Gutter Installation

What a new gutter system includes

A good quote lists each of these parts, so you can compare estimates line by line.

• Gutter runs, usually seamless aluminum formed to the exact length of each roof edge
• End caps and mitered corners where two runs meet
• Outlets cut into the gutter floor where water drops into the downspouts
• Downspouts, elbows and the straps that hold them to the wall
• Hangers that carry the weight of water, leaves and winter ice
• Extensions or splash blocks that move water away from the foundation

Downspouts: 2x3 or 3x4

Downspouts usually limit a system before the gutter does. A 3x4-inch downspout has twice the opening of a 2x3, so it moves far more water and is much less likely to clog with oak tassels, maple seeds and pine needles. Six-inch gutters are normally paired with 3x4 downspouts, and many homeowners choose 3x4 on 5-inch gutters for the same reason. Placement matters as much as size. Each downspout should discharge onto ground that slopes away from the house, with an extension where a bed, walkway or driveway sits close to the wall.

Hidden hangers and pitch

Hidden hangers sit inside the gutter and screw through the back into the fascia board. They are spaced about every two feet, closer where heavy snow and ice load the roof edge. They outlast old spikes, which loosen as wood swells and shrinks through freeze-thaw cycles.

Each run is set with a slight fall toward its outlet, commonly about a quarter inch per ten feet. Too little and water ponds in the trough; too much and the gutter looks crooked against the trim. Long runs are often pitched from the middle down to a downspout at each end.

How install day goes

• Measure the roofline, count downspouts, confirm size and color, and give a written, itemized estimate
• Take down and haul away the old gutters and downspouts
• Inspect the exposed fascia and repair any soft or rotted wood before anything is hung
• Form the new gutters from a coil on the truck, cut to each run's length
• Hang and pitch the runs, cut outlets, and attach downspouts and extensions
• Run water through the system, check every outlet, and clean up the yard

What affects the price

Total length, the number of stories, gutter size, how many corners and downspouts the house needs, removal of the old system, fascia repair and access around landscaping all move the number. The gutter installation cost guide breaks each one down, and adding gutter guards during installation is easier than adding them later.