4 Ways The Cost To Replace Gutters & Downspouts Is Affected

Day after day, season after season, your gutters and downspouts are always on call to collect and divert rain and stormwater away from your home. These oft-overlooked structural elements play a crucial role in keeping your roof, foundation, and siding safe from water damage.

If your gutters and downspouts are damaged beyond repair or if they’re old and past their prime, replacing them can be a worthwhile investment. But then, you’ll want to know how much it will cost to replace gutters and downspouts. Cost depends on several factors, which we’ll discuss here.

Where Your House Needs Gutters

Rain gutters are typically placed along the roof edge and positioned to extend beyond the eaves of the roof. The slope of your roof will play a huge role in determining the length and cost of your gutters. 

Roofs are designed to direct water down the roof to the gutters. Unless your roof slopes in all directions, you probably won’t need to install gutters around the entire house. However, each slope must have a gutter at its edge.

When the roof collects rainwater, every slope will drain the water in opposing directions, so a gutter is needed on each side to catch the water and prevent damage to your home’s foundation. If your roof has two slopes, you’d need to have gutters placed on the slanting sides while forgoing the sections in which the slopes come together.

Without adequate or properly functioning gutters, you could find water backing up onto your roof. This could lead to water damage or roof collapse due to the added weight.

The Size of Your Home

This may seem pretty obvious, but the size of your home impacts the cost of gutter and downspout replacement. Square footage affects the length of the gutters, time, and labor needed to complete the job. Because gutter replacement is charged per linear foot of guttering, it is more expensive to replace gutters for larger homes. You’ll most likely need more downspouts.

Of course, the larger your house is, the longer the gutter runs will need to be. This translates to more materials and a longer time to fasten gutters to your home. Also, larger homes have larger drainage areas, which means they’ll require more downspouts.

The Number of Downspouts Needed

Downspouts are those vertical, pipe-like structures attached to the gutter system. They come in a few shapes, but their primary goal is to prevent gutters from overflowing and create a controlled path to ensure water effectively reaches the ground and diverts water away from your home.

Downspouts prevent water from reaching your basement and crawl spaces. They protect against severe structural damage to your foundation and home.

Downspouts are integral to your home’s integrity and should be intentionally placed. Adding a good amount of downspouts maximizes efficiency, protecting your home’s exterior from water damage. As a general rule, gutters need a downspout every 20 to 30 feet. However, this will also heavily depend on:

  • The roof surface area
  • Roof slope
  • Gutter size
  • The local climate

For instance, a large roof moves a lot of water. A steep pitch moves water faster. Both of these may require extra downspouts to prevent gutter overflow.

The best locations for downspouts will be determined by the design and layout of your home. An experienced roofing contractor will know how many downspouts your home needs and where they should be installed for optimal efficiency. 

The Height and Accessibility of Your Roof

Another aspect which can affect gutter and downspout replacement cost is the design and height of your roof. If your home is multistoried or your roof is particularly steep, roof technicians will need more safety equipment and extra time and effort to gain safe access to the roof. All these things can add to the cost of your gutter replacement.

You can also expect a higher quote if your roof has an unconventional shape or a complex architectural gutter design. Furthermore, removing and installing new gutters will take more time if your property has any of these features:

  • Your home is close to your neighbor’s home.
  • Your home has a fence.
  • Your home is surrounded by trees or rows of shrubbery.

Extra equipment will then be needed to assure the safety of the roof technicians. This adds to your cost.

Partner with Midwest Roofing

The right gutter product, properly installed and regularly maintained, can last for decades and provide peace of mind. When it’s time to replace your gutters and downspouts, Midwest Roofing would love to help. We provide high-quality and reliable gutter solutions and are always transparent, upfront, and professional. Contact us today to learn more and request a free quote. We serve homeowners from Columbia to Springfield and everywhere in between.