One major factor, which keeps you from making substantial changes at home, is the cost. And the gutter replacement cost is one you seriously need to take into consideration. Not so much due to the actual prices but mainly due to their importance. There’s a list of variables that make a difference in the sum of money you’ll be called to pay at the end of the day.
As it usually happens, there are cheap and expensive choices. But when it comes to your residential gutters, the very ones that protect your home from the rain water, you can hardly make any sacrifices, quality-wise.
On top of that, there are some factors which affect the final cost of the gutter replacement project, and you can do nothing about them. So, let’s put things in order and see what affects the prices.
Gutters material
Not all rain gutters are born equal. One of the main things, which differentiate them, is the material. That’s natural if you consider that not all materials have the same strengths. Thus, their lifespan is quite different. Their performance and resistance differ too. The more expensive gutters last for a very long time due to their durability and high resistance to the elements as opposed to cheaper materials – not necessarily a bad choice, but not as strong and resistant as their high-end counterparts. Copper makes it at the top of the list of expensive gutter materials, followed by aluminum, galvanized steel and vinyl. But it also lasts much longer than the others.
Sectional vs seamless gutters
Seamless gutters cost more than sectional ones. This makes absolute sense if you consider that seamless rain gutters are made in one piece, meaning they have no joints apart from the corners. This is a great advantage since it eliminates the possibility of water leak in the middle-run. On the other side stand the standard sectional gutters. These consist of separate sections joined together with rivets or screws. Although the sectional gutters have the advantage of allowing you to replace the damaged sections alone – not the whole thing, they also increase the possibility of leakage and so are cheaper than seamless gutters.
Rain gutters size
Rain gutters are found all around the roof. So, when you calculate the gutter replacement cost, you need to take into account whether you want all sections removed or not. Assuming that we are talking about sectional rain gutters, replacing one or two sections only is different than replacing all sections. And then, the longer the gutters run and the larger their layout, the more feet you need and the higher the price will be.
Gutter components
When you try to figure out the cost of replacing the gutters, don’t forget the various components that go with them.
For example, you may want gutter guards to go with them. You will certainly need fasteners, hangers, downspouts – all sorts of accessories whose cost is not very high but also considerable if you add them all together.
Gutter installation
Naturally, the cost of replacing the gutters involves much more than buying the new products, anything from the gutters to their accessories. It also involves the labor work. In other words, the new gutter installation as well as the removal and the disposal of the old gutters.
This is something you need to consider with great seriousness since a small mistake may cost you more in water damage restoration later on than entrusting the installation to a professional gutter company.
Perhaps, one of the most expensive solutions – apart from the material, is to install seamless gutters. Not only due to their higher price in comparison with the sectional gutters but also because seamless gutters must be installed by professionals only. So, you cannot avoid the install expense.
On the other hand, what seems to be a cheaper solution may not be so cheap, after all. For example, vinyl gutters are the cheapest on the market but they are also heavy. While easy to install, they may need more fasteners – or stronger ones, so that they won’t bend easily under the pressure of water. Also, due to the pressure of water, they may start sagging at one point. And so, when you think about the cost of the gutter replacement, you need to consider the long term too – simply put, how soon you want to go through all that again. If you want to have the gutters replaced and forget about repeating this project for years, pay more today to earn more in the long run.
