off and disposal | Taking the old gutters and downspouts off and hauling them away. A bid that leaves old gutters in place, or leaves hauling to you, prices a different job. | Does the bid remove and dispose of the old gutters and downspouts? |
| Overhead and profit | Overhead is the cost of running the contracting business that is not one job’s materials or crew. Profit is what the contractor keeps after everything else. A bid’s total includes both, whether or not it shows them. | Does the bid show overhead and profit, or fold them into the total? |
How does the gutter material change the cost?
Each material has its own properties, and those properties change what the product is, how it is installed and how it ages. A University of Illinois homeowner circular from 1990 and a U.S. Department of Energy resource guide describe them.
- Aluminum. The Illinois circular says: “Aluminum gutters are more corrosion-resistant than steel, but they are not as strong and they may dent easily.”
- Galvanized or enameled steel. The circular says: “Steel gutters are usually the least expensive; however, they have a shorter life compared to other materials if they are allowed to rust.”
- Copper. The circular says: “Copper gutters are the most expensive of the metal gutters and the most difficult to install.”
- Vinyl (plastic). The circular says: “Plastic expands and contracts with changes in temperature more than any other gutter material.”
- Impact resistance. The Department of Energy guide says: “copper and galvanized steel have the advantage of withstanding impacts from ladders and tree branches better than vinyl and aluminum, which can crack or dent.”
- Zinc. This page has no source on file for zinc gutters, so it makes no claim about them.
The circular is from 1990, and products change. Ask each contractor to name the product and manufacturer in the bid.
Where does the water go, and does that change the bid?
Yes. A downspout that ends at the foundation is a different job from one that carries water away. The Department of Energy guide says downspouts should terminate at least 5 feet from the foundation, or connect to an underground catchment system at least 10 feet away. Extensions, buried pipe and splash blocks add parts and labor.
The Department of Energy page on stormwater and gutters says a few inches of rain on a roof “can produce several thousand gallons of water runoff, which must be channeled away from the building foundation” to keep the basement or crawlspace dry. Ask each contractor to write down where every downspout discharges.
Why do two gutter bids differ, and how do I read one line by line?
Two gutter bids can total different amounts because they price different jobs. One may cover every roof edge where another leaves out the garage, quote thicker metal, add more downspouts, include guards, remove the old gutters or carry a fascia repair allowance. Match the lines first, then compare the totals.
Read each bid in this order, and write a question next to any line that is missing or vague:
- Find the linear feet and the roof edges they cover.
- Find the material, finish, size, profile and thickness.
- Count the downspouts and find their size and discharge.
- Find guards, drip edge and any fascia or soffit repair terms.
- Find what is removed, the warranty and the exclusions.
- Only then compare the totals.
What should I ask every gutter contractor?
Send the same questions to every bidder and ask for written answers:
- What total linear feet is in the bid, and which roof edges does it cover?
- What material, finish, size, profile and thickness are you quoting, for the gutter and the downspout?
- How many downspouts, what size, and where does each one discharge?
- Are guards, a drip edge or apron included, and how is fascia or soffit repair priced?
- Do you remove and dispose of the old gutters, and who applies for any permit?
- What does the warranty cover, and what is excluded?
How does getting bids on one written scope help me compare?
When every contractor prices the same written scope, the lines match, so the totals mean the same thing. Contractors who receive the scope can submit bids, and you compare them side by side. You see where bids differ and ask about each difference, instead of guessing why one number is higher.
If storm damage to your gutters may be part of a claim, your policy and your insurer answer the coverage questions. Otter Quotes does not work with insurance companies.
Where Otter Quotes fits
Otter Quotes creates a written scope of work for your project and sends it to multiple contractors. Every bid is on the same scope and the same measurements, so you are comparing the same job. You compare the bids online, next to reviews and licensing information, without a salesperson visiting your home.
Because contractors know they are competing, they are more likely to include better materials and warranties. Otter Quotes is not a contractor, does not sell upgrades and does not work with your insurance company. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid.
Frequently asked questions
What goes into the cost of gutter replacement?
A gutter replacement price covers the gutter run in linear feet, the material and thickness, hangers, downspouts and their discharge, any guards, repair of the fascia or soffit behind the gutter, removal of the old gutters, permits where required, labor, and the contractor’s overhead and profit. Stories, roof edge access and the number of corners can each move the total.
How many downspouts does my house need?
It depends on the roof and the gutter run. A U.S. Department of Energy resource guide says to install downspouts every 20 to 50 feet along the gutter. The University of Illinois circular sizes a downspout by roof area. Ask each contractor how many downspouts the bid adds, their size, and where the water is sent.
Why does this page not list a price per foot?
A price depends on your house, the material and the contractors bidding, none of which a general page can see, and no primary source on file gives a figure we can stand behind. This page names the line items and what moves them. A written bid for your own house is the number to compare.
Where should a downspout drain?
The U.S. Department of Energy guide says downspouts should terminate at least 5 feet from the foundation, or connect to an underground catchment system at least 10 feet away. Ask each contractor where every downspout discharges and whether extensions or pipe are in the bid.
Why do two gutter bids for one house differ?
Two bids can price different jobs. One may cover more roof edges, quote thicker metal, add downspouts, include guards or carry a fascia repair allowance that the other leaves out. Match the lines first, ask about each difference, then compare the totals.
Sources
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Small Homes Council-Building Research Council, Gutters and Downspouts for the Home, Council Notes, Volume 11, Number 3, 1990.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center, Gutters and Downspouts.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Building Science Education, Stormwater Gutters Downspouts.