How to Read and Compare Gutter Quotes

Two gutter quotes for the same house can be far apart on price and still both be fair, because they are often pricing different jobs. One includes taking the old gutters away, the other does not. One prices six-inch gutters and four downspouts, the other five-inch and two. Before you compare the totals, make sure you are comparing the same work. This guide shows what a complete quote lists and how to read two of them side by side.

What a complete gutter quote lists

A written quote should let you see exactly what you are paying for. These are the lines to look for, and what each one tells you.

Line on the quote	What to check
Linear feet of gutter	Every roof edge that gets a gutter, measured. If two quotes are far apart on footage, one of them has missed or added an elevation.
Gutter size	5-inch or 6-inch. The right size depends on the roof area draining into each run and local rainfall. See what size gutters you need, or run your roof through the gutter size calculator.
Material and thickness	Aluminum, steel, copper or vinyl, and for aluminum the thickness. Thinner metal dents more easily. If one quote does not state it, ask.
Seamless or sectional	Seamless gutters are formed in one length per run; sectional gutters are joined pieces with seams along the run. Seamless vs regular gutters covers the difference.
Downspouts	How many, what size, and where each one will drain. Downspout count matters as much as gutter size for how much water the system can move.
Hangers	The hanger type and how far apart they are spaced. Closer spacing carries more weight from snow, ice and wet debris.
Removal and haul-away	On a replacement, whether taking down and disposing of the old gutters is included or extra.
Fascia repair	Rotted fascia often only shows once the old gutters come off. Look for fascia repair as its own line, or a stated allowance with how any extra will be priced and approved before the work is done.
Gutter guards	Priced as a separate line, with the guard type named, so you can compare guards and gutters separately. How each guard type fails helps you choose.
Warranty	What is covered on materials and on labor, for how long, and what voids it. Here is our warranty for comparison.
Schedule	An approximate start date and finish date, and anything that could move them.
Payment	Any deposit, when the balance is due, and how changes to the job will be priced.

How to compare two quotes line by line

1. Put them side by side, line by line. Use the table above as a checklist and mark which items each quote includes.
2. Check that the scope matches. Same footage, same gutter size, same number of downspouts, same material. If they differ, ask each contractor why. Sometimes one of them has spotted something the other missed.
3. Ask about anything missing, in writing. If removal, fascia or guards are not on a quote, ask whether they are included and get the answer added to the quote.
4. Only then compare price. A lower total that leaves out removal, uses thinner metal or prices fewer downspouts is a smaller job, not a better deal.
5. Compare the warranties. A labor warranty matters because installation errors, like the wrong pitch or hangers too far apart, are a common cause of gutter problems.
6. Compare schedule and payment. Note any deposit, when the balance is due, and how long each price holds.

Warning signs on a quote

• A single total with no breakdown of what it covers.
• A verbal price only, with no written quote.
• No mention of what happens if rotted fascia turns up.
• Pressure to sign the same day to keep the price.
• No stated warranty, or a warranty on materials only.

Our list of questions to ask before hiring a gutter company covers the conversation that goes with the quote, including how to check a contractor's license or registration where you live.

Contract rules where we work

Some states set out what a home improvement contract must contain. These are the rules, not legal advice: if you have a question about a specific contract, ask the contractor to put the answer in writing, or ask a lawyer.

Indiana. For home improvement work priced over $150, written or oral, Indiana law treats the agreement as a real property improvement contract (IC 24-5-11-4). The contractor must give you a completed contract before you sign it, and it must include, among other things: your name and the property address; the contractor's name, address and email, and who to contact with problems; the date it was submitted and any deadline to accept; a reasonably detailed description of the work; approximate start and completion dates and anything that could change them; the contract price; whether anyone else will supply labor or materials; and signature lines. A change to the contract is enforceable against you only if it is in writing and you sign it (IC 24-5-11-10).

Michigan. "Siding and gutters" is one of the trades covered by Michigan's residential maintenance and alteration contractor license (MCL 339.2404). The license is required unless the total contract price is less than $600, and splitting a job into smaller contracts to get under that figure does not count (MCL 339.2403). You can look a contractor up on the state's Find / Verify a Licensed Professional or Business page.

Signing at home, anywhere. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers three business days to cancel certain sales made at home, including some made after you invited the salesperson in. The seller must tell you about the right at the time of the sale and give you cancellation forms. There are exceptions, so whether it applies depends on how the sale was made (FTC: the Cooling-Off Rule). Ask for your cancellation rights in writing before you sign.

Getting a quote to compare

If you would like a quote from us to put alongside the others, request a free estimate. Enter your ZIP code on the form and it shows which of our local teams covers your address. What happens at a free gutter estimate explains the visit and the questions worth asking while the estimator is there.