Excel Residential
By Excel Residential on September 08, 2021

Simple Way to Calculate Gutter Cleaning Costs for Your Home

Gutter cleaning costs are highly variable from one company to the next. And not surprisingly, creating an accurate estimate for your home is not as cut and dry as you might think.

Every house has different gutter conditions, types, and roof heights, which impacts the total cost of cleaning. Variables like these also affect other exterior cleaning services like power washing and window cleaning too. For these reasons, many of our customers have asked us the points they can use to create an estimate, so they know if they’re getting a good deal.

We’ve put the following article together to help you calculate gutter cleaning costs for your home. By reading, you’ll see how the following variable impacts price and will be on your way to creating an accurate estimate like the pros.   

Gutter Cleaning Costs Based on Your Home

Gutter cleaning is a labor-intensive job and, when done correctly, prevents damage to the exterior of your home. Dirt and grime can clog your gutter and build up in those hard-to-reach areas like elbows and downspouts. 

The #1 goal of a reputable gutter cleaning service is not only removing debris by hand, but ensuring that water flows freely through the gutter channels, downspouts, and away from your home. 

At Excel Residential, we provide complete exterior home services like gutter cleaning, power washing, and window washing. We pay attention to the details that many others in our industry miss. If you’re looking to hire a professional gutter cleaning service, contact us or fill out this form to get a free quote for your home. 

Estimate Total Feet

When it comes to gutter costs, it’s common to calculate the total amount of gutters you have by linear feet. Typical rates can be anywhere from $1 to $3 per linear foot as a base rate. Most companies also have a minimum rate project rate that they will come out for, typically between $125 to $200 per job.

As a starting point, estimate how much linear foot of gutter you have and multiply it by the base rate. You can research companies in your area or contact them directly to ask about their base rate and minimum project total. You will get different rates for each as companies charge differently based on their experience, equipment, and distance from your home. Even so, you’ll get close by using the numbers above.

As we’ll see next, the total linear feet are only the starting point as more variables impact gutter cleaning costs. 

Number of Floors

Do you have a single-story home or a two-level townhome? The level of floors plays an essential role in gutter cleaning costs. The gutter cleaning crew will have to use a bigger ladder to reach the extra levels, and cleaning a single story versus a home with multiple levels takes less time and is less risky. An easy rule of thumb is that the number of floors increases the total costs due to extra time and risk.  

You may wonder how much extra the company will charge based on your floor levels. Unfortunately, there’s no tried and true way to evaluate your home without seeing the actual configuration. 

A townhome may only have a few linear feet of gutter on the front and back of the house but be very high, requiring a larger ladder. The number of gutters the team will clean may be minimal in terms of linear feet, but the height changes the work needed for the job. 

Be aware beforehand that cleaning the gutter cleaning based on linear feet won’t necessarily be accurate. Gutter cleaning companies will use their experience and judgment to evaluate the amount of gutter and how easy they are to clean.

If you have questions regarding your home, check out our frequently asked questions.

Number of Downspouts 

How many downspouts does your home have? A few or many? Downspouts are extremely important when it comes to cleaning gutters. The gutter cleaning company will check that each is clear and that water flows correctly from the gutter channel and out the downspout away from your home. 

Downspouts commonly get stuck with debris you can’t see that needs to be cleared out using a blower, by hand, and other tools. You can imagine that cleaning and testing each downspout for proper water flow is time-consuming, depending on how many you have on the property. 

Pro Tip: Be sure to let the gutter cleaning crew know where they can access water. If water is unavailable, or you won’t be home to grant access, the gutter cleaning service will want to know this before they arrive. They will bring water to your property if it’s not available. Either way, access to water is essential to test that downspouts are working correctly. 

Similar to the roof height and levels, there’s no simple formula to add the cost per extra downspout. The company will rely on its experience to assess the total work required for the job. What’s important to understand is that the number of downspouts your home has will impact the total cost of the gutter cleaning service. Fewer downspouts equal less money.

Repairs and Gutter Type

When the gutter cleaning team cleans your gutters, they are likely to come across sections that need to be repaired. Typically, gutter cleaners will only make minor repairs as installing new gutters is outside their scope of work. Nevertheless, minor maintenance will impact the total costs, and they will point out potential issues after they complete their service.

Usually, the condition of the gutters doesn’t play a role in calculating the cost of cleaning. But one thing to be aware of is that certain gutters like copper, for instance, require careful handling compared to other materials like aluminum. Copper is soft and can easily be bent or damaged if a ladder is placed on the gutter incorrectly. 

The gutter cleaning company will take care not to damage your gutters by positioning their ladder correctly to avoid contact, if possible, and take extra measures to protect your gutters. It’s typically not a huge factor, but we bring it up here because we do come across it from time to time.

When Your Home Needs Gutter Cleaning 

As you can see, calculating gutter cleaning costs isn’t as straightforward as you’d think it would be. The two major variables that impact the total cost are the total linear square footage and the floor levels. The number of downspouts will also add to the time it will take to complete the job. 

Many of our customers ask us how often they should have their gutter cleaned. It’s common with homes in the suburbs to be cleaned a few times a year. A house in the middle of the woods will have more leaves and dirt and will likely require gutter cleaning three to four times a year because of its location. 

If you’re looking for professional gutter clawing sieves for your home, Excel Residential provides free estimates. We also offer window washing and power washing services. If you have questions about our services, contact us or get a free quote

 

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Published by Excel Residential September 8, 2021
Excel Residential