How Much to Clean Gutters?
Assuming that no scaffolding is used, the average cost of having gutters cleaned is £75 to £125 for a terraced house, £100 to £150 for a semi-detached property, or £100 to £200 for a detached house.
However, if scaffolding is needed (as would be the case if working at a specific height), you’d be looking at paying around £325 to £425 for a terraced house.
For a semi-detached home, you'd expect to pay anywhere from £375 to £425, and you’d need a budget of around £400 to £450 if you live in a detached house.
The cost of gutter cleaning tends to be higher if scaffolding is needed for access.
The total cost may depend on the following factors:
- Type/size of gutters
- Condition of gutters
- Location
- Number of tradespeople hired
- Materials used
- Location of property
- Ease of access
Gutter Cleaning Price List
The below table sets outs the average costs of gutter cleaning:
| Scaffolding? | House Type | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| No | Terraced | £75 to £125 |
| Semi-detached | £100 to £150 | |
| Detached | £100 to £200 | |
| Yes | Terraced | £325 to £425 |
| Semi-detached | £375 to £425 | |
| Detached | £400 to £450 |
- How Much to Clean Gutters?
- Cost of Gutter Cleaning Equipment
- Additional Gutter Cleaning Costs
- Factors That Impact Gutter Cleaning Costs
- Tradesperson Costs for Gutter Cleaning
- How Long Does It Take to Clean Guttering
- Types of Gutter Cleaning
- Benefits of Cleaning Gutters
- Gutter Maintenance
- When Will I Need To Hire A Professional Guttering Cleaner?
- FAQs
- Sources
Cost of Gutter Cleaning Equipment
Let’s now have a look at the cost of materials in particular. This is separate from the overall price of gutter cleaning and is especially relevant if you’d like to undertake this work DIY.
You may choose to buy some of these tools depending on the gutter cleaning method you use:
- Ladder - £60 to £80
- Gutter scoop - £5 to £20
- Leaf blower - £50 to £70
- Rotary gutter cleaning system - £20 to £160
- Gutter flusher and cleaner - £15 to £35
These costs may or may not apply if you hire a professional or a gutter cleaning service, since they will already have the materials at the ready.
Additional Gutter Cleaning Costs
We’ll now have a look at the added expenses you may incur when having your gutters cleaned.
New Gutter Costs
While you could have your existing gutters cleaned and maintained, there may come a time when you’d rather have your gutters replaced.
This will be especially of interest to anyone who has older houses that still have problematic Tconcrete gutters and want them replaced concrete gutters and want them replaced with uPVC.
Here are some average gutter replacement costs:
- Semi-detached house - £400 to £500
- Terraced house - £400 to £500
- Detached house - £500 to £700
- Flat - £250 to £350
- Bungalow - £400 to £600
- Garage - £300 to £350
New Soffits and Fascias Costs
If you are getting your gutters replaced you may also want to consider getting new soffits and fascias.
Fascias are positioned where the roof and exterior house walls meet helping protect the roof edge from weather damage.
Soffits are tucked under the fascia, running horizontally underneath the roof overhang.
Both are an important part of your roof and guttering system.
The cost of insulation for replacing Soffits and Fascias can range from £300 to £1200 depending on the size of your house.
New Roof Costs
If your old guttering has caused roof damage you may need to invest in a new roof.
On average, the cost of roofing for homes starts at around £5,000 to £6,000. For garages, the price ranges from £1,000 to £2,000.
Actual costs will depend on the size of roof required and the materials your choose to complete the job.
Factors That Impact Gutter Cleaning Costs
There are various factors that shape the total price of gutter cleaning. Firstly, a minimum fee may apply. This could be a set amount that you’d be charged regardless of how long the work takes or a minimum fee that is added to the total.
Charges for excess mileage may also apply if you hire a contractor who needs to travel a sizeable distance to reach your property.
Beyond that, the type/size of gutters and their condition is also relevant given that these factors would shape the overall labour cost. However, the type and size of gutters could also influence supply costs.
The number of tradespeople hired could impact on the overall price too, since it would affect the hourly labour rate. That said, if the labourers work well together it may take half the time to complete.
Tradesperson Costs for Gutter Cleaning
The price of labour is likely to land around £20 to £25 an hour, with the daily rate being approximately £150 to £300.
Alternatively, guttering cleaning can be charged per linear metre (or at least this could be part of the overall price). In most cases, the cost of gutter cleaning per metre lands around £4 to £5.
Gutter cleaning takes about 2-5 hours depending on the size/type of property. With that being said, if scaffolding is needed then you can expect the work to take a few hours longer at least although if the property is particularly large then the work may carry on into a second day.
Don’t forget it’ll take a bit of time for the hired professional to disassemble the scaffolding too.
How Long Does It Take to Clean Guttering
We’ll now have a look at the time frames involved in cleaning out gutters. In this section we’ll also take a look at the time factors involved.
For a terraced house, this work takes about 2-4 hours but it would last approximately 3-5 hours for a semi-detached property and the same for a detached house. Should scaffolding be necessary, you can expect it to last around 7-8 hours in most cases.
It should be noted that the duration of this work will vary significantly depending on the method used.
The duration of this work depends on a variety of factors like the size/type of guttering, the condition of the guttering, and ease of access.
Types of Gutter Cleaning
There are various ways of cleaning guttering. In this section we’ll break down some popular methods and look at their pros and cons.
Gutter Scoop and Binliner Cost
A very simple manual method of dealing with clogged gutters is to prop up a ladder and clear out gutters by scooping up the debris within and putting it into a bin liner.
This method is cheap and pretty straightforward. However, it is more time consuming. Don’t forget to always take the necessary safety precautions when using a ladder and working at a height.
Unless you have the necessary gutter cleaning equipment already it would likely cost about £70 to £100, which includes the price of the ladder. Of course, the cost would be a lot cheaper if you already have a ladder and just need the gutter scoop.
Pros
- Easy manual method
- Cost of cleaning gutters can be kept to a minimum
Cons
- Not very time-efficient
Leaf Blower Cost
A faster approach is to utilize a leaf blower. With an average cost of £50 to £70, this method isn’t overly expensive either. Of course, the money you spend on a leaf blower would also be an investment for the future.
Obviously, this approach can be pretty messy and will result in leaves and other debris falling to the ground below. It can also be quite heavy to operate and this could be a safety concern for working at a height.
Pros
- Good investment
- Fast and efficient
Cons
- Pretty messy solution
Rotary Gutter Cleaning System Cost
This piece of equipment is very useful and improves comfort and safety since it doesn't require a ladder. A rotary gutter cleaning system is a piece of equipment that extends like a long pole right up to the gutters (indeed, it is effectively a gutter cleaning pole).
They tend to cost anywhere from £20 to £160, so, and assuming you’re looking for one of decent quality, you’d need to spend a little more to use this approach.
Pros
- Safer method
- Very useful
- Good investment
Cons
- Can be quite expensive
Benefits of Cleaning Gutters
Aside from the obvious, there are a whole host of short and long-term advantages to clearing out your property’s gutters.
Avoid Interior Damage
Debris can take a toll on guttering and if left to accumulate over time this can lead to leaks, as a result of breaks and cracks in your guttering.
In turn, this would allow water into your home which could cause damage, and even increase the risk of mildew and mould both within your property and the exterior.
Penetrating damp caused from faulty guttering can lead to major repairs if not dealt with promptly.
Regular gutter cleaning protects your home from water damage and saves you from costly repairs down the line.
Increased Lifespan For Your Roof
One big advantage of cleaning gutters is that it reduces the weight and stress on your roof, especially during heavy rain or snow.
When water can flow properly through clear gutters, it will prevent pooling and damage that could otherwise lead to an expensive roof repair.
Cleaning your gutters and roof regularly helps keep your shingles in good shape, stops mould from growing and keeps your roof strong.
Stops Pests From Nesting
Allowing debris to build-up in your guttering can attract bugs and rodents, so clearing out your guttering as often as needed can help avoid this.
Gutter Maintenance
Getting your gutters cleaned professionally is one way to maintain your gutters. There is however things you can do on a regular basis to ensure they are working well and help prevent issues.
- Inspect For Damage - Regularly check your gutters for cracks, holes or loose brackets.
- Flush The With Water - Use your garden hose to check the water flow and remove any loose debris.
- Check The Downpipes - Check your downpipes are correctly removing the water than runs from your gutters into a drain and away from your house foundations.
Prevention Ideas
To help prevent issues with your gutters happening consider:
- Installing Gutter Guards - these will stop debris accumulating. They will need to be cleaned regularly.
- Trimming Overhanging Trees - This will help miminimse leaves and twigs dropping into your guttering.
- Install Extra Gutter Brackets - Additional brackets can help support your gutters and prevent sagging causing poor water flow.
When Will I Need To Hire A Professional Guttering Cleaner?
Even with regular DIY maintenance there will still be instances where a professional is needed.
Here are four instances where professional help is required:
- Signs of water damage inside your home.
- When your roof is high and unsafe to clean yourself.
- When major repairs are required.
- If clogging keeps happening even after regular cleaning.
FAQs
Q: Why is gutter cleaning important?
A: Ultimately, it’s important as it can maintain your gutters and roof over time, prevents interior damage, and avoids attracting pests and other organisms that can spread disease.
Q: How often should you clean gutters?
A: It is advisable to do so twice a year, but 3-4 times a year may be preferable depending on the sort of foliage that gathers in your guttering (e.g. pine tree leaves).
Q: When should you clean guttering?
A: It’s best to clean them at start of spring and the start of autumn, as these are times in which foliage will be plenty and gutters are most likely to be full of debris.
Q: Where can I purchase a rotary gutter cleaning system?
A: Many hardware stores will provide these. You’ll also find such systems for sale on websites like eBay.
Q: What is the battery life of a leaf blower?
A: Many last for about 15-45 minutes on average. However, it will depend on the product as some will be designed for longer battery life, though you’d likely need to spend more in this case.
Sources
