Gutter installation
Clogged, sagging, or leaking gutters send water straight into your fascia and foundation. Here's what seamless gutters, guards, and downspouts actually cost per linear foot, which materials hold up where you live, and how to hire an installer who measures the roofline properly and puts every number in writing.
Gutters look like a small job until you price it by the house instead of by the foot. A typical single-story home might need 150 to 200 linear feet, and the material you pick swings the total more than almost anything else on the quote.
The decisions are simple once you separate them: material and gauge, seamless vs. sectional, how many downspouts the roof actually needs, and whether guards are worth adding now or later. Get a price per linear foot instead of one lump number, and a quote becomes easy to compare.
This page covers what gutter installation costs nationally, seamless vs. sectional, K-style vs. half-round, when fascia repair is really needed, guards, and what a fair written quote includes. City pages linked below carry local pricing and licensing for your market.
The work
01
A roll-forming machine on the truck forms each run from coil stock to the exact length needed, so there are no seams except at corners and end caps. Fewer seams means fewer leak points — it's the standard most companies install today.
02
Pre-cut lengths joined with connectors. Cheaper and sometimes a DIY option, but every connector is a potential leak point over time. Still common on older homes and for small repairs.
03
The shape most American homes have — a flat back and a decorative front profile that resembles crown molding. They hold more water per inch of height than half-round and are the default on new installs.
04
A rounded trough, often paired with round downspouts, common on older and historic homes. They cost more installed and usually need hangers spaced closer together, but they shed debris a bit more easily.
05
Downspouts move water from the gutter to the ground — the count and placement matter as much as the gutter itself. An installer should size downspouts to the roof's drainage area, not just match what was there before.
06
Mesh, reverse-curve, and foam inserts that cut down on cleaning. They reduce debris, not eliminate it, and some styles struggle with heavy pine needles or shingle grit. Priced separately from the gutter run.
07
Gutters hang from the fascia board, so rot discovered behind an old gutter has to be fixed before new gutters go up. A company that never checks the fascia before quoting an install is guessing.
08
Resealing seams, rehanging sagging sections, and clearing clogs can extend the life of a sound gutter system for a fraction of replacement cost.
Plan the budget
National planning ranges for installed gutters, priced per linear foot. Material, gauge, roofline height, and the number of corners and downspouts move these numbers. Always compare quotes per linear foot, not as one lump sum. Your city page carries local pricing.
| Scope | Planning range | What changes it |
|---|---|---|
| Seamless aluminum gutters | $6 – $13 per linear foot | The most common material |
| Seamless steel gutters | $9 – $20 per linear foot | More rigid, heavier gauge options |
| Seamless copper gutters | $25 – $45 per linear foot | Longest lifespan, highest cost |
| Vinyl sectional gutters | $4 – $8 per linear foot | Lowest cost, most leak-prone |
| Half-round gutters (any material) | $15 – $30 per linear foot | Common on older and historic homes |
| Gutter guards | $4 – $12 per linear foot | Priced separately from the gutter run |
| Downspouts, each | $75 – $250 installed | Count and placement sized to roof drainage |
| Fascia repair (per linear foot, where needed) | $15 – $35 per linear foot | Found once old gutters come down |
| Whole-house gutter replacement (150–200 ft) | $1,200 – $3,500 | Mid-grade seamless aluminum |
Material and gauge: aluminum is the value choice, steel is heavier-duty, copper costs the most and lasts longest.
Seamless vs. sectional installation, and how many corners and seams the roofline requires.
Number and placement of downspouts, sized to the roof's actual drainage area, not just matched to the old setup.
Roofline height and access — two-story and steep-pitch homes add labor and equipment time.
Fascia or soffit rot discovered once the old gutters come down.
Gutter guards, priced separately and by style (mesh, reverse-curve, foam insert).
Local permit fees where they apply, which should be a line item, not a surprise.
Know the signs
Some of these are a quick repair. Several together, on gutters more than 20 years old, usually mean replacement is the better money.
Water spilling over the edge during normal rain, not just a downpour.
Visible sagging or pulling away from the fascia.
Peeling paint or water stains on the fascia board below the gutter.
Cracks, rust spots, or separated seams.
Standing water or plant growth inside the gutter after it rains.
Erosion or mulch washout in the beds below a downspout.
Water in the basement or crawl space after rain, with no other obvious cause.
Gutters that are mostly original to a home more than 20 years old.
No pressure
You don't need to diagnose the job before you ask for help. Tell Henry what you see and compare up to three local gutter companies.
Get matched with a proHire with confidence
The best predictor of a good gutter job is a clear price per linear foot and an installer who actually looks at the fascia before they quote.
Get a price per linear foot, with material, gauge, and color named in writing.
Confirm seamless vs. sectional, and ask how many seams your roofline will need either way.
Ask how downspout count and placement were determined — not just matched to what's already there.
Have the installer check the fascia and soffit before quoting, and get any rot repair priced as a separate line.
Get gutter guards quoted separately if you want them, with the guard style named.
Ask whether the company's own crew installs, or a subcontractor.
Get the workmanship warranty in writing, separate from the material warranty.
Verify the contractor license or home-improvement registration your state requires, plus liability insurance.
Confirm whether a permit applies in your city and who pulls it.
Get cleanup and haul-away of the old gutters written into the quote.
A single lump-sum price with no per-linear-foot breakdown.
No mention of fascia condition or downspout count.
Pressure to add gutter guards without a separate price or style named.
No material gauge specified — thin aluminum coil sags over time.
A salesperson who won't leave a written quote behind.
Large deposits well beyond what's needed to order material.
No workmanship warranty, or a vague verbal one.
Questions homeowners ask
Seamless aluminum gutters typically run $6 to $13 per linear foot installed. A whole-house job on a 150 to 200 linear foot home usually lands between $1,200 and $3,500, depending on material, roofline height, and downspout count.
Seamless is the standard for most homes because fewer seams means fewer leak points. Sectional costs less up front but has more joints that can separate or leak over time.
K-style is the common choice and holds more water per inch of height. Half-round is often chosen for older or historic homes and costs more installed, partly because hangers are typically spaced closer together.
Aluminum is the value choice and resists rust well. Steel is heavier-duty and holds up better to impact and heavy snow loads. Copper costs the most by far but can last decades longer and develops a natural patina.
They reduce how often you need to clean gutters but don't eliminate maintenance entirely, and some styles struggle with fine debris like pine needles or shingle grit. Price them as a separate line item and pick a style suited to the trees around your home.
It depends on your roof's drainage area, not just the home's size. An installer should calculate it from the roof square footage feeding each gutter run, not simply match the downspout count that was there before.
It varies by city. Many jurisdictions don't require a permit for a straightforward gutter replacement, but it's worth confirming with your local building office, especially if fascia or structural work is involved.
A typical single-family home can usually be done in a day. Jobs that include fascia repair, a full tear-off, or a large or complex roofline can take longer.
Local market guides
Each city page covers local labor pricing, weather, permits, licensing, neighborhoods and the contractors Henry can match in that market.
Tell Henry what you need. We’ll send your project to no more than three local pros — and you decide whether any of them earns your business.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy — Roof and Attic · FTC — Hiring a Contractor
The Henry Standard
Call back. Keep appointments. And if something changes, communicate it.
Price per linear foot, material and downspout count in writing — no vague lump sum.
Install, seal and hang every run, then clean up before calling it finished.
Nothing revolutionary. Just the way we believe doing business should still be done.
