Gutter Replacement Cost Calculator

In 2026, gutter replacement typically costs $6 to $30 per linear foot installed, including tearing off and hauling away the old gutters. For an average home with 150-200 linear feet, that works out to roughly $1,200 to $3,500 for popular seamless aluminum, while premium copper can push a whole-home job well past $5,000. The biggest cost drivers are the material (vinyl and aluminum are affordable; zinc and copper are premium), the gutter size, whether the gutters are seamless or sectional, and your home's height, since multi-story access takes more time and equipment. Leaf guards and new downspouts add to the total.

The work is similar, but gutter replacement specifically includes removing and disposing of your existing gutters before the new ones go up, whereas a fresh installation (on a new build or addition) starts from bare fascia. Because replacement bundles in the tear-off, haul-away, and often inspection of the fascia board behind the old gutters, it's priced to cover that demolition labor. This calculator is built for replacement, so the old-gutter removal is already baked into the per-foot rate rather than added separately. If you're putting gutters on a home that never had them, that's an installation and the removal cost wouldn't apply.

Common signs include cracks, splits, or rust holes; sagging or gutters pulling away from the fascia; peeling exterior paint or water marks beneath the gutters; pooling water or eroded soil around the foundation; and gutters that overflow even after cleaning. Seams that leak repeatedly, sections that won't stay pitched correctly, and water getting behind the gutter into the fascia and soffit are also red flags. If you're patching the same spots every season or seeing water damage at the roofline or foundation, replacement is usually more cost-effective than ongoing repairs. Aluminum gutters typically last about 20 years and copper much longer, so age is a factor too.

For most homeowners, yes. Seamless gutters are formed on-site from a continuous coil of metal cut to the exact length of each run, so the only seams are at corners and downspout outlets. That dramatically reduces the leak points where sectional gutters tend to fail over time, gives a cleaner look, and means less long-term maintenance. They cost a bit more than sectional (snap-together) gutters and must be installed by a pro with a forming machine, but the improved durability and reduced leaking usually make them the better value for a full replacement. Sectional gutters can make sense for a tight budget or a small DIY-friendly run, but seamless is the standard for replacement jobs.

Five-inch K-style is the standard residential size and handles the rainfall on most typical roofs just fine. Step up to 6-inch gutters if you have a large roof, steep pitches, or live in an area with heavy downpours, because the wider trough carries significantly more water and is less likely to overflow — 6-inch gutters can move roughly 40% more water than 5-inch. Six-inch systems also use larger downspouts that clog less easily. They cost about 20% more, but for big or steep roofs the extra capacity prevents overflow damage. Oversized 7-inch gutters exist for very large or commercial roofs. A good installer sizes the gutters to your roof's drainage area.

Often, yes. Downspouts carry the water from the gutters down and away from your foundation, and if your existing ones are dented, undersized, leaking, or poorly placed, it makes sense to replace them along with the gutters so the whole system matches and drains properly. Matching new downspouts to new seamless gutters also looks better and ensures the outlets and connections seal correctly. This calculator offers downspout replacement as an add-on. While you're at it, it's worth making sure water is directed well away from the house with splash blocks, extensions, or an underground drain tie-in to protect the foundation — all options you can include here.

Replacement is the ideal time to add gutter guards (leaf protection), because the installer is already up at the roofline and can fit guards designed for your new gutters. Guards keep leaves, pine needles, and debris out of the troughs, which means far less frequent cleaning and lower risk of clogs and overflow — especially valuable on multi-story homes or houses surrounded by trees. They add to the upfront cost (this calculator estimates about $7 per linear foot), and no guard is completely maintenance-free, but many homeowners find the reduced cleaning and protection worth it. If you have a lot of tree cover or dread getting on a ladder, guards are a smart add-on.

For a typical single-story home, replacing the gutters usually takes one day. The crew removes and hauls away the old gutters, inspects and repairs any rotted fascia, then forms and hangs the new seamless gutters, attaches downspouts, and checks the pitch so water flows to the outlets. Larger homes, multi-story access, premium materials like copper that require more careful fabrication, and add-ons like leaf guards or an underground drain tie-in can extend the job to two days. Weather matters too, since installers need dry conditions to work safely on ladders and the roofline. It's one of the quicker exterior home-improvement projects.