How Much Does It Cost to Install Aluminum Gutters?

Gutters play an important role in stormwater management, helping to collect and move the water away from your home and foundation. A gutter collects water from your roof and transfers it to a downspout, where it is directed away from your home. Gutters come in many materials and styles, with the aluminum gutter being one of the more popular because of its price and durability. Aluminum gutters come in a different styles and sizes, which affects the final cost of the project. For a home that needs 175 feet of gutter, a 5-inch aluminum, seamless gutter installation costs between $875 and $1,750, with most homeowners paying around $1,225.

Aluminum Gutters Installation Costs

Types of Aluminum Gutters

Aluminum gutters are available in two basic types - seamed and seamless. A seamed gutter comes in pieces, usually in specific lengths of 5, 10, or 20 feet. You fit them together with a connector that fits over the two ends, helping to make them tight. Seams leak over time, so caulk or solder may be required to seal them. Seamed gutters tend to be slightly cheaper to purchase but may cost more to install because more labor is needed to cut and piece the sections. Seamed gutters cost between $2 and $7 a linear foot on average for a 5-inch gutter, depending on the length. Smaller lengths usually cost more per linear foot than longer sections.

Seamless gutters are extruded on-site from an aluminum coil into a gutter that is the exact dimension of the run. The only seams are at the downspouts and corners, meaning the length of the gutter is seamless. While these gutters require caulking ¹ at the downspouts and corners to avoid leaks, they provide a better appearance and fewer leaks overall. They are also faster and easier to install, going up in long sections. They cost a little more for the material, but the labor is usually less. The costs often even out unless you are installing the gutters yourself. In this case, seamed gutters will be cheaper since you are purchasing and installing them yourself. Seamless gutters cost around $4 to $5 a linear foot on average for a 5-inch gutter.

Pros and Cons of Aluminum Gutters

Aluminum gutters are fairly popular with homeowners, having a good combination of cost and durability. Aluminum is less expensive than most other metals, including steel, copper, and zinc. When properly maintained, aluminum gutters can last for 20 years or more. They do not rust and can be factory-coated in a range of colors to match the trim of your home. They are also lightweight and do not sag. So if you need larger gutters, you will not need to worry about reinforcing the fascia. Aluminum gutters can be seamed or seamless, and the seamless variety has been known to last for decades without much maintenance. 

While aluminum does not rust, it can corrode if it comes into contact with other metals or some mortars. For this reason, isolate the gutter from other materials. Aluminum is not as long-lasting as some other metals, and it can dent, which may affect its performance long term.

Aluminum Gutters Design

Gutters come in different styles and shapes. Each has its own look and, in some cases, way of attaching to your home:

K-style Gutters

This is the most common gutter type. It is sometimes called an ogee gutter for its rolled shape. These attach in a variety of ways to either your fascia or roof. They start at around $3/linear foot.

Fascia Gutter

A fascia gutter, also called an eaves gutter, is combined directly with the fascia of your home so that the two materials blend together. If your home does not have a fascia board, the gutter attaches to the eaves. They start at around $5/linear foot.

Half-round Gutter

This gutter is typically seen on high-end and luxury homes. It is most commonly made of copper but can be made of aluminum as well. It is slightly more expensive and requires a visible hanging system, with starting costs closer to $7/linear foot. 

European-style Gutter

This gutter is nearly identical to the half-round with one exception. The upper bead or lip of the gutter that faces away from the house rolls outward rather than inward. Otherwise, the two types of gutters are installed in the same way. They also start at around $7/linear foot.

Aluminum vs Other Gutter Materials

There is a wide range of other gutter materials on the market besides aluminum. These include vinyl ², steel, wood, and copper. Of these, vinyl is the least expensive, starting at about $1/linear foot. It cannot be seamless, however, and vinyl often cracks and becomes brittle with time, which means that it does not last as long as aluminum.

Steel is the closest to aluminum in terms of appearance and costs. There are several types of steel. Stainless is the most expensive at $15/linear foot. Galvanized is around $5/linear foot. Steel can be seamless or soldered, but it is difficult to paint and is susceptible to rust. It may also sag over time because it is heavier than aluminum.

Wood is the oldest material used for gutters, and while now rarely used, it can be found on some older homes. It is expensive, starting at around $15 - $20/linear foot, and depending on the wood species, it may rot over time and require a lot of maintenance, such as waterproofing, staining, or painting to look its best. 

Copper is a very popular material for gutters because it can last more than 100 years when taken care of properly. It does not rust nor require paint. It can also be seamed or seamless, with most people opting for seamless, half-round gutters for the look. It is the most expensive, starting at around $20/linear foot.

Installation Process

Gutter installation starts with an inspection of your roof, fascia, and current gutter system. The slope of your roof determines how much water your gutters receive at one time, which impacts how large your gutters must be. 

Measurements are taken of the length of each gutter run, as well as for the placement of any downspouts. Seamless gutters are extruded on-site to those exact measurements, while seamed gutters are cut and pieced together as needed. 

The gutters are hung from either your fascia or roofline ³ every 12 to 24 inches, with 12 inches providing better durability and strength. Hangers may be hidden or visible, and they may screw through the back of the gutter into your fascia, attach to the back of your gutter and adhere to the roof, or go beneath your gutter and attach to either the fascia or roof. 

End caps ⁴ are installed at the end of each run, and the downspout hole is cut, and then the downspout is attached, caulked, and anchored to the corners of the home. Seamless gutter installation takes about 1 to 2 hours from start to finish.

Labor Costs to Install Aluminum Gutters

Gutter installers may charge by the project or by the linear foot or hour, depending on the area and type of gutters you are installing. For example, gutters that require additional labor in caulking or soldering take longer and cost more to install than seamless gutters. The average cost of installing 175 feet of gutters is around $400 out of the $1,225 total.

Maintenance

Aluminum gutters are fairly low-maintenance, but all gutters need to be inspected and unclogged regularly. If you had your gutters painted at installation, they require regular repainting to keep them looking their best. Paint fades and becomes chalky on aluminum, so if you rub your fingers on the gutter and find some of the color rubs off on your skin, it is time to repaint. If you opted for factory-finished gutters, these can last significantly longer without requiring any paint.

Aluminum tends to dent easily. Small dents can be left, but large dents may require straightening to prevent them from causing clogs.

Enhancements and Improvements

Gutter Guards

To help keep your gutters from clogging, you can install gutter guards, which cover the top of the gutter and allow water to enter but not leaves or debris. A full gutter guard system costs around $1,350 - $1,700 on average. 

Downspout Screens

With or without gutter guards, you can install downspout screens that help prevent debris from entering the downspout. Downspout screens cost around $5 each. 

Heat Tape

There are many heat elements that you can add to your gutters to prevent water from freezing in them. This ranges from heated gutter guards to coils, with costs ranging from $100 to $1,000, depending on the system. 

Customizable Gutters

Using seamless gutters allows some customization of the gutters, including the size, shape, and style. This costs more, usually starting at about $10 - $15 a linear foot, but can provide unique results that may be a better fit for some architectures.

Removing Old Gutters

Removing the old gutters may be rolled into the cost of the new installation, but in other instances, you may pay an additional fee to remove them. This fee varies, with most homeowners paying around $50 - $100.

Additional Costs and Considerations

• Costs for a two-story or taller home will be more because the downspout sections will be longer, and additional equipment like scaffolding will be needed.
• Your gutters need replacing if they show signs of severe wear, such as cracks, holes, or leaks, or if they sag or pull away from the house.
• There are many alternatives to downspouts, including rain chains, inverted bellos, and cups that direct the water to the ground or into a collection container. Ask your installer about the available options.
• You may need a permit to install gutters. Check with your installer or town or city hall for more information.
• In some instances, you may need to replace your fascia before installing new gutters. In others, you may be able to salvage it, but it may need repairs. Expect this to cost between $6 to $8 a linear foot.
• Summer is the best time of year to install new gutters before the rain and snow of the spring and winter months.

Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

¹ Caulking: A chemical sealant used to fill in and seal gaps where two materials join, for example, the tub and tile, to create a watertight and airtight seal. The term "caulking" is also used to refer to the process of applying this type of sealant

² Vinyl: A synthetic plastic made from ethylene and chlorine. Vinyl has many applications in the construction industry and it is widely used in sidings, window frames, roofing and gutters, among others

³ Roofline: Construction material, typically composed of vinyl or aluminum, used to enclose the underside of eaves and ceilings

⁴ End caps: A separate piece of finished material that covers the unfinished edges of a countertop