Gutter Replacement Cost
A complete gutter replacement is inevitable in the life of your property, maintenance and repair will only last so long. The gutters around your roof are easily one of the most important, but often underappreciated elements of a property.
When you make sure your gutters are working properly, you provide excellent rainwater drainage and ultimately protect your roof–and if you have neighbours, their property–from water infiltration.
In this article, we’ll go over how gutters work, gutter replacement options, and key factors that go into replacing your gutters.
How Do Gutters Work?
Gutters work by directing the water that falls down your roof into a downspout. Downspouts are then designed to carry the water from gutter troughs down to the ground where it can run off to a larger drainage system.
If downspouts drain water too close to the building, this can result in pooling water and damage to the foundations of your property. Downspouts need to extend several metres away from your property. This is done with gutter extensions or additional downspout material.
Oftentimes, the entire gutter system doesn’t need to be replaced, just the gutter trough itself.
Poor gutter performance can lead to:
- Gutters overflowing into the house causing mould or damage to your living space.
- Damage to roofing components like your tiles, shingles, soffits, and fascia.
- Destruction to the foundations of your property like rafters, roof deck, and basement load bearers
When Should You Consider a Gutter Replacement?
If you’re regularly cleaning and maintaining your gutter system, it can easily last up to 20 years without a full replacement. If your gutters have not been repaired or replaced in the last ten years, it’s time to take a look yourself or hire a professional to give an assessment for you.
Here are some signs that your gutter system might need replacing:
- Cracks in the guttering structure
- Signs of rust or erosion
- Peeling gutter paint
- Fascia board or soffit moulding or rusting
- Frequent dirt, leaf, debris build-up
- Water pooling
- Gutter not holding place against roof
- Reoccurring leaks or flood problems
What’s Involved in Gutter Replacement?
Replacing a gutter is one of the easier home construction projects. Typically the job involves clearing any debris, removing the old gutter, and installing the new one.
With that said, replacing your gutter should be handled by a professional contractor trained in gutter replacement. Firstly, they are properly insured for these jobs in the case that anything goes wrong. Secondly, they are trained in proper safety and equipment handling. They’ll provide you with the confidence that your guttering job will be done right.
How much is that job though?
How much should you be looking to spend for a complete gutter replacement? Especially if the job isn’t as straightforward as assumed.
What Factors Go Into Gutter Replacement Cost?
How much it costs to replace guttering really depends on several factors. To determine the cost to replace your gutter, a professional roofing contractor should inspect your property.
Generally, the factors your contractor will be considering are:
Scope of Project
Your roof contractors will consider the overall scope of the project when giving you an estimate. This includes how much labour is involved, the time it takes to complete the job, and any unforeseen complications along the way.
The entire project may not be as simple as replacing your old gutter. The scope might expand to include repairing or replacing other roof components like your fascia boards, soffit, vents, or roofing material (shingles, tiles, metals).
If it’s determined that work needs to be done on other roofing components before your old gutter can be removed and a new one installed, the overall cost estimate for the project will increase.
Accessibility and Safety of Roof
How accessible your roof is will influence the overall cost estimate for your gutter replacement.
If it’s difficult for the contractors to get their equipment into the worksite or simply navigate your roof’s design, the added labour will increase the final bill. Complex roof designs can make it precarious for roofing contractors to easily get around, whereas simpler roofs are the opposite case.
If the roof is in a relatively poor condition and thus more hazardous, this can increase your final bill as well.
Length of Guttering Required
It goes without saying, but a guttering replacement will generally be more expensive with bigger properties. The longer the guttering is, and the longer it takes to install, the more expensive the replacement project will be.
Length of Guttering Required
There are several different guttering materials to choose from when replacing or installing new gutters. The material you choose should also take into consideration the style and design of your property.
Vinyl
Vinyl gutters and downspouts have the most affordable guttering price. They are lightweight, affordable, and relatively easy to maintain. If you live in a harsh weather environment, you might want to think twice before choosing vinyl.
Aluminium
The most common guttering material is aluminium, as it’s relatively affordable and lightweight. Aluminium is easy to work with, but can incur more damage over time than other materials. For this reason, aluminium gutters tend to require premature repairs or replacements compared to more durable materials.
Stainless Steel
Typically more expensive than aluminium, steel gutters and downspouts provide the same level of function, with the added benefits of increased durability and longevity. Steel is more robust and heavier than aluminium and will withstand more extreme weather conditions.
Copper
Copper guttering easily has the most expensive guttering price. It’s copper, so it is a high demand material and so holds its raw material value on the market. Copper is mostly popular for aesthetic purposes.
Additional Gutter Components
You can expect to pay more for additional accessories for your guttering system–whether for aesthetics or function. Components like splash blocks, drains, flashings, gutter guards, and hangers will all increase your final guttering price.
How Much Does a Gutter Replacement Cost?
The cost of replacing gutters really depends on the factors above. To give you some general numbers you’ll be looking at, here are some approximate prices for the cost of gutters–specifically: vinyl, aluminium, steel, and copper replacement options:
- Vinyl: $3 to $5 per linear foot
- Aluminium: $6 to $12 per linear foot
- Steel: $9 to $20 per linear foot
- Copper: $25 to $50 per linear foot
For labour costs in Sydney you’re looking at around \$60 an hour; Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, \$55; and Perth, \$50.
For average total gutter project costs, you would be looking at:
- $1900 for guttering on a small home (7m X 11m)
- $3000 for guttering on a larger home
All of these prices are purely averages and to get more accurate gutter quotes you need to speak with multiple roof contractors skilled in replacing gutters.
We absolutely recommend you hire a professional. Any errors in replacing your guttering properly can lead to water leaks which can lead to mould, rot, electrical fires, or complete structural damage to your property. It pays to let professionals handle your roofing tasks.
Let us help guide you through the process and give you accurate, market competitive gutter quotes. We are the best providers of roofing and gutter cleaning services throughout New South Wales so please don’t hesitate to call our trusted team of roof and gutter experts. We’re here to help.