Don’t get ripped off: this is what gutter cleaning should cost you

“As a ballpark figure, the average price for gutter cleaning will typically be between £50 to £425,” says Thomas Goodman from MyJobQuote. Although the range is broad, it’s like this for a reason.  

How much you pay for house-maintenance jobs, such as getting your gutters cleaned, will be based on a few variables. The length of guttering – how much there is to clean – will be an important one, as will the type of house you live in.

If you live in a semi-detached house, you can expect to pay around £120 (plus VAT) for 15m (49ft) of guttering to be cleaned, according to Checkatrade, whereas typical costs to clean gutters on a bungalow would be around £50 without scaffolding. “On a larger detached house with around 20m (66ft) of guttering, prices would range from £150 to £425. The higher price would include the cost for scaffolding,” explains Goodman. 

“The price to clean gutters depends on how complex the job is, but it can also vary depending on the type of contractor,” says Goodman. “A sole trader will likely charge less than a well-known company. Prices can also be affected by the contractor’s experience. For example, someone who is new to the trade will likely charge less than someone with many years of experience.” 

Contractors will usually quote for the whole job rather than by the hour. “The labour cost is part of the total bill for this type of work,” says Goodman. “There are no material costs for cleaning gutters, so it’s based purely on labour costs.”  

The contractor will assess your guttering first and base a quote on the work involved. This is where the size of your property and the length of guttering you have will impact how much you pay. Any additional work that needs doing before the guttering is cleaned will be identified, too. Prices may therefore increase if you need any guttering channels replaced or fixed because of leaks, for example. Plus, if access is an issue, the price for scaffolding will be included in the quote. 

As with any renovation or maintenance job, such as painting and decorating, get quotes from at least three reputable gutter cleaning companies locally. It’ll give you an idea of average costs on a like-for-like basis. Bear in mind most contractors will have a minimum charge to make the job worthwhile, which usually hovers around £40 to £50.  

Clogged gutters can cause problems if they’re not kept clean and clear of debris such as leaves and moss. If your gutters clog up, then water won’t be able to flow freely into the downpipe. You might not think this is much of a problem, but the water has got to go somewhere and if it is not flowing through the guttering it will find an alternative path.

Water ingress – when water from outside makes its ways into a building – can cause damp and mould on internal walls, as bricks can become porous and take in excess water. This is a problem that’s best to avoid. It’s far less hassle to get your gutters cleaned than pay for more labour-intensive and intrusive work to fix major problems. 

The fascias and soffits, which form part of your guttering, are also at risk of moisture damage if water isn’t being directed away from them. Fascias are the panels that guttering sits against, and the soffits are the underside of the fascias.

The fascia supports the overhanging roof tiles and the soffits box in the roof joists. If they are made from timber and become sodden with excess water, they could rot and decay. If there are slight gaps in how they are fixed together, then excess water, not channeled away by the guttering, can leak into the roof.

Repairing these problems will cost much more than getting your gutters cleaned.