Unfortunately, there is no single answer to the question of how much gutter cleaning costs. There are many factors that need to be considered when determining a gutter cleaning price. Each job is different, requiring different levels of service and time investment. In this article, we break down all that may be involved with a gutter cleaning job that may add time or otherwise impact the cost and what goes into a quote.
What Differences in Gutter Cleaning Jobs Can Affect the Cost?
Each gutter cleaning job has unique challenges for your service provider. When contacting PorterVac for a gutter cleaning quote, it helps a lot to offer as much specific information as possible about your situation. The type of building and roof, along with all the factors mentioned in this article can affect how long it takes to clean the gutters, which in turn affects the price. Let’s go through the different factors then.
Size of the Roof and Guttering Length
The larger the roof area, the more metreage of guttering will need to be cleaned. This is the most obvious consideration when putting together a quote. If your roof is small and subsequent length of the gutters is not so long, the job will be easier and therefore the gutter cleaning cost per metre will be less than if your roof is very large.
If you own a multi-story building, this changes the scope of the job, especially if more than one level contains guttering. Even if the building has just one level that has guttering, this can increase the time and types of tools needed to get it done. Higher than 2 stories, such as high-rise apartments or commercial buildings might need a scissor lift and extra safety equipment.
Amount of Debris to Clear
The price will also depend on how cluttered the gutters are. If they haven’t been cleaned for an extended time period, accumulating an excessive amount of dirt and decomposed debris, it’ll take longer than usual to get it done. The gutters should be cleaned at least twice to four times a year to keep your gutters getting clogged and ensure proper roof drainage.
Do You Have Gutter Guards?
If you have gutter guards installed, they’ll need to be removed so that the gutters can be cleaned properly. These coverings are usually fastened to the guttering with screws or ties, so removing them can add significant time and effort to the cleaning process. Not only do they need to be carefully removed, they also need to be put back and properly fastened into place.
Although gutter guard are meant to stop leaves and debris from cluttering up your roof gutters, unfortunately they still need to be removed for a proper clean. While they might stop leaves from clogging up your gutters and down-pipes, the leaves end up sitting on top of the grating and decomposing, eventually filling your gutters with compost.
Safety Concerns
High pitched roofs can make it more precarious for cleaners to get around easily as opposed to a flat roof. They may need a safety harness for this reason. Care needs to be taken on corrugated iron roofs to avoid ‘soft’ spots that workers can fall though. As mentioned earlier, multi-story buildings create the need for use of specialised safety equipment. If the condition of the roof is poor, this can also increase the need to slow down to take extra safety precautions.
If the roof is wet, this can also increase the time taken to clean the gutters as the workers will need to slow down and take care to not slip and fall.
As mentioned above, if the building is multi-story, it might be appropriate to bring in a scissor-lift to make the job safer, especially with commercial office buildings.
How Cheap is Too Cheap for Gutter Cleaning?
When you hire someone to clean your roof gutters, there are good reasons to engage a professional that specialises in what they do. Getting it done by a family member, gardener or handyman without the proper equipment can not only wind up taking a lot longer, it can be dangerous for amateurs to attempt. A professional company will be properly insured, requiring them to use properly trained workers and comply with safety standards. If someone offers to do the job at a very low rate, you might want to ask if for proof of insurance. All this adds to the overheads of the business, but it also gives you piece of mind that the job will be done competently and safely.
If you want a job done properly it’s best to get a professional to do it with years of experience that doesn’t cut corners. What equipment do they use? They shouldn’t be doing the job standing on a ladder with a bucket, scraping the debris out of the gutters as they go. A gutter cleaning specialist will have a commercial grade gutter vacuum system that doesn’t leave any mess behind.
Your roof drainage is too important to leave to just anyone, so the best choice is someone that has years of experience and makes sure the roof over your head is in the best condition. We’ll let you know of any problems with your roof before they get out of hand. What better way to find out about a roof problem than when you already have someone coming out to get up there and clean the gutters?
What Else Do Our Gutter Cleaners Do?
To know how to price a gutter cleaning job means including all that is involved. Since all of our gutter cleaning workers are qualified roof tilers, PorterVac can offer complete roofing solutions.
Other than cleaning out the gutters, there are a few other tasks involved, such as:
Clearing the roof of debris
We will clear any debris from the roof as well as the gutters, preventing anything from washing off of the roof into your gutters shortly after we leave. If needed, we use high pressure cleaning equipment to
Flush out downpipes and check for drainage problems
Your downpipes are part of your roof drainage system, so it makes sense that we make sure that they are also clean and clear of blockages.
Provide a roof condition report
A roof condition report is provided as part of the gutter cleaning service so that you are fully aware of any problems that need attention. We go through a checklist and thoroughly go over the roof to check for problems with the guttering, downpipes, tiling or sheeting.
Cleaning of Ceiling Cavity
If the ceiling cavity is needing a cleanup due to water and debris leaking inside, that service can also be provided. Sometimes it might be necessary to seal the inside of the roof to prevent leakages and ensure proper drainage too.
Roof repairs
Our qualified roofers can also carry out repairs and maintenance of your roof if necessary, fixing leaks, re-pointing and replacing tiles and flashing or taking care of any guttering damage or other problems that have been identified that could affect your roof drainage.
Roof restoration and repainting
If the roof is getting old and is in need of restoration, we can provide that too. Complete tile or metal sheeting replacement, new roof framing and a new paint job can all be provided by PorterVac to make your roof as good as new again.
Provide Before and After Photos
The last thing you want to have to do is get up on the roof to inspect what’s been done, yet it makes sense that you’d want to be reassured that the job was done properly. Therefore as part of every gutter clean, roof repair or restoration we do, we provide before and after photos to show you the difference our efforts have made. Accountability is important to us, plus it gives us a chance to show off our great work.
Conclusion: How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost?
Ok, so now you have an idea of why it is difficult to give a simple price for gutter cleaning. There is a lot to consider before giving a definite quote but now we’ll give you the general ballpark figure we typically give people over the phone who want a general idea of the cost.
A typical gutter cleaning price for a single-story building is priced between $320 and 360.
A typical double story building will cost between $360 and $420.
This is assuming that there are no gutter guards installed, the roof has easy access, there are no special safety concerns and other factors that would increase the time and difficulty of the task.
Get a Gutter Cleaning Quote Now
Getting a gutter cleaning quote is easy with PorterVac. Simply call us or complete the quote form to get in touch, letting us know some details about the job. We’ll come to your location at a time convenient to you for a quick inspection before finalising the price with you. If you are happy with the price, we’ll proceed to do a thorough clean, provide before and after photos and also provide a free roof condition report.
How much does gutter cleaning cost?
A typical gutter cleaning price for a single-story building is priced between $320 and $360. A typical double story building will cost between $360 and $420.
How Cheap is Too Cheap for Gutter Cleaning?
A professional company will be properly insured, requiring them to use properly trained workers and comply with safety standards. If someone offers to do the job at a very low rate, you might want to ask if for proof of insurance.
What does a gutter cleaner do?
Aside from cleaning your gutters they clear roof debris, flush out downpipes. Check for drainage problems, provide a roof condition report, clean the ceiling cavity and offer roof restoration and/or repainting.
