Gutter cleaning costs $100–$400 per visit in 2026, with most homeowners paying $150–$250 for a typical single-family home. The biggest cost drivers are home size (linear feet of gutter), number of stories, roof pitch, and how clogged the gutters are when the crew arrives. Two-story homes routinely cost 40–80% more than single-story, and steep or tile roofs that crews can't walk on add another 20–30% for ladder-only access. This guide breaks down per-visit pricing by home size, what drives the spread, and how often you actually need to clean gutters to avoid the bigger downstream costs (rotted fascia, foundation water, ice dams).
| Service | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Single-story, ≤ 1,500 sq ft (≤ 150 linear ft) | $100–$175 |
| Single-story, 1,500–2,500 sq ft (150–200 linear ft) | $125–$225 |
| Two-story, ≤ 2,000 sq ft | $150–$275 |
| Two-story, 2,000–3,500 sq ft | $200–$350 |
| Three-story or steep / tile roof | $300–$500+ |
| Per linear foot pricing (alt. quote) | $0.80–$2.00/ft |
| Downspout flush + clear (each) | $10–$25 |
| Gutter inspection only (no cleaning) | $50–$100 |
| Minor repair add-on (loose hanger, leak) | $50–$150 |
| Gutter guard install (per linear ft) | $8–$18 |
Most quotes include cleaning the gutter trough, flushing downspouts, and bagging debris. Roof-line debris removal, soft-washing the gutter exterior, and minor repairs are usually billed separately. Many companies have a $100–$125 minimum even for very small homes.
Linear feet of gutter is the primary cost driver. A 1,500 sq ft single-story home typically has 120–160 linear feet of gutter; a 2,500 sq ft two-story has 180–250 linear feet. Most companies price either per visit (with size brackets) or per linear foot ($0.80–$2.00). Per-linear-foot pricing is more transparent for unusual layouts but converts to roughly the same total.
Single-story homes are easiest — most gutters can be reached from a 6 ft or 8 ft ladder, fast and safe. Two-story adds ladder-leveling time and OSHA fall-protection setup; expect a 40–80% premium. Three-story or homes with steep walkable roofs require a different crew skillset and usually equipment (longer ladders, harnesses), pushing prices up another 30–50%. Tile and slate roofs that crews can't walk on add another 20–30% because every section has to be reached by ladder.
Routine maintenance cleanings on a once-a-year schedule are the cheapest case. If the gutters haven't been cleaned in 2+ years, debris is heavier (compacted leaves, granule sediment, plant roots, and sometimes nests), the trough has to be hand-scooped instead of vacuumed, and downspouts often have to be hydraulically flushed or rod-cleared. Expect a 25–50% surcharge for first-time or heavily neglected cleanings — many companies will inspect first and quote on the spot.
Pine needles, oak tassels, and seed pods are the worst — they slip past most gutter guards and pack the trough faster than leaves. Homes under heavy tree canopy often need 2–3 cleanings per year instead of one and pay more per visit because debris is heavier. Homes in open or sparsely treed areas can sometimes go 18–24 months between cleanings.
Most cleanings turn up at least minor issues: loose hangers, sagging sections, separated joints, or downspouts that won't drain. Reputable companies will quote on the spot and most homeowners say yes because the crew is already there. Minor fixes run $50–$150 each. Adding gutter guards during the cleaning visit is the most common upsell — $8–$18 per linear foot installed, or $1,200–$3,000 for a typical home. Guards reduce future cleaning frequency but don't eliminate it.
High-cost metros (NYC, SF, Boston, Seattle) run 30–50% above national medians. Fall is peak season — book early or pay a premium. Late fall (after most leaves drop) is the best annual cleaning time. Early spring catches winter debris and sets up summer drainage. Hard-to-access homes (steep yards, tight setbacks, no truck access) add 10–20%. Foreclosure-grade neglect (gutters with sapling trees growing in them) can push a single visit to $500+.
High-cost metros
$200–$450 per visit
New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston
Mid-size cities
$125–$275 per visit
Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Dallas
Smaller cities & rural
$80–$200 per visit
Rural Midwest, rural South, smaller towns
Regional ranges are approximate and vary by city, neighborhood, and individual contractor.
The general rule is twice a year — once in late spring (after seed pods drop) and once in late fall (after most leaves are down). Homes under heavy tree canopy, especially with pines or oaks, often need 3 cleanings per year. Homes in open lots with few trees can sometimes go 18–24 months between cleanings. The signs you've waited too long: water spilling over the gutter edge during rain, plant matter visibly growing in the trough, sagging sections, and water staining on fascia or siding behind the gutters.
The downstream costs are much bigger than the cleaning bill. Clogged gutters back up, water spills behind them, and the fascia (the wood the gutter is mounted to) starts to rot — fascia replacement runs $20–$50 per linear foot. Overflow water saturates the soil around the foundation, which can cause cracking, basement leaks, and frost heave damage in cold climates. Ice dams form when clogged gutters trap snowmelt — they wedge under shingles and cause interior ceiling stains and structural damage. The math is simple: $200 for cleaning twice a year vs. $5,000+ for fascia or foundation repair.
Sometimes. Gutter guards reduce — but don't eliminate — debris in the trough; you'll still need cleanings, just less often (usually once every 2–3 years instead of twice a year). Quality guards run $8–$18 per linear foot installed, so a typical home is $1,200–$3,000. The break-even on cleanings alone is 6–10 years, longer than many homeowners expect. The bigger value is preventing overflow during the heaviest debris drops (early spring, late fall) when even maintained gutters can clog suddenly. Skip the cheap snap-in plastic guards from home centers — they sag under leaf weight and trap more debris than they keep out. Solid micro-mesh and reverse-curve systems are the ones professional installers actually recommend.
On a single-story home with a stable yard, yes — a 6 ft or 8 ft ladder, a bucket, gloves, and a Saturday morning will do it. Two-story is doable but harder; OSHA fall-protection rules don't apply to homeowners but the physics still does — falls from ladders are the leading cause of home-improvement injuries. Three-story, steep roofs, or homes with slick/wet decking — pay the pros. Even on a one-story home, the time savings of having a 2-person crew finish in 30 minutes is often worth the $150 for anyone over 50 or with balance concerns. The flat-roof exception: if your roof is fully walkable, gutter cleaning from the roof down is faster and safer than ladder work; that's how most pros do it.
A standard cleaning visit usually covers: removing leaves and debris from the gutter trough by hand or with a vacuum, flushing each downspout with water to confirm flow, bagging and removing debris from the property, and a quick visual inspection of hangers, joints, and fascia. Higher-end companies also include a roof-edge debris sweep (catches debris that would wash into the gutter on the next rain) and a written report with photos of any issues found. What's usually NOT included: minor repairs (extra), gutter guard installation (extra), gutter exterior soft-washing (extra), and roof cleaning (separate service).
A typical single-story home takes 30–60 minutes for a 2-person crew. Two-story homes run 60–90 minutes. Heavily clogged or three-story homes can take 2–3 hours. Quotes that promise '15-minute cleanings' on a 2,000+ sq ft home are red flags — that pace skips downspout flushing, which is where most of the actual benefit comes from. A thorough job includes water-testing every downspout, not just visual scoop-and-go.
Get 2–3 quotes for any first-time service or any home over 2,500 sq ft. Make sure each quote specifies: scope (trough cleaning + downspout flushing), debris haul-away vs. left for homeowner, repair quoting policy (do they charge to identify issues, or include with cleaning), insurance proof (general liability + workers' comp — this matters because falls from your gutter are your problem if the crew isn't properly insured), and recurring-service discount (most companies offer 10–20% off for annual or bi-annual contracts). Beware quotes well below the local range — they often skip downspout flushing or don't actually walk the full perimeter.
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