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Gutter cost calculator

Gutters are priced by the linear foot of eave, not by the roof. Measure the runs that actually carry water — rakes do not — pick the profile and the metal, and this prices the run, the downspouts and the guards separately, which is how a real quote should read.

Two-colour print of a gutter run and downspout
A run along the eave, the downspout turning down at the corner.
Gutters, installed

Measure the eave runs, not the perimeter — rakes carry no gutter. One downspout per 35 ft of run is the usual rule. Pre-filled with a typical two-storey house.

$1,200 – $2,720

160 linear ft · 5" K-style · Seamless aluminium

LineLowHigh
Gutter run installed$960$2,080
Downspouts$240$640
Per linear foot, all in$7.50$17.00
Installed total$1,200$2,720

How the estimate is built

Linear feet × an installed rate per foot for the metal, multiplied by a profile factor because a 6-inch K-style takes more material and a half-round takes more of both material and skill. Downspouts are priced each, because a two-storey drop is two lengths and an elbow set. Guards, if you want them, are their own per-foot line rather than a percentage.

Why gutters belong in the roofing conversation

Gutters hang off the fascia and sit under the drip edge, so a re-roof is the only cheap time to replace them — the crew is already at the eave and the drip edge has to be detailed to kick water into the trough either way. See the drip edge guide for that detail; the code asks for a vertical leg of at least 1 1/2 inches and an extension of 1/4 inch below the sheathing, which is what puts the water inside the gutter rather than behind it.

Guards are not maintenance-free

Every guard system still needs a look twice a year, and a guard installed over a gutter that is not pitched correctly hides the problem instead of solving it. Fix the pitch and the spout count first; buy guards second.

Where the water goes after the spout

A downspout discharging at the foundation is a wet basement with extra steps. Extensions, splash blocks or a buried line moving water six feet away are cheap and are almost never in the gutter quote. Add the line yourself. Blocked or under-pitched gutters are also the most common contributor to eave ice dams.

Related

Sources

  1. International Building Code 2021 §1507.2.8.3, drip edge — read 2026-09-04
  2. Fixr, Roof Replacement Cost (updated 4 February 2026) — read 2026-09-04