Replacing a gutter is a short job on an accessible house and a substantial one on a three storey terrace with a concrete system. The variables are the same as for cleaning, with one addition: what the gutter is made of, because removing a cast iron or concrete run is a different exercise from unclipping plastic.
Cost to replace gutters: what a proper replacement includes
New gutter, new brackets at the correct centres, new unions, stop ends and outlets, new downpipes where they are old or the wrong size, the old system removed and taken away, and the fall set to the outlet. The brackets are the part that gets skimped: fixing new gutter onto old brackets or into rotten fascia is how a new system sags within two winters. Ask whether the fascia is being checked at the same time, because the access is already paid for.
Concrete gutter replacement cost: concrete and cast iron are not plastic
A great many post war British houses have concrete gutters cast as part of the eaves, sometimes called finlock. They are heavy, they crack, they cold bridge and they are a known cause of damp on the wall head. They are not simply unclipped: the usual remedy is lining them or cutting them out and forming a new eaves detail, which is a structural and thermal job rather than a rainwater one. Cast iron is similarly heavy and, on a period or listed property, may need to be replaced like for like.
Sizing, which few gutter installers ask about
Gutters are sized for the roof area draining into them and for the rainfall intensity the location sees. A run that overflows every heavy storm may never have been big enough, particularly where a house has been extended and more roof now drains into the same gutter. Approved Document H covers rainwater drainage, and a contractor who can talk about roof area rather than just length is one who has thought about it.
Do you need scaffolding to replace guttering?
On a bungalow or an accessible single storey a tower is usually enough. On two storeys and above, most competent contractors will want a scaffold or at least an edge protected tower for a full replacement, because it is sustained work at the roof edge rather than a few minutes at one point. It is a real cost and it belongs in the quote, so a price that omits it is not the cheaper price it appears to be.
Questions people ask about gutter replacement
How long does a gutter replacement take?
A typical semi detached house is often a day once access is up, with larger or higher properties and concrete or cast iron systems taking considerably longer.
Do I need building regulations approval to replace guttering?
Like for like rainwater goods replacement is normally maintenance. Replacing a concrete eaves gutter usually alters the eaves construction and the thermal detail, which can bring it into scope, so ask the contractor to say which they are doing.
Should I replace fascias at the same time?
Very often yes. The access is already there, the gutter is off, and new brackets need sound timber to screw into. Doing them separately means paying for access twice.
Is plastic guttering acceptable on a period house?
Functionally yes, visually often not, and on a listed building or in a conservation area replacing cast iron with plastic may need consent. Check before ordering.
How much does it cost to replace guttering on a semi?
It follows the length of the run, the height, the access and whether the fascia is being replaced behind it, so a figure quoted without seeing the elevation is a guess. Ask for the run, the material and the fascia priced as separate lines so you can compare two quotes properly.
How much does new guttering cost against another repair?
A new run costs more than a single union and less than repeated visits. If you are on the third joint in two years, or brackets are pulling out because the board has gone, ask the contractor to price both a repair and a replacement and to say which they would do on their own house.