Gutter guide
Seamless gutter cost in Lewiston: what sets the price
The cost of seamless gutters comes down to how many feet of gutter and downspout your house needs, how high and hard the roof edge is to work on, how many corners and outlets there are, the size and metal you choose, and whether old gutters and rotted fascia have to come off first.
Why a per-foot price alone doesn't tell you much
A price per foot sounds simple, but two houses with the same footage can be very different jobs. One is a single-story ranch with four straight runs and four corners. The other is a two-story house with a steep roof, twelve corners, two valleys, and fascia that has been rotting behind old gutters for years. Same footage, very different work.
That's why we don't quote over the phone. The number that matters is the price for your house, after it has been measured and the fascia has been looked at. What you can do ahead of time is understand what goes into that number.
What a seamless gutter quote is made of
- Gutter footage: the total length of every run along the eaves
- Downspout footage: the height from gutter to ground for each downspout, plus elbows
- Corners: inside and outside mitered corners, each cut, fit, and sealed
- End caps and outlets: one outlet for every downspout
- Hangers: the number depends on run length and spacing
- Extensions or splash blocks at the bottom of each downspout
- Labor and setup, which depends heavily on height and access
- Tear-off and disposal of old gutters on a replacement
- Repairs to fascia or drip edge found during the job
How to estimate your own gutter footage
You can get a rough idea of your footage from the ground. The main thing to know is which edges of the roof get gutters.
Gable roof
A gable roof slopes down on two sides and has triangular walls on the ends. Gutters usually go only on the two sloped sides. A simple 40 by 30 foot house with a gable roof running the long way needs about 80 feet of gutter: two 40-foot runs.
Hip roof
A hip roof slopes down on all four sides, so gutters run all the way around. The same 40 by 30 foot house with a hip roof needs about 140 feet of gutter, plus a little for the overhang at each corner.
Downspouts
Count the downspouts you have or need, and multiply by the height from the gutter to the ground. A one-story eave is often around 10 feet up; a two-story eave is often around 20. Add elbows at the top and bottom of each.
Attached garages, porches, bay windows, and dormers each add short runs and extra corners. Those small pieces add more to the cost than their footage suggests, because each corner and end cap is its own fitting.
A quick worksheet
| Item | Gable roof | Hip roof |
|---|---|---|
| Gutter | About 80 ft | About 140 ft |
| Corners | None on a simple gable | 4 outside corners |
| Downspouts | About 4 at 10 ft each | About 4 to 6 at 10 ft each |
| End caps | 4 | None on a continuous loop |
These are rough illustrations. Your house's actual layout, outlet count, and downspout locations are set when we measure.
The factors that move the price up or down
After footage, these are the things that make the biggest difference between one gutter job and another.
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Height and roof pitch
Second-story eaves take longer ladders, more setup, and more time moving equipment. Steep roofs make it harder to work at the edge. Downspouts on a two-story wall are also twice as long.
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Number of corners
Every inside and outside corner is a separate mitered piece that has to be cut, fitted, fastened, and sealed. A complicated roofline with many corners costs more than its footage alone suggests.
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Gutter size
Six-inch gutters use more metal and need larger downspouts than 5-inch. They cost more per foot but carry much more water. Our 5-inch vs. 6-inch guide explains when the upgrade is worth it.
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Metal and thickness
Aluminum is the usual choice for seamless gutters. Thicker aluminum resists dents and sagging better and costs a little more. Steel costs more again, and copper costs far more.
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Tear-off and disposal
On a replacement, old gutters, spikes, and downspouts have to come down and be hauled off. Brittle vinyl or rusted steel can take longer to remove than you would expect.
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Fascia and drip edge repairs
Rotted fascia can't hold a new gutter. It's the most common reason a final price differs from a first estimate, because it often can't be seen until the old gutter is off. See fascia and soffit repair for how that work is done.
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Downspout count and size
More or larger downspouts mean more outlets, more elbows, and more footage, but they keep the gutters from overflowing at the outlet in a heavy rain.
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Add-ons
Gutter guards, heat cables, and underground drain lines are separate line items. Bundling them with a new install usually costs less than adding them later, since the crew and setup are already there.
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Access around the house
Steep yards, tight side setbacks, decks, greenhouses, and landscaping under the eaves all slow down ladder work.
How to compare gutter quotes fairly
Two quotes are only comparable if they describe the same job. Before you compare totals, check that each one answers these questions.
- Same footage? Big differences in measured feet mean someone missed a run or counted differently.
- Same size and metal? 5-inch vs. 6-inch, and aluminum thickness.
- Same downspouts? How many, what size, and where.
- What kind of hangers? Hidden hangers screwed into the fascia hold far better than spikes, and spacing matters.
- Is tear-off and haul-away included?
- How is rotted fascia handled? Is it included, priced per foot, or left out entirely?
- Are extensions or splash blocks included?
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and is it in writing?
Check contractor registration in Idaho
Idaho requires anyone doing a construction job worth more than $2,000, counting materials and labor, to be registered with the state as a contractor, unless they fall under a specific exemption. Many full gutter replacements pass that amount. Ask any contractor you're considering for their Idaho registration number, including us, and you can look it up with the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.
Source: Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, Contractors Board FAQ.
Older homes and lead-safe work
If your house was built before 1978 and the job involves removing more than 20 square feet of painted trim, federal lead-safe work rules apply. That can add steps to the fascia part of a job. Ask how each contractor handles it.
Ways to keep the cost down without cutting corners
- Do it all in one visit. Fascia repair, guards, and drain lines cost less alongside a new install than as separate trips.
- Pick the size the roof needs. If 5-inch handles your roof, there's no reason to pay for 6-inch everywhere. Use 6-inch only on the runs that need it.
- Stay with aluminum unless you want copper or steel for a specific reason.
- Fix fascia while the gutters are off. Rehanging gutters later to fix trim means paying for the gutter work twice.
- Replace with the roof. If a new roof is coming soon, gutters often have to come off anyway. Coordinating the two avoids doing the edge work twice.
Where cutting cost backfires
Skipping fascia repair, using spikes instead of hangers, or putting too few downspouts on a long run all save money on day one and cost it back later in leaks, sagging, and water at the foundation. If you aren't sure new gutters are the answer at all, our guide on repairing versus replacing gutters can help before you spend on either.
Questions about gutter prices
Why will you not give me a price per foot over the phone?
Because footage is only one part of the price. Height, corners, downspouts, tear-off, and the condition of the fascia can change a job a lot, and those are only clear once the house is measured and looked at.
Do seamless gutters cost more than sectional gutters?
Sectional gutters from a store cost less up front, especially as a do-it-yourself project. Seamless gutters are formed to length and installed by a crew, so they cost more to put up, but they have far fewer joints to leak and tend to need less repair over the years.
Does a two-story house cost twice as much?
Not usually. The gutter footage may be similar to a one-story house of the same footprint. What goes up is labor and setup for the height, and the length of every downspout.
How much more do 6-inch gutters cost than 5-inch?
They cost more per foot because they use more metal and need larger downspouts. Whether it's worth it depends on the roof. Many houses only need 6-inch on one or two runs that take a lot of water.
Why did the final price change after the old gutters came off?
The most common reason is rotted fascia that couldn't be seen with the old gutters in place. A good quote tells you up front how that'll be handled if it turns up.
Get a price for your house
The only accurate number is the one for your house. Call Lewiston Rain Gutters at (208) 858-8002 to get a quote for new gutters. We'll measure, check the fascia, and explain each part of the price.
Call (208) 858-8002