Hiring a pro to clean your gutters costs $100 to $360, depending on the condition of the gutters, accessibility concerns, the number of stories in your home and several other factors. The average cost is $230, but that’s a calculation that includes extraordinarily complex jobs. The average price for most homeowners with 200 feet of gutters is around $160. The design of your roof and additional services, like installing downspouts, also impact the overall cost.
You should clean your gutters twice each year, in the fall and spring, to avoid any costly repair issues down the line. Clogged gutters lead to leaks, mold growth, pest infestations and even structural damage. To learn more about what you may pay for this important seasonal task, keep reading.
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Factors That Affect Gutter Cleaning Prices
There are a number of variables that impact the cost of gutter cleaning, from labor to accessibility and beyond. Here are some of the more important cost factors.
Gutter Length
This is the primary cost factor, as every inch of your gutter system requires cleaning. Simply put, the longer your gutters, the more you pay. The average cost breaks down to $0.40 to $0.90 per linear foot, though complex jobs shoot up to $2.15 per linear foot. This comes into the play with extraordinarily dirty gutters or in the case of extreme accessibility issues.
However, some companies might offer flat fees for traditionally sized roofs, no matter the length of the gutter at play. Ask your pro how they come up with quotes to get a clearer idea of how these estimates are calculated.
Total Gutter Cleaning Cost Per Story
Gutters on homes with multiple stories cost more to clean than single-story homes. Multi-story homes require longer ladders or telescoping mechanisms and more time figuring out the safest and most effective route around the roof and through the gutter system.
Let’s break this down” Single-story homes with around 150 to 200 linear feet of gutter cost $100 to $200, assuming a granular price of $0.40 to $1.00 per linear foot. Two-story homes cost $140 to $260, or $0.60 to $1.60 per linear foot. Going higher than that? Three-story homes and larger properties cost $180 to $360, or $0.80 to $2.00 per linear foot.
Gutter Type
There are two main types of gutters: seamed and seamless. Seamed gutters, otherwise called sectional gutters, are the more traditional option and are often found on older homes. Seamless gutters are more modern and typically accompany new home builds and gutter installation projects.
Seamed gutters are quite effective, with one major caveat: They split into sections and the connection points are magnets for debris. So you’ll pay a slightly increased cost to clean seamed gutters when compared to seamless gutters. Expect an uptick of around 10 to 20% when cleaning seamed gutters.
Roof Type
Accessibility and safety are major concerns whenever a job requires roof access, so the overall design of the roof impacts the project cost. Asphalt shingle roofs are the most budget-friendly option, due to their immense popularity and easy accessibility. Cedar shingle roofs tend to stain easily, driving the cleaning costs up a bit. Gutters tend to attach lower on metal roofs, leading to a greater buildup of debris and, as such, slightly elevated cleaning costs.
Flat roofs are highly accessible and easy to walk on, but the lack of a slope tends to allow a greater accumulation of debris when compared to other roof types, which could impact the price.
Complex roof systems like gabled roofs, butterfly roofs and bonnet roofs tend to feature longer-than-average gutter systems, which drives the price up.
Slope and Accessibility
Not every roof is flat, with many featuring at least one side that slopes to some degree. You pay more to clean the gutters on a sloped roof, due to the inherent danger involved with traipsing around angled roofs. Count on a minimal increase for a slight slope on just one side of 5 to 10% but a larger increase of 15% for massive slopes that resemble one of the great pyramids rather than a residential roof.
As a note, the increase here only applies to the portion of the roof that’s sloped. The rest of your gutters should fall under the standard price range.
The same goes for accessibility concerns. For instance, if you have plenty of landscaping around the gutters, they’ll be harder to access, which ticks up the price by 5 to 10%.
Gutter Width
Residential gutters vary in width from 4 inches wide to 6 inches wide, with 5 inches being the standard for most homes. Generally speaking, the wider the gutter, the more expensive it is to clean it. Wider gutters are deeper, thus allowing more debris in over time. This shouldn’t be an issue if you keep up with regular maintenance and cleaning appointments, but will come into play if you have wide gutters and you’ve skipped a cleaning or two.
Labor
Labor is the primary cost factor when having your gutters cleaned, accounting for around 70%of the overall price. These labor costs vary, as some companies don’t charge by the hour and wrap everything up into a project quote. If your pro does charge by the hour, expect an average hourly rate of $50 to $150 per hour. Materials and equipment round out the costs, coming in at around $20 to $50 for a standard job. It’s worth noting that purchasing an extension ladder to use on your own is much more expensive, at $100 to $500.
Intensity of Cleaning
Some gutters are dirtier than others. That’s just a fact of life. For particularly debris-laden gutters, the pros bring out the big guns and go for an ultra-thorough cleaning to avoid clogs. This increases the price by anywhere from 10 to 50%, depending on just how grody your gutters are. If you keep up with regular maintenance and cleanings, this shouldn’t be a concern.
How to Know When It’s Time to Clean Your Gutters
Put simply, clean your gutters twice a year, preferably in the spring and fall. However, if you aren’t sure if your gutters require a good cleaning, there are some tell-tale signs.
Pest Infestations
When your gutters are filled with debris, it attracts pests to the dark and moist interior. Pests like feral cats, snakes, mice, raccoons and just about everything else have been known to make a home in the gutters. So if you notice an increase in unwanted visitors, book a cleaning.
Mold, Mildew and Stains
When gutters are stuffed with leaves and other items, it leads to a drastic decrease in efficiency. This, in turn, allows stains to develop as stuff begins to rot. Additionally, dirty gutters lead to the proliferation of mold and mildew. These fungi will spread to the rest of the house, so watch out.
An Abundance of Leaves
Gutters attract leaves, so there’s going to be some in there. However, if you find an absolute boatload of leaves, it certainly indicates a dirty gutter that requires a thorough cleaning.
Plant Growth
Gutters left to their own devices will actually sprout new plant life over time, as flora-related debris breaks down and becomes soil. Add some water, sunlight and a few errant seeds brought in with the wind, and you’ll have a bonafide plant nursery on your hands.
Unwanted Moisture
Dirty gutters can lead to roof leaks, so be on the lookout for unwanted moisture. Also, clean your gutters if you regularly notice a steady trickle of water flowing down the side. Gravity should move the water away quicker than that, so your gutter is likely clogged.
DIY vs. Hiring a Professional Gutter Cleaning
Cleaning the gutters is DIY-friendly, with some caveats. First of all, any job that requires a lot of time on a ladder or on a roof presents certain dangers. Professionals have spent thousands of hours working with safety in mind, plus these companies are insured should something go wrong.
You’ll also need a good extension ladder, which costs anywhere from $100 to $500. A regular rinky-dink ladder won’t cut it and adds to the risk of injury. You could also invest in telescopic gutter cleaners, but this is amore expensive option than a ladder. Beyond that, you just need some good gloves, a gutter scoop and a bucket for debris.
Hiring a pro costs more than doing it yourself, but gives peace of mind that the job gets done correctly by a qualified professional. Additionally, they’ll find any other issues plaguing your roof. If you have to buy the above tools, such as an extension ladder, you won’t really save any money by going DIY for a few years.
How to Save Money on Gutter Cleaning
Spending money on something like gutter cleaning is not exactly a good time. Here are some ways to save a few bucks while getting clean gutters in the process.
- Look around for deals: There are plenty of reputable companies out there that excel at gutter cleaning and this competition leads to deals and promotions. Check local ads and email alerts for discounts. Additionally, a neighbor may be able to dole out a referral discount.
- Conduct multiple jobs at once: If a local window cleaning company offers gutter cleaning, it’s economical to book both projects at once. You’ll likely get a discount and, at the very least, you’ll only pay one visitation fee.
- Install gutter guards: The general condition of your gutters are taken into account when issuing the final project cost. Putting in gutter guards limits the amount of debris allowed into the gutter, leading to simpler and cheaper cleanings.
- Sign up for a service plan: Gutters require cleaning around twice a year and many companies offer service contracts that include multiple yearly visits. You’ll likely get a discount if you sign up for one of these service plans.
- Gather multiple quotes: An easy way to save money here is to gather multiple quotes. This obviously allows you to choose the most cost-effective option, but can also act as leverage when approaching other potential hires.
To arrive at the average costs in this article, we surveyed eight local and national cost databases. All averaged figures were correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How often should you clean your gutters?
To avoid costly repairs, clean your gutters twice each year. The best times to perform this task are in the spring and in the fall, as summer is too hot and winter is too, well, covered in snow. If you have certain trees on your property, like pine trees, increase the frequency of these cleanings to around every three months. This ensures the proper removal of needles and other detritus.
How do you clean gutters without a ladder?
The humble ladder is likely the most cost-effective solution when cleaning the gutters, but hanging out on a ladder all day can lead to accidental falls. Another option includes telescopic gutter cleaners with extendable arms that allow you to operate them from the ground. Other options include leaf blower cleaning kits, gutter tongs and flushing devices.
Are gutter guards a good idea?
This depends on the level of debris and pests your gutter tends to attract between cleanings. If you live in a wooded area that experiences heavy rain storms, installing gutter guards is an exceptional idea. If you live in a dry or arid location, guards aren’t that big of a priority. The same goes for those living in urban areas.
What happens if I don’t clean my gutters?
If you miss one cleaning, you’ll likely escape unscathed. If you skip multiple cleanings, costly repairs are in your future. Avoiding this task puts your home at risk for shingle damage, roof leaks, water damage, mold growth, foundation issues, an increase in pests and ice dams during the winter. You’ll also void your home insurance plan.
Does the season affect gutter cleaning costs?
The primary cost factors for gutter cleaning are roof size, the number of stories in the house and the amount of accumulated debris inside of the gutters. Professional gutter cleaning services are in high demand during the spring and fall, but those are simply the best times to do it. The best way to ensure you don’t get a seasonal cost hike is to book early or hire a pro during the off-season.
