Gutters...recommendations

[ejb]

I need to put new gutters on my house soon...before winter and cold sets in certainly.

The house has old wooden ones that leak and are need of replacing...someone pointed me towards a seamless gutter where they come on site and fabricated to any length you want and install too...but they are not cheap; I heard $6.50/linear foot installed, plus downspounts and extras I assume....I'll need maybe 250-300 feet total, so thats pretty steep....

Does anyone use regular old home depot "K-style" gutters anymore? or does everyone do the seamless thing now? Will a properly installed HD/sectional gutter perform as well as a seamless variety? I think it will be like 25-30% of the cost....

Thanks all.

-EJB

 

[slowrev]

The main problems with the sectional gutters is that the seams can/will leak unless sealed very well with sealant. Have not tried the poly gutters yet though.

Ben

 

[pennwalk]

I don't know much about gutters but when we had the new ones (seamless) put on a neighbor suggested getting the larger size downspouts because they clog up less. We got them but I noticed later that the installers put in the small sized holes in the gutters that the downspouts attach to so that's where is seemed to clog up. When we had the new house inspected the inspector said if we got gutter covers to get gutterguard. In not sure if he meant that brand or just that kind.

Chris

 

[HomeBrew2]

I had mine done (continuous) in '03 @ $5/ft. In addition to the possible leaking prob, some complain about paint not sticking to the galv HD type gutters. The continuous type have a very good paint coating and come in many colors. One option with the continuous type my gutter guy offered was that he extrude all the pieces and let me install them. Might save you enough money ...

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I heard $6.50/linear foot installed, plus downspounts and extras I assume....I'll need maybe 250-300 feet total, so thats pretty steep....)</font>

ejb,

If you haven't already done so, get a quote. At that price, it sounds like that should include everything.

Also, if you're thinking of doing it yourself, go price everything. I think you'll find the gutter itself cheap, but by time you add all the couplers, hangers and downspouts, you're probably near $5 ln/ft.

Vinyl is getting popular but have heard that they get brittle with age and cold weather.

Brian

 

[woodlot]

I just went through the same thing. Here's what I learned. First I got an quote from a large seamless gutter company that does a lot of advertising. The quote was much like yours, over $6 a foot PLUS downspouts ($50-100 each). There was no way. Then I considered putting them up myself with the 10 foot sections from the big box. All those seams concerned me and when I saw a few houses with those I realized they just don't look all that great. So, I called the local lumber yard. They could order 5" aluminum gutters in 20 foot lengths. That was MUCH better and just slightly more expensive than the big box's. I almost did that untill I heard about a local indendant guy who did seamless, he did have a small ad in the yellow pages. I called him and got a quote for close to 1/2 of what the nationally known seamless company wanted! about twice what I would have paid doing it myself but no seams, no work, looks great.....it was a no brainer. He installed them with-in 5 days of giving me the quote. On time, On budget. Thats my story..good luck to you.

Oh sorry, I forgot to mention one thing, The big nationlly known gutter dealer was locally owned. They offered what was called a "Chop and Drop." They come to the site, measure and form the gutters and leave them for you to install. That was about 3.75-4.00 a foot (not counting downspouts) and close to what I paid the indepandant. The dealer did say that not many other dealers offered that service so I don't know if this would be an option for you but worth checking out.

 

[beenthere]

My recommendation... leave them off. Been in this house for 37 years, without gutters. No ice dams, no leaves, and very little effects of water at the edge of the house.

I realize that probably doesn't work for everyone, and I also have a 3' overhang which helps a lot.

 

[Junkman]

I have heavy duty over sized gutters that were ordered by the carpenter from Harvey Industries in MA and they are great. Heavy weight baked finish aluminum with over sized downspouts. When I added my garage addition, the machine that made the gutters wasn't working so I called a local seamless gutter company. The one that they installed is smaller and for the 42' run, they installed only one downspout. It fills up and then runs over the edge. I installed 4 more downspouts and now there is no problem with the size. If I had it to do over again, I would wait till the machine was repaired. The size and gauge of metal is an important thing to consider. Also get more downspouts that you think you will need. During downpours like we had today, they will fill quickly. If the downspout can't handle the amount of water in the gutter, it will just run over the edge as if there were no gutter at all. Stay away from those that they claim that you don't have to clean. In heavy rain, the water just runs over the edge also, but the leaves do stay out.

 

[woodlot]

Is your "oversized" gutter 5" or 6"? I've seen the 6" and they are absolutly huge. I have 5" gutters. They are big. I have one run that is close to 60 feet with two downspouts. One on each end, the gutter is pitched up in the middle. That gutter handled a deluge rainstorm on monday night. we got over 6 inches in four hours. That much rain is rare in my area. 6" gutters would have been an unnecessary expense for me. For refrence that gutter is draining a 8/12 roof on a 24 foot span (approx 865 sq ft.). Thats 3,232 gallons in 4 hours, not to shabby!

 

[Cowboyjg]

Lots of if's in your post. The cost of metal has gone up and that will affect cost. You just need to file that in the back of your head when you consider a price you are given. The cost of fuel has gone up dramatically. That is a factor too. Every thing cost related has and is going up so a comparison to a job of similar requirements even last year won't be the same.

NOW.......with all that said. Go and get 3, 4 or 5 quotes for what you want done. Don't be sold necessarily on additions to the job so that you can compare apples to apples.

After you've done that, come back and tell us what you have discovered.

You may be surprised.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif