Gutters sit where the roof ends and the walls begin, so three kinds of contractor end up offering to work on them. Each is the right call for some jobs and the wrong one for others. Here is how to tell which you need, including when that is not a gutter company like us.
When a roofer is the right call
The roof is being replaced. Gutters often have to come off for a reroof, and the drip edge and flashing along the roof edge are roofing parts. Let the roofer lead, and plan the gutter work around the reroof so new gutters are not hung only to be taken down again.
Water is coming in through the roof. Stains on a ceiling, leaks around a chimney, skylight or valley, and missing or lifted shingles are roof problems. Overflowing gutters wet the fascia, siding and ground below; water through a ceiling has usually come in through the roof itself.
Our work is gutters and gutter guards, not roofing, so for either of these, start with a roofer.
When a handyman can be enough
Small jobs on a single-story house often do not need a specialist:
- Re-securing a short section that has pulled loose, where the fascia behind it is sound.
- Resealing a leaking corner or end cap.
- Reattaching a downspout elbow that has come apart, or adding a downspout extension.
- Cleaning gutters you can reach safely.
The same small jobs on a two- or three-story house are a different matter, mostly because of the ladder work. And if the same run keeps coming loose, the problem is usually hanger spacing, rotted fascia or the wrong pitch, which a quick fix will not solve. Our guide to patching, resealing or replacing a gutter section helps you judge it.
In Michigan, the residential contractor license covers anyone paid to repair, alter or improve a home (MCL 339.2401), handymen included, unless the total contract price is less than $600 (MCL 339.2403).
When a gutter company makes sense
- New or replacement gutters. Seamless gutters are formed on site to the length of each run, which takes a gutter-forming machine. Ours are seamless aluminum, 5-inch or 6-inch K-style.
- Sizing and downspout layout. Matching gutter size and downspout count to the roof area and local rainfall. Try the gutter size calculator to see how it works.
- Gutter guards, chosen for what actually falls on your roof.
- Problems that keep coming back: overflow, sagging, water standing in the run, or leaks at the seams.
Who to call: a quick guide
| Situation | Who to call first |
|---|---|
| The roof is being replaced | A roofer, with gutter work planned around the reroof |
| Water through a ceiling, or leaks at shingles or flashing | A roofer |
| Gutters overflow, sag or leak at the seams | A gutter company |
| New gutters, or replacing the whole system | A gutter company |
| A short loose section on a one-story house | A handyman or a gutter company |
| Rotted fascia behind the gutters | A carpenter, or a gutter company that repairs fascia: ask whether they do it themselves or bring someone in |
| Water in the basement | Start with the downspouts; see when new gutters won't fix it |
Check the license covers the job
Whoever you hire, check that they are licensed or registered for the work where you live. Michigan's residential maintenance and alteration contractor law lists roofing and "siding and gutters" as separate trades (MCL 339.2404), so in Michigan, check that the license covers the trade you are hiring for. Our list of questions to ask before hiring a gutter company shows how to check in each of the areas we serve.
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