Gutters: knowing whether you need a clean, a repair or a replacement

What the job involves

Gutter work splits into three brackets. Cleaning is a quick fixed-price service — clearing leaves and debris from gutters and downpipes and flushing to check flow. Repairs cover resealing leaking joints, re-pitching a sagging run and replacing damaged sections. Full replacement is priced per linear metre of new gutter and downpipe installed, covering removal of the old, new Colorbond-style gutters and brackets, and reconnecting the downpipes.

Two things drive replacement cost beyond the metre rate: storeys and profile. Two-storey homes and steep roofs add ladder, tower or scaffold time, and heritage or box-gutter profiles cost more than standard quad. A hidden cost lurks behind old gutters too — rotten fascia boards that have to be replaced before the new gutter goes up.

Much gutter and downpipe work is roof plumbing: connecting to stormwater and getting the falls right is drainage work, which in many states is a licensed plumber's domain. That's worth knowing when a job goes beyond a clean.

How the cost works

A single-storey gutter clean sits at the bottom of the range, resealing joints and replacing a few metres of rusted gutter lands in the middle, and a full replacement of all gutters and downpipes on an average home reaches the top. The estimate on this page adjusts for the length being replaced, storeys and profile, so treat any figure as indicative rather than fixed.

For replacement, total gutter length is the baseline because it's priced per metre, and storeys and profile push it up from there. The one comparison that matters is being clear which of the three jobs you're actually quoting — a cleaning quote and a replacement quote aren't in the same universe, and if rust keeps reappearing after repeated patch repairs, replacement is usually cheaper than paying to patch it again and again.

Choosing the right specialist

For a clean, judge on safety and thoroughness — proper roof-safety gear and a flush-through to confirm flow. For repairs and especially full replacement involving stormwater connections, a licensed plumber is the right trade in most states, so ask about the licence when the work touches drainage rather than just leaf-clearing.

Ask any replacement quote what happens if rotten fascia is found behind the old gutters, because that's a common extra that a vague quote leaves open. Clean gutters at least yearly — and before bushfire season if you're in a risk area — and in leafy suburbs weigh up gutter guard, which costs more up front but can pay for itself by cutting cleaning visits.

Mistakes to avoid

Gutter regrets come from confusing the three jobs, or patching rust that should have been replaced.

• Comparing a cleaning quote against a replacement quote as if they're the same job
• Paying for repeated patch repairs when persistent rust means it's time to replace
• Not asking who covers rotten fascia found behind the old gutters
• Overlooking that stormwater connections are licensed plumbing work in most states
• Skipping annual cleaning, then dealing with overflow damage to eaves and walls
• Ignoring gutter guard in a leafy area where it would cut cleaning visits