Professional gutter cleaning costs $119 to $234 for most US homes, or $0.95 to $2.25 per linear foot of gutter, according to HomeAdvisor and Angi cost surveys. A small single-story ranch home may come in under $100. A larger two-story home with 200 linear feet of guttering runs $200 to $400 or more depending on debris levels and access conditions.
What does gutter cleaning cost on average?
National cost surveys from HomeAdvisor and Angi place the average gutter cleaning visit between $119 and $234 for a standard single-family home. The most common pricing model is per linear foot - the total length of all gutters around your home - because this scales directly with the amount of work involved.
Most homes have between 150 and 200 linear feet of guttering. At a midpoint rate of $1.50 per foot, a typical job runs $225 to $300. Smaller single-story homes with 100 to 120 feet of gutters often land closer to $100 to $150.
Gutter cleaning price per linear foot and per story
Per-linear-foot pricing gives the most accurate prediction of what you will pay. Story count is the other major variable because upper-story gutters require taller ladders, slower repositioning, and more attention to safety - all of which add time.
| Configuration | Linear footage (typical) | Rate per linear foot | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-story ranch (small) | 100 - 130 ft | $0.95 - $1.50 | $100 - $195 |
| Single-story ranch (large) | 150 - 200 ft | $0.95 - $1.50 | $145 - $300 |
| Two-story home (average) | 150 - 200 ft | $1.50 - $2.25 | $225 - $450 |
| Two-story home (large) | 200 - 280 ft | $1.75 - $2.50 | $350 - $700 |
| Three-story or very large | 250+ ft | $2.25 - $3.00+ | $560+ |
Ranges from HomeAdvisor and Angi national surveys. Regional labor costs add meaningful variation.
If your home has gutter sections at different heights - for example, a single-story garage attached to a two-story main house - some companies blend the rate across the total footage while others price each section at the applicable story rate. Confirm the approach when getting a quote.
Cost factors: home height, gutter condition, and accessibility
Beyond linear footage and story count, three factors reliably push a quote above the baseline.
Gutter condition. Gutters that have not been cleaned in two or more years often contain compacted leaf debris, seedling growth, or silt accumulation that takes significantly longer to remove than loose seasonal debris. Services sometimes call this a first-clean surcharge - typically adding 25 to 50 percent to the base rate for heavily neglected gutters. Once cleaned to a good baseline, maintenance visits are faster and cheaper.
Accessibility. A home surrounded by mature trees and dense landscaping makes ladder positioning more difficult and time-consuming. Steep roof pitch over a garage that requires cleaning from above rather than from a ladder also adds time. Some companies add a flat accessibility surcharge; others factor it into the rate they quote per foot.
Obstructions and downspout conditions. If downspouts are connected to underground drainage, a blockage there is harder to diagnose and clear than a standard aboveground downspout. Underground blockages may require a separate plumbing service and are outside the scope of standard gutter cleaning.
What is included in a professional gutter cleaning?
A standard professional gutter cleaning should include:
- Removing all debris from gutter channels by hand or with a blower
- Flushing gutters with water to confirm they drain freely
- Clearing downspout inlets and flushing downspouts to verify flow
- Inspecting for visible damage: sagging sections, missing hangers, leaking joints, rust spots, and improper slope
- Bagging and removing the debris from your property
What it typically does not include: gutter repairs (re-hanging loose sections, resealing joints, replacing fascia boards), downspout extension installation, or gutter guard installation. Repairs are quoted separately.
A company that does not flush the gutters with water after cleaning is doing a less thorough job - flushing reveals blockages that debris removal alone misses and confirms the gutter system is actually draining.
Gutter guards: do they eliminate the need for cleaning?
Gutter guards are covers or inserts designed to keep large debris out of the gutter channel while allowing water to flow through. They come in several designs: screen guards, micro-mesh guards, reverse-curve guards, and foam inserts.
What they do well. Micro-mesh guards installed by a reputable company reliably prevent leaves, twigs, and large debris from entering the channel. Homes that previously needed cleaning two or three times a year may be able to reduce to annual or biannual inspection with guards installed.
What they do not do. No guard design completely eliminates the need for cleaning. Fine debris, seeds, tree pollen, shingle grit, and organic material build up on top of or inside guard systems over time. Underground downspout connections can still block independently of the gutters above. And guards need their own periodic cleaning to remain functional.
Installation cost for professional gutter guards typically runs $7 to $30 per linear foot depending on guard quality and brand, according to HomeAdvisor national data. On a 200-linear-foot home, that is $1,400 to $6,000 installed - a meaningful investment that takes several years of cleaning savings to recoup.
If you are considering guards primarily to reduce cleaning frequency, the math works out in favor of guards over a long enough time horizon on homes where cleaning is expensive (tall, heavily treed, large footage). On a small single-story home cleaned once a year for $100 to $150, guards rarely pay for themselves quickly.
How to tell when gutters need cleaning
Gutters do not usually come with a warning light. Practical signs that cleaning is overdue include:
- Plants growing in the gutters. Visible vegetation - even small grass shoots or moss - means enough organic material has accumulated to support plant growth.
- Water spilling over the front edge during rain. This is the most obvious sign of a blockage. Water that cannot reach the downspout overflows the front lip of the gutter instead.
- Sagging gutter sections. Weight from wet debris causes gutters to pull away from the fascia. This is both a sign of overflow and a pending repair need.
- Staining on siding below gutters. Dark streaks or mildew growth on the exterior siding below gutter lines indicates chronic overflow.
- Birds or pests nesting near gutters. Accumulated debris is an attractive nesting site and can signal gutters that have gone too long without attention.
How to get a fair quote
Most gutter cleaning companies can give a rough quote over the phone based on home square footage and story count. To get a quote that holds when they arrive:
- Know your home's approximate linear footage of guttering (or a reliable estimate)
- Know the number of stories for each section of your roofline
- Mention if gutters have not been cleaned in more than one year, so they can factor condition into the quote
- Ask whether the quote includes downspout flushing and debris removal, or whether those are extra
- Ask how they handle heavily clogged gutters - whether that is a flat rate or an hourly adjustment
- Confirm whether they provide an inspection report after the visit
For homes where gutter cleaning and exterior pressure washing often happen on the same schedule, see whether the same company offers both and whether bundling saves over booking separately. Our pressure washing cost guide covers what exterior washing typically runs. For context on standard recurring cleaning costs across the home, see how much house cleaning costs.
Schedule Gutter Cleaning Before Heavy Rain Season
The worst outcome from deferred gutter cleaning is overflow during a major rain event - when gutters that need cleaning most are dealing with the most water. Book cleaning in late fall before the first freeze and again in early spring before the rainy season rather than waiting until a problem is visible. A proactive appointment is almost always cheaper than emergency cleaning after overflow damage.
Inspect Downspout Extensions After Every Cleaning
If your home has downspout extensions - the curved attachments at the base of the downspout that direct water away from the foundation - confirm after every cleaning that they are seated correctly and directing water away from the foundation wall. Extensions that have been knocked loose, buried under debris, or removed during mowing are a common and easily overlooked source of foundation drainage problems. This takes 30 seconds to check and costs nothing.
Frequently asked questions
How often should gutters be professionally cleaned?
Most homes benefit from gutter cleaning once or twice per year - once in late fall after trees have dropped their leaves, and optionally again in spring to clear debris accumulated over winter. Homes under heavy tree cover, near pine trees that shed year-round, or in areas with frequent storms may need cleaning three or four times annually.
Is it worth hiring someone to clean gutters vs. doing it yourself?
For single-story homes with easily accessible gutters, DIY cleaning is feasible and can save $100 to $200 per visit. For two-story or taller homes, the combination of ladder height, roof pitch, and the need to reposition frequently makes DIY riskier than most homeowners realize. Professional gutter cleaners also inspect the gutter system as they work, which catches problems earlier.
What time of year is best to clean gutters?
Late fall, after peak leaf drop, is the most important cleaning window. Clogged gutters heading into winter can freeze, causing ice dams and gutter damage. Spring cleaning is the second priority - it clears debris that accumulated over winter before the rainy season. Summer cleaning is rarely necessary unless there is unusual debris accumulation.
Can clogged gutters cause foundation damage?
Yes. When gutters overflow, water pools at the foundation rather than being directed away by downspouts. Over time, this saturates the soil around the foundation, increasing hydrostatic pressure and the risk of basement water intrusion or foundation cracking. Proper gutter function is a straightforward way to reduce foundation risk at low cost.
What is a downspout flush and does it cost extra?
A downspout flush uses water pressure to clear any blockage inside the downspout pipe. It is sometimes included in a standard gutter cleaning and sometimes charged as an add-on at $15 to $30 per downspout. Downspouts that drain underground are harder to flush and may require a plumber's auger if they are blocked. Ask whether a flush is included in your quote.
Do gutter guards mean you never need cleaning?
No. Gutter guards significantly reduce how often cleaning is needed and prevent large debris from entering the gutter channel, but they do not eliminate the need entirely. Fine debris, seeds, and shingle grit can accumulate on top of or inside certain guard types over time. Most guard manufacturers recommend annual or biannual inspection even with guards installed.