How Much Does Guttering Cost?

Do you want to have new gutters installed on your house?

Our guide to guttering costs will cover the tota cost of a guttering replacement - but also breaks down the supply and labour costs separately.

We will also look at topics such as how long it takes to install new gutters, as well as the maintenance and repair costs for guttering that you should know about.

So how much does it cost?

The total cost of guttering varies depends on the material used or/and the size of the area being covered.

To cover a semi-detached house with 15 to 20 metres of guttering will cost about £600 to £900 with steel, £675 to £900 with aluminium, £675 to £1,000 with uPVC, £1,200 to £1500 with cast iron or £540 to £1,100 with copper.

If you're ready to get a quote to replace your gutters, we can help connect you with local guttering specialists.

green guttering on wooden house

So let's take a look at the average costs in more detail then then...

On average, it will cost roughly £400 to £500 to fit PVC guttering to a terraced house, £400 to £500 for a semi-detached house, £500 to £700 for a detached house, £400 to £550 for a bungalow, £240 to £360 for a flat or £325 to £350 for a garage.

Such costs based on other materials will, therefore, come to different amounts.

Gutter Prices

Material Type/Size of Structure Total Cost (Supply + Labour)
Steel Guttering on Semi-Detached House £600 to £900
Aluminium Guttering on Semi-Detached House £675 to £900
uPVC Guttering on Semi-Detached House £675 to £1,000
Cast Iron Guttering on Semi-Detached House £1,200 to £1,500
Copper Guttering on Semi-Detached House £540 to £1,100
Terraced House £400 to £500
Semi-Detached House £400 to £500
Detached House £500 to £700
Bungalow £400 to £550
Flat £240 to £360
Garage £325 to £350
Get Instant Quotes

Compare quotes and get a price for any job around the home or garden. No obligations. Completely free.

Get a Price for your Job


What Are the Supply Costs of Guttering?

In this section, we will take a look at the supply price of guttering, as if you were to purchase from a retailer directly.

multiple downpipes

The supply costs of steel guttering are about £20 to £30 per metre, for guttering that is made of aluminium it’s approximately £25 to £30 per metre, with uPVC it’s going to cost between £25 and £35 per metre, for cast iron about £60 to £70 per metre and the guttering price may land anywhere from £16 to £40 per metre for copper guttering.

What Are the Additional Costs of Guttering?

There are various additional jobs you may choose to pay for which we will look at in this section. To have a leaf guard installed will vary depending on the type of guard used and whether or not it requires any scaffolding.

You can have a hedgehog guard installed for about £200 to £300 without scaffolding or about £400 to £600 with scaffolding.

green guttering pipes

A mesh guard without scaffolding will set you back around £150 to £250 while the price goes up to about £350 to £550 if scaffolding is used. The cost to have your home rendered will depend on the size of your property and the material used.

Based on average supply costs, it will cost around £200 to £550 to render a five-metre square garden wall, £3000 to £4000 to render a terraced house, £4200 to £5500 to cover a semi-detached house, somewhere in the range of £6700 to £8300 for a detached house, approximately £320 to £560 for an apartment and around £2500 to £3500 for a bungalow.

To have the exterior of your house painted will cost about £550 to £750 for a terraced house, £700 to £1000 for a semi-detached house or for a detached house, you should budget for a cost of roughly £900 to £1500. These prices are based on average house sizes for each type.

Tradesmen Costs for Installing Guttering

To have new guttering installed will come with both supply and labour/installation costs. For this section, we will focus on the latter, including a look at the average hourly and daily rates of a guttering installer in the UK.

The average cost of labour for having guttering installed on a house will come to around £200 to £300.

This is the same amount as the approximate daily rate charged by most guttering installers with the task of installing guttering on a house taking about one day.

To install guttering on a garage may take less time and therefore will have a lower installation cost than the above figure. The hourly rate of a guttering installer is usually about £18 to £25.

Some types of gutters may be installed quicker than others such as uPVC gutters being easier to install than say copper gutters. On this basis, the labour cost may vary although flat rate charges may make such differences minimal in practice.

How Long Does It Take to Install Guttering?

The length of time it takes to install new guttering will vary depending on the structure in question. In the table below, we display these varying durations and later in the section; we will discuss additional factors that could influence how long a new guttering installation will take.

Structure Type Installation Time
Detached Bungalow 1 Day
Semi-Detached Bungalow 1 Day
Detached House 1 Day
Semi-Detached House 1 Day
Terraced House 1 Day
Flat 2-4 Hours
Garage 2-4 Hours

The installation time for guttering can vary depending on the guttering type, ease of access to the roof of your house and the state of your house’s roof.

Types of Guttering

For this section, we will discuss the various types of guttering in more detail. In each of the subsections below, we will explain what each type is, their average cost and list out their pros and cons.

Steel Guttering Costs

This metallic low-maintenance guttering type is also coated by a magnesium zinc alloy that has been strengthened. The key material used, steel is a carbon and iron alloy. Steel gutters tend to cost about £20 to £30 per metre.

Pros:

  • Durable
  • Relatively cheap
  • Strength improved by a magnesium zinc alloy

Cons:

  • Loose connections may result in sagging
  • Vulnerable to rusting
  • Steel gutters are not particularly flexible

uPVC Guttering Costs

Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) guttering is a plastic-based option. This material, unlike PVC, lacks phthalates and BPA. uPVC gutters can be purchased for about £5 to £30 per metre.

black upvc guttering

Pros:

  • Generally inexpensive
  • Easily installed
  • uPVC gutters are easily maintained

Cons:

  • Prone to damage
  • May become worn with time

Aluminium Guttering Costs

Aluminium guttering is a strong and light-weight option. Aluminium is a highly abundant and ductile metal. You can purchase aluminium gutters for about £25 to £30 per metre.

Pros:

  • Strong type of guttering
  • Light-weight
  • Very durable
  • Largely weatherproof

Cons:

  • Generally, not as cheap as steel guttering
  • Still prone to damage from hail, snow and wind
  • Aluminium gutters are not suitable to be positioned on a roof with copper flashing
  • Also, unsuitable to be positioned on a roof with shingles that are algae-resistant

Cast Iron Guttering Costs

Cast iron guttering is a long-lasting option. Cast iron is a group of iron-carbon alloys. The supply costs for this type of guttering will likely end up about £60 to £70 per metre.

cast iron guttering

Pros:

  • Long-lasting
  • Cast iron gutters do not require much maintenance

Cons:

  • Relatively expensive option

Copper Guttering Costs

This stylish type of guttering is made of a soft, ductile and malleable metal. Copper gutters may cost anywhere from £16 to £40 per metre.

Pros:

  • Stylish aesthetic
  • Durable
  • Generally, resists corrosion
  • Some products will be very inexpensive

Cons:

  • Has a wide price range; thus, some products can be quite costly
  • The whole gutter system (including nails, fittings and fasteners) must be copper if using copper gutters in order to reduce the risk of corrosion
  • Copper gutters can take longer to install than say aluminium guttering

Guttering Maintenance Costs

For this section, we will delve into the cost of various types of guttering maintenance.

overflowing gutter due to rain

We will discuss what each type of maintenance is, and the cost involved.

Guttering Cleaning Prices

To clean out gutters, first, a firm extendable ladder should be used to reach the guttering area. A ladder stabiliser may be used for safety purposes. A plastic scoop can be used to remove debris such as leaves from the gutters.

A tarp can be employed to collect gunk and debris. Next, a garden hose should be used to wash the guttering area.

Any metal that is sagging should be removed. If you have any safety concerns, you can hire a professional to clean your guttering. Generally, it costs £5 per metre to have your gutters cleaned.

man cleaning out gutter

A cleaner may charge between £20 and £25 per hour to perform this work. To have gutters cleaned that are between 15 and 20 linear metres may cost anywhere from £100 to £250.

Gutter Sealing Costs

Do you need to seal gutter leaks? With the help of a ladder to reach the guttering area, leaks can first be identified by spraying water from a hose onto the seams and joints.

The area should then be cleaned before silicone caulk can be applied to any cracks. Silicone caulk will probably cost between £5 and £10 per item. If you wish to also hire a professional to perform this work, it will cost around £20 to £40 per hour.

Gutter Securing Costs

If any gutters are found to be loose or sagging, the gutter spikes should be replaced with gutter screws. A cordless drill can be used for this task.

Once more, to have this work complete by a professional will probably cost between £20 and £40 per hour. Gutter screws can cost anywhere from £0.03 to £1 each. Often they come in packs of dozens or hundreds of screws.

Guttering Repair Costs

In this section, we will explore the cost of various types of guttering repairs. Common repairs for gutters include repairing downspouts, replacing gutters and fixing overflowing gutters.

Cost of Repairing Downspouts

If the downspout has become loose or clogged, you should first take apart the sections of the downspout and clean it thoroughly. Push the downspout sections or/and elbows into place in order to refasten them. Drill any pilot holes if needed.

Fasten them with galvanised sheet metal screws. Ensure that the anchor straps which are used to keep the downspouts in place on the wall are completely secure.

Finally, fasten the top segment of the downspout to the S-curve outlet with a screw or two per joint. A professional will charge about £20 to £40 per hour to perform this work.

Cost of Replacing Gutter Joints

To have the gutter joint replaced at the point where two sections meet involves first removing the old gutter joint. Then a solvent cleaning solution should be used to prepare for the new gutter joint instalment.

The new gutter joint should then be attached before being secured in place. This job will have a price of around £50 to 125. If you need to have the downpipe joined to the gutter, this task will end up around the same price.

Cost of Replacing Gutters

We will now take a look at the cost of replacing guttering. To remove old guttering, both ends of the fascia board below a given gutter should be nailed.

This will keep the fascia board in place upon removing the gutter. Next, utilise a hacksaw to cut into the bolts that are being used to join the gutter section.

Then, use a rope to tie around both ends of the guttering that you intend to remove. Pull apart the joint and remove the brackets that are being used to hold the gutter(s) to the fascia board.

Cautiously lower the section of guttering with the ropes that are attached and then repeat this for every piece of the guttering that you want to remove.

The next key stage of the process is fitting the new gutters. A gutter bracket should be installed toward the top of the fascia board at a given end of the guttering. This should be opposite to where the stop-end outlet is located, assuming that your guttering has one.

Tie a bit of string or a builder’s line to the bracket’s base, position the gutter outlet correctly with the use of a plumb line and then mark this position on the fascia board.

broken gutters

The gutter outlet should be installed no further down than 50mm below the roof tiles’ position. Use the string or builder’s line that is attached to the bracket and tie it to the gutter outlet, lined up along the fascia board.

A spirit level will let you know whether the string is leaning in the direction of the gutter outlet. Make a mark to identify the position of each bracket with every bracket spaced apart by no greater a distance than 800mm or 600mm if your roof’s pitch is very steep. They should also be installed no further than 150mm from any fitting or joint.

Repeat this process for the remaining brackets. You will then need to install a stop-end to the initial gutter length and clip the gutter into place on each of the brackets.

Position the gutter end so that it is aligned with the depth insertion mark that you made on the gutter bracket. Finally, a union piece should be installed at the opposing end of the first length.

Screw this into place on the fascia. Next, install the next length of gutter into the fascia. Continue to join the lengths. Cut the final section with a hacksaw, then attach another stop-end and make certain that every joint is aligned with each of the insertion depth marks.

The guttering replacement cost likely ends up somewhere in the range of £250 to £750. The cost to replace guttering will vary depending on the size of the property in question and the material of the new guttering installation. For example, the cost of replacing guttering on a terraced house will land around £250 to £270.

Cost of Fixing Overflowing Gutters

Gutters may overflow for a range of different reasons. Generally, it is because debris has filled up in the gutters, in which case, it simply needs a clean.

On the other hand, your gutters may need to be repositioned if they were fitted incorrectly, or they may not be large enough to handle the level of rain that they endure.

A plastic scoop and tarp can be used to perform an initial clean of your guttering if necessary while a garden hose will suffice to clean off any remaining debris.

To fix incorrectly positioned guttering, first remove the gutter hangers and brackets. A secondary person should hold the gutters during this process.

blocked gutters

The gutter should then be placed about 3/4ths of an inch below its previous position. A temporary screw should be used at the back of the gutter in order to fix its position/pitch.

If your gutters are not large enough, the only viable solution may be simply to have them replaced with larger gutters. In this case, the same steps, as discussed in the previous subsection, will apply.

To have your gutters cleaned or repositioned will cost around £20 to £40 per hour. To have your gutters replaced may cost approximately £550 to £750. The material cost and the size of your house will influence the total cost.

How Much Does It Cost to Remove Guttering?

We will now discuss the cost of having old guttering removed. You may choose to have your guttering removed because you are having your roof replaced or because you want to have new guttering installed, either because your current guttering is worn beyond repair or due to your preference for another type of guttering.

It will likely cost between £100 and £150 in labour to have old guttering removed. You can dispose of waste and old guttering with a skip or through alternative services such as a ‘man and van’ service.

FAQs

Q: What is guttering?

A: Guttering is a system of gutters that line the roof of a house or structure in order to collect rain and effectively discharge water.

Q: Which is the best guttering to buy?

A: PVC guttering is the most popular type. However, each guttering type has its pros and cons.

Q: Which is better, round or square guttering?

A: Round guttering is arguably the better option. Round guttering is durable and has better water discharge and carrying capabilities. However, square guttering still has its advantages.

Q: How high is guttering on a house?

A: Guttering tends to be positioned about 3 metres from the ground.

Q: How long does guttering last for?

A: Most types of guttering will last for about 20 years, although copper gutters have a life expectancy of approximately half a century.

Get Instant Quotes

Compare quotes and get a price for any job around the home or garden. No obligations. Completely free.

Get a Price for your Job

Sources

  1. https://www.rainclear.co.uk/guttering/galvanised-steel-gutters/guttering-fittings.html
  2. https://www.concretegutters.com/aluminium-guttering/
  3. https://www.livescience.com/29377-copper.html
  4. https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.uk/browse/guttering/guttering-screws.html
  5. https://sirroof.com/gutters-removed-to-replace-roof/
  6. https://www.oneflare.com.au/guttering/blog/comparing-square-and-round-gutters
Author: Dean M

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Creative Digital Media, I'm a freelance writer and I've worked for clients such as the British Blockchain Association and I have experience in writing articles, YouTube video scripts, online guides and newsletters. I have written and produced many short films as well as a web series and feature film. I am also currently working on a novel.