How Much Does it Cost to Install Gutters?

Reviewed by Joe Roberts remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

The average price of gutter installation

It costs the average U.S. homeowner roughly $3,200 to install a new gutter system. However, gutter installation costs vary depending on factors like gutter material, style, and home size. Because of all this variability, national average prices for gutter installation range from $2,283 to $4,249, and some homeowners pay significantly more.

Additionally, the project costs we just listed only describe what it costs to install gutters on a brand-new house that doesn't have an old gutter system to replace. Gutter replacement costs are typically several hundred dollars higher. This is because gutter replacement requires an installation crew to remove the old gutters and downspouts before attaching new ones.

Keep reading to learn how the various gutter installation cost factors can impact your price. Along the way, we'll explain the benefits of different gutter materials and designs to help you pick the best gutters for your home. If you're concerned about the price of this project, stick around to the end. We'll point out a few ways you can pay for your new gutters without breaking the bank.

Factors that can affect the cost of gutter installation

Gutter material

A new gutter system's price is largely determined by what material the gutters are made from. High-end metal gutters cost $10 to $20 more per linear foot than options made from PVC, meaning installing a whole gutter system made from these materials can cost several thousand dollars more. However, they offer many benefits that make them worth their high costs.

Here's a quick breakdown of gutter prices for different materials: 

Gutter material costs

*Whole-home installation prices are based on 200 linear feet of gutters.

If your gutter system is smaller or larger than 200 linear feet, you could end up paying a price that's substantially different from any of the ones we've listed. 

If you're in the market for an affordable and low-maintenance gutter material, opt for PVC or aluminum. Both materials are corrosion-resistant, hold up well in many different climates, and can last up to 20 years. Depending on market factors, one material may be more affordable than the other in your region, so ask your gutter contractor about both options if you're on a tight budget. 

For something a little more resilient, consider options like galvanized steel. This material will require a little more upkeep than PVC or aluminum, but it's much more impact-resistant and can last decades longer if you keep the gutters free of clogs. Additionally, it brings a classier aesthetic to a home than cheaper options. 

Speaking of classy aesthetics, if curb appeal is your top priority, you should look into even more expensive materials like copper, natural wood, zinc, and copper-clad steel. These materials elevate a home's exterior while keeping it exceptionally safe from water damage. The best part is that they have long lifespans. When routinely cleaned and cared for, any of these high-end materials can last 50 to 100 years.

If you're removing old gutters

If you're replacing an old gutter system instead of installing a new one on a house without any gutters, you need to add the labor costs for gutter removal to your price. This typically costs between $1.50 and $2.00 per linear foot of gutter that needs to be removed. 

For example, if your home has 200 linear feet of gutters and you replace the old gutter system with a new set of aluminum gutters, your price range for the project would go from what we listed above to $1,334–$2,324.

To find a cost estimate for removing your existing gutters, find out how many linear feet of gutters your home currently has and then multiply that number by 1.5. That's the low end of your price range. Next, multiply the number of linear feet by 2 to find the high end of your price range. To find the total costs for this home improvement project, add the range you get to the installation price range for whatever material you want. 

Gutter style

The three different gutter shapes. Each of these shapes comes at a different price. 

There are three standard gutter styles: box, half-round, and K-style. The style of the gutters you purchase will factor into their price.

K-style gutters are the most common, and since they're so widely available, they tend to be the cheapest option. Half-round gutters usually cost a little more than K-style options of the same material and gutter size. Box-style gutters—which are outdated and don't get installed on modern homes very often—are usually the most expensive option.

K-style gutters get their name from their unique shape. In a cross-section, the outline of a K-style gutter's outer wall roughly resembles the letter K. The flat side of a K-style gutter gets mounted to your roof's fascia board. This design gives K-style gutters a sleek profile, and it allows them to hold more water than half-round gutters.

The cross-section of a half-round (or U-style) gutter is round at the bottom and open at the top. This design makes half-round gutters easier to clean than K-style gutters, which feature a lot of sharp angles. However, half-round gutters usually have less water capacity than K-style gutters of the same width, so they're more prone to overflowing during a torrential downpour.

Box gutters are perfectly rectangular and tend to have the most capacity of any other style. Additionally, since they're a little outdated, they can give your home a classic appeal that the other two gutter styles can't capture. However, they can also be hard to find, so your installer may not carry them.

Sectional vs. seamless gutters

In addition to choosing the shape of your gutters, you also get to decide if your new gutters are sectional or seamless. Sectional gutters come in much smaller, interconnected pieces, while seamless gutters get cut to the exact dimensions of the wall they'll hang from. 

This means that the same length of a sectional gutter system includes more pieces than that of a seamless system. Because seamless gutter systems are tailor-made to fit the homes they're installed on, they tend to be much more expensive than sectional gutters, which can be mass-produced. 

Aside from their initial affordability, sectional gutters are cheaper to repair and maintain than seamless gutters since you can simply swap out small compromised segments. With a seamless system, you'll need to replace much longer pieces to eliminate leaks.

The downside of the sectional formation is that the individual segments have small spaces between them. These spaces are glued tight with sealant on-site during installation, but this sealant can break with time, ice buildup, or exceptional weight. This makes sectional gutters more likely to leak than seamless gutters.

How your roof is shaped

The accessibility and design of your roof will both impact your total costs. Because steeper roofs are more difficult to stand on, they're also more expensive to work on. If your roof features a lot of irregular angles or layered peaks, you should expect to pay more than average for your gutter installation.

Unfortunately, because many variables are at play, you'll only know how much you'll pay for gutter installation after a professional installer examines your roof. Just know that the more steep and complex the shape of your roof, the more you're likely to pay. 

The size of your home

Gutters have to create an unbroken perimeter around your roof, so the more square feet your roof has, the longer all your gutters will need to be. So, if your home is exceptionally long or wide, you could pay more than average for your gutters.

Similarly, the number of stories your home has will greatly impact your total costs since taller homes need longer downspouts. Downspouts are closed gutter segments that run vertically down a house. They drain the system and direct water to a splash block, where it runs off harmlessly. Generally, downspouts cost about $10 per linear foot to install, though the material a downspout is made from impacts its price, just like gutters. 

Installing a new gutter system on a single-story home will be a few hundred dollars cheaper than installing a system of the same design and material on a two-story or three-story home. 

Gutter installation pricing tiers

The budget option

If you need to get a gutter system installed or replaced inexpensively, then go for affordable materials like PVC and aluminum. This will keep your costs relatively low, though you may need to replace the gutters sooner than if you went with more expensive options. In the long run, getting cheaper materials that need to be replaced frequently could cost you more than if you initially got a durable system.

Still, if you need to keep expenses down, opting for the most affordable materials your installer carries is your best choice. Similarly, getting sectional K-style gutters will be more budget-friendly than getting seamless, half-round, or box gutters. 

While you can eliminate the labor costs for this project by installing your gutters yourself, we don't recommend it. Gutter installation involves climbing onto your roof with heavy materials, which can be fairly dangerous. Also, DIY installation can void the warranty on your gutter system, so if any of your system's segments, hangers, or downspouts break, you won't be able to make a claim to repair or replace them.

Considering all the drawbacks of DIY installation, it's best to opt for professional installation even though it costs more. If you're not sure you can afford to get your new gutters from professionals, learn about your different financing options before committing to a DIY job. 

The mid-range option

If you've got room in your budget for nicer gutters that enhance your home's exterior and protect it, go for mid-range materials like galvanized steel. Alternatively, if you want your gutters to have a beautiful patina of copper but you don't want to shell out for all-copper gutters, copper-clad steel gutters might be more your speed.

While K-style gutters might still be your best option, it's worth asking your gutter provider about their half-round gutters' prices if you like how they look. They might fall out of your price range, but you never know until you ask.

Lastly, it's worth asking your provider about their seamless gutter options. You should expect these to cost more than sectional gutters, but they'll also be less likely to leak over time, so they're a much better option if you have the funds. 

The high-end option

Do you want the best rain gutters money can buy? Then go for seamless gutters in a sturdy and stylish material like zinc, copper, or natural hardwood. Outfitting your home with gutters like this can cost over $7,000, especially if your home is larger than average. However, you probably won't need to replace the gutters ever again since these materials have such lengthy lifespans.

The best part is that your new gutters will be second-to-none in terms of charm and curb appeal, especially if you get gutters in the half-round or less-common box style. However, if you prefer the look of K-style gutters, there isn't really a reason to spring for the more expensive shapes. 

If you're feeling especially splurgy and want to maintain your expensive gutters properly, consider getting a few add-ons to protect them and help them last longer.

Firstly, we recommend installing gutter guards over the tops of your gutters. These mesh, wire, or perforated metal covers keep debris like branches and leaves out of your gutters, preventing damaging clogs while still permitting rainwater. Installing gutter guards on an entire system typically costs a few hundred dollars. 

Secondly, you can also install heat tape in and around your gutters. Heat tape is an electrical cord that melts ice, preventing ice dams from forming in cold weather. Heat tape usually costs less than $1 per linear foot, though getting it professionally installed is more expensive.

These gutter add-ons will increase your project costs by several hundred dollars, but they'll ensure your gutters last as long as possible. 

How to pay for your new gutters

While gutter installation is affordable compared to bigger home improvement projects, it still comes with considerable costs that might deter you from getting the right gutters for your home. Luckily, though, there are a few ways you can pay for the gutters you want without breaking the bank. Here are some of the financing options you can take advantage of:

• Installer financing. Many gutter installation companies offer their customers flexible payment plans. The details of this financing option will depend on which gutter company you hire for the job, but it might have the best interest rate or payback period available to you. If you're interested in this option, ask your installer about financing through their company during your initial consultation.
• Personal loans. Many people pay for their big home improvement projects by taking out personal loans through financial institutions. The amount you can borrow and the interest rate will depend on your credit score and the institution you finance through. As such, this financing method might have the steepest interest rate out of the other options listed here, but it's also less risky than a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit.
• Home equity loans. Home equity loans are similar to personal loans, but they feature a few key differences. Firstly, they base your interest rate and the amount you can borrow on how much equity you have in your home. This means that if you have a lot of equity, the terms of the loan could be very favorable. The bad news is that the loan will use your home as collateral, so if you fail to pay your loan back, the lending institution could take your house. For this reason, you should only pursue this financing option if you're certain you can pay back the amount you borrow.
• Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs). A HELOC works like other lines of credit you can open. It allows you to borrow money repeatedly if you keep making scheduled payments. However, like a home equity loan, a HELOC often uses your home as collateral for your debt, so it comes with the same risks.  

Other factors to consider

Getting your HOA on board

Did you know that your homeowner's association can force you to undo changes to your home's exterior that they don't approve of? And they don't even have to pay for any of it.

This makes getting your HOA's blessing imperative before you schedule your gutter installation. Jumping through this hoop might be inconvenient, and it could mean you have to get gutters your HOA likes more than you do, but it beats paying to install gutters you immediately have to pay to replace. 

Keeping your gutters clean

Once you've installed your new gutters, you should plan to routinely inspect and clean them. At least once a year, climb up to your roof and thoroughly examine every section of your gutters for rust, sagging, and broken sealant. This will ensure you catch damage early on while it's small and easy to repair.

While you're up there, you should remove any branches, large clumps of leaves, or other debris that found its way into your gutter system. If you don't have gutter guards, routine gutter cleaning is the only way to prevent excessive buildup that could cause ruptures and leakage.

If you don't want to take care of the annual gutter inspection and cleaning yourself, we recommend hiring a professional gutter cleaning service instead of leaving this important task undone. Gutter cleaning costs a couple hundred dollars on average, but if you don't want to DIY your gutter cleaning or get gutter guards, it's the only way to ensure your gutters last as long as possible. 

Installation costs for new gutters

Whether you live in a one-story home or a huge mansion, expect your gutter installation to cost between $2,000 and $4,000. If you want deluxe materials, convenient add-ons, or especially stylish gutters, your price will increase significantly. Despite their high costs, gutters are an essential part of your home's defense against the elements, and they can also add charm to your home's exterior. This makes it financially sound and practical to get the best gutters you can afford.