Gutter Installation

Gutters Protect More Than the Roof

Gutters are the drainage system that moves water off the roof and away from your home. Without gutters, rainwater pours off the eaves and erodes the soil around the foundation, soaks into the basement or crawl space, stains siding, and rots fascia boards. A properly installed gutter system collects roof runoff and directs it through downspouts to splash blocks or underground drains that carry water well away from the structure.

We install seamless aluminum and copper gutters on homes, townhomes, and light commercial buildings. Seamless gutters are formed on site from a continuous coil — there are no seams along the straight runs, which eliminates the most common leak point in gutter systems.

Seamless Aluminum vs. Copper Gutters

Feature	Seamless aluminum	Copper
Material	Aluminum coil, formed on site	Copper coil, formed on site
Sizes available	5-inch, 6-inch	5-inch, 6-inch
Finish	Painted (dozens of colors)	Natural copper patina
Lifespan	20 – 30 years	50 – 80 years
Cost per linear foot	$6 – $12 installed	$25 – $40 installed
Seams	Only at corners and downspouts	Only at corners and downspouts
Best for	Most homes, best value	Premium homes, historic restoration

Seamless aluminum is the standard for most residential gutter installations. It is affordable, durable, available in every color, and requires minimal maintenance. Copper is the premium choice — it lasts three to four times longer, develops a beautiful patina, and adds architectural character.

How We Install Gutters

1. Assessment — we measure the roof edge, calculate the required gutter size and downspout count based on roof area and local rainfall intensity
2. Slope calculation — we set the gutter pitch at 1/16 to 1/8 inch per foot toward each downspout for proper drainage
3. Hanger installation — hidden hangers are screwed into the fascia board at 24-inch intervals for a clean look and strong attachment
4. Gutter forming — the gutter coil is fed through our portable forming machine, which extrudes the continuous seamless gutter to the exact length needed
5. Section joining — corners, end caps, and downspout outlets are connected with sealant and pop rivets
6. Downspout installation — downspouts attached with straps, routed to splash blocks or underground drains
7. Final pitch check — we run water through the system to verify proper flow and adjust pitch if needed

Gutter Sizing

Roof area (per side)	Recommended gutter size	Downspout size
Up to 1,200 sq ft	5-inch gutter	2-inch x 3-inch downspout
1,200 – 2,500 sq ft	6-inch gutter	3-inch x 4-inch downspout
Over 2,500 sq ft or steep pitch	6-inch gutter	3-inch x 4-inch downspout

Undersized gutters overflow during heavy rain, which defeats their purpose. We size the system for your roof area and local weather, not just the minimum code requirement.

Gutter Installation Costs

Component	Typical range
Seamless aluminum (5-inch, per linear foot)	$6 – $12
Seamless aluminum (6-inch, per linear foot)	$8 – $15
Copper (per linear foot)	$25 – $40
Downspouts (per unit)	$50 – $100
Splash blocks (per unit)	$10 – $20
Underground drain pipe (per linear foot)	$10 – $25
Gutter guards (per linear foot)	$7 – $15

Most residential gutter installations cost $1,000 to $3,000 depending on the home size, gutter material, and whether underground drainage is included.

Gutter Material Comparison: Aluminum vs. Copper vs. Steel

Beyond aluminum and copper, some homeowners consider galvanized steel for its strength. Each material has trade-offs worth understanding before committing to a 20-plus-year investment.

Factor	Aluminum	Copper	Galvanized steel
Weight	Lightest — easy on fascia	Moderate	Heaviest
Corrosion resistance	Excellent — does not rust	Excellent — develops patina	Moderate — rusts if coating chips
Paintability	Factory-painted, touch-up easy	Not painted — natural patina	Paintable but needs recoating
Expansion rate	High — needs proper hangers	Low	Low
Cost	Lowest	Highest	Middle
Contractor availability	Every gutter contractor	Specialty required	Common

For most homes, aluminum is the right answer. Copper is worth the premium when you are restoring a historic home, building a high-end custom residence, or simply want a roofline that looks distinguished for decades.

Underground Drainage Options

The gutter system does not end at the downspout. How water is routed away from the foundation matters as much as how it is collected.

Splash blocks are the simplest option — a molded concrete or plastic tray that disperses water at the base of the downspout. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and work well when the grade slopes away from the house.

Underground drain pipes carry water 10 to 20 feet from the foundation through buried PVC or corrugated pipe to a pop-up emitter, dry well, or storm drain. This is the better option for flat lots, homes with basements, or properties where water pools near the foundation.

French drains combine a perforated pipe with gravel to collect and redirect subsurface water. They are used when the problem is ground moisture, not just roof runoff.

We install all three options and can integrate them into a new gutter system or retrofit them to an existing one.

Gutter Installation Mistakes to Avoid

Poor gutter installation is worse than no gutter at all. Here are the errors we see most often from DIY jobs and cut-rate installers:

• Wrong pitch — gutters installed level or with reverse slope hold standing water, breed mosquitoes, and ice up in winter. The correct pitch is 1/16 to 1/8 inch per foot toward each downspout.
• Too few downspouts — one downspout per 30 to 40 linear feet of gutter is the maximum. Longer runs without enough outlets overflow during heavy rain.
• Missing drip edge — without a metal drip edge on the roof, water wicks behind the gutter through capillary action and rots the fascia board.
• Hangers spaced too far apart — hangers at 36 inches or more allow the gutter to sag and pull away from the fascia under the weight of water and debris.
• Downspouts discharging too close to the foundation — water must be directed at least 4 to 6 feet from the foundation wall to prevent basement moisture and foundation settling.

A professional installation avoids every one of these problems. We have corrected thousands of failed gutter jobs, and the root cause is almost always one of the mistakes above.

Gutter Guards and Add-Ons

Most homeowners pair new gutter installation with gutter guards to reduce cleaning. We offer several guard types that integrate with new seamless systems. The most popular options are micro-mesh screens that block shingle grit and fine debris while allowing full water flow.

Other add-ons worth considering during installation include:

• Heated gutter cables for ice dam prevention in cold climates
• Downspout filters that catch debris before it enters underground pipes
• Rain chains as decorative alternatives to traditional downspouts on front-facing gutters
• Conductor heads that increase water capacity at downspout junctions

Planning these add-ons during the initial installation is cheaper than retrofitting them later.

Maintaining Your Gutters

• Clean gutters at least twice a year — spring and fall
• Flush downspouts with a garden hose to verify flow
• Check for sagging sections and re-secure hangers
• Inspect end caps and corners for leaks
• Ensure splash blocks direct water at least 3 feet from the foundation
• Trim trees that drop leaves and debris into the gutters

Ready for new gutters? Call us or request a free estimate — we will measure your roof, recommend the right size and material, and install a seamless system that protects your home.