Overflowing at the corners in heavy rain
Often a pitch or downspout problem rather than the gutter itself. Re-pitching or adding a downspout is a small job.
Roofing · Gutters and downspouts
Gutter installation and repair
Gutters do more work here than almost anywhere in Canada. Over a metre of rain a year has to get off the roof and away from the foundation, and a sagging, leaking or overflowing gutter is how water ends up in a crawlspace or behind the siding. New seamless aluminum gutters are a modest job, often done at the same time as a new roof, and worth getting right.
- 5 inch seamless aluminum about $10 to $25 per linear foot
- Typical house about $1,500 to $4,000
- Downspouts about $100 to $300 each
- Gutter guards about $4 to $28 per foot depending on type
Warning signs
How serious is it?
Sagging sections or gaps at the fascia
Spikes have pulled out or the fascia behind is soft. The gutter needs rehanging on screws, and the fascia checked.
Leaking seams and corners
Sectional gutters leak at every joint eventually. Seamless aluminum removes most of them.
Water pooling against the foundation
Downspouts discharging at the wall. Fix the drainage before it becomes a crawlspace or basement problem.
Peeling paint or rot on the fascia
A sign the gutters have been overflowing for years. Replace the board when the gutters come off.
Options
Gutter options
| Option | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Seamless aluminum gutters | Formed on site to the length of each run, so the only joints are at corners. | Most houses. The standard replacement; 5 inch is typical, 6 inch for big roofs and heavy rain. |
| Downspout upgrades | More downspouts, larger 3 by 4 inch downspouts, and extensions or drains that carry water away from the foundation. | Gutters that overflow in heavy rain and wet foundations. |
| Repair and re-pitch | Rehanging sagging sections on screws, resealing corners, correcting the slope. | Gutters in good condition that just don't drain. |
| Gutter guards | Screen, mesh or micro-mesh covers that keep leaves and needles out. | Houses under cedars and firs. Micro-mesh works best but costs most; all types still need an occasional check. |
Local conditions
More rain than the gutters were built for
A lot of Lower Mainland houses still have the 4 or 5 inch gutters they were built with, with too few downspouts for a roof that sheds a metre of water a year. Add cedar and fir needles, moss sliding off the shingles and the odd ice plug in January, and gutters overflow at the corners every fall. The fix is often bigger gutters, more or larger downspouts, and getting the water well away from the house.
If the roof is being replaced anyway, do the gutters at the same time: the fascia is exposed, the drip edge gets set properly over the back of the gutter, and you only pay for one set of ladders and one clean-up.
What a good quote includes
- Gutter size (5 or 6 inch) and material, usually seamless aluminum
- Number and size of downspouts, and where they discharge
- Hangers every 24 inches or less, screwed not nailed
- Pitch toward the downspouts, checked with water
- Fascia condition and whether any needs replacing first
- Guards: which type, and whether they can be lifted for cleaning
- Disposal of the old gutters
Watch for: Gutters hung on the old spikes and ferrules, or installed before a rotten fascia board is replaced.
Costs
Typical gutters and downspouts prices
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 inch seamless aluminum gutters | $10 to $25 per linear foot | Installed; 6 inch and fascia repairs extra |
| Whole house, gutters and downspouts | $1,500 to $4,000 | Typical two-storey house; large or complex roofs more |
| Downspouts | $100 to $300 each | Larger 3 by 4 inch downspouts for big roofs |
| Gutter guards, screen or mesh | $4 to $12 per linear foot | Still needs an occasional check |
| Gutter guards, micro-mesh | $12 to $28 per linear foot | Best under cedars and firs; the premium option |
| Gutter cleaning | $150 to $400 | Large or tree-heavy houses $400 to $800 |
Budget ranges in CAD before GST, from prices published by Lower Mainland roofers in October 2026. Your quotes are based on a site visit.
Questions
Gutters and downspouts questions
5 inch or 6 inch gutters?
5 inch is standard and fine for most houses. 6 inch gutters and 3 by 4 inch downspouts make sense on large or steep roofs, where water comes off fast, and anywhere the existing gutters overflow in heavy rain.
Are gutter guards worth it here?
Under cedars and firs, usually yes: micro-mesh guards keep needles out and cut cleaning to an occasional check. Cheaper screens still clog with needles. No guard removes the need to look at the gutters once a year.
Should I do gutters with the new roof?
It's the best time. The fascia is exposed for repairs, the drip edge goes in over the gutter properly, and you pay for one setup. Most roofers do gutters or work with a gutter company.
How often should gutters be cleaned?
Twice a year is typical here, in late fall after the leaves and in spring, more often under heavy trees. Overflowing corners and plants growing in the gutter mean it's overdue.
Often done together
Guides
Gutters and downspouts by area
Metro Vancouver
- Vancouver →
- Surrey →
- Burnaby →
- North Vancouver →
- Coquitlam →
- Delta →
- Richmond →
- West Vancouver →
- White Rock →
- Port Coquitlam →
- New Westminster →
- Port Moody →
Fraser Valley
- Chilliwack →
- Abbotsford →
- Langley →
- Maple Ridge →
- Mission →
- Pitt Meadows →
- Hope →
- Agassiz →
- Harrison Hot Springs →
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