We’re commonly asked about the process and procedures we go through to assess a home and provide it’s owners with a quote for gutters and gutter protection. There are many steps involved, and many considerations we have to make in order to give the customer a full and comprehensive quote. Some of the things we do to prepare are obvious, while other might be a little surprising to anyone who hasn’t been installing gutters and gutter protection for many years.
If possible, we prefer to travel to the home in question and perform an assessment in person. If we have to, we can make do with just photos of the roof and surrounding areas, but lot’s of details can be missed that way, and that can lead to problems down the line.
Once we arrive, we walk the perimeter of the house and take a rough visual assessment of what the job entails. We need to consider with way the roof slopes, what type of roof material is used, where down spouts would work best, where the water will flow once it’s at ground level, and what kind of trees are in the area whose leaves or needles might contribute to clogs. Nothing is set in stone at this point, but we begin to develop an outline of what’s needed for the project.
After we know which areas of the roof are best suited to have gutters installed, we use a measuring wheel to walk those distances along the side of the house to get an approximate length of gutter material needed. Walking along the side of a house from corner to corner will usually give us a pretty accurate number, but in some cases, it’s just not possible, and we need to rely on our judgement and experience to give a visual estimate.
Now that we’ve determined where the water is most likely to flow, and which areas of the roof need gutters, we can then begin to plan the down spouts, and where there placement should be. It’s important that we take into consideration miters in the roof. These are the valleys or creases where water will collect as it flows downward. At the bottom of a miter, we need to make sure there’s adequate gutter placement, or the water may flow over the edge. Down spouts need to be placed at key points to allow enough drainage. Too few downspouts can result in over flowing gutters. Too many downspouts are a waste of money. The trick is to find the sweet spot in between.
We often run into outside structures, like patios and decks, that we need to plan around. Sometimes we can run a downspout in a different location to bypass the structures. Other times we need to make small modifications in order to run the downspouts where needed. Whatever the situation calls for, we’ll make sure it’s handled cleanly and professionally.
While most brand new homes come with a gutter system pre-installed, some don’t. Some homes with old or damaged gutters need to have a full replacement. In those cases, we can provide a quote on the entire project. In other situations, where there’s damage to just one area, or a new addition has been constructed, we only need to add on to or repair an existing system. In either case, we can provide the home owner with exactly what they need.
The material the roof is made of is important in determining what size gutters to use. The most common roofing material is asphalt shingles, which are rough and slow down the water as it drains, which then won’t flow very far over the edge of the roof once it gets there. Metal, slate, or composite roofs slow down water much less, so the gutters need to be wider in order to catch the water as it rushes over the edge. In most cases, a 5” gutter is appropriate, but sometimes a wider gutter is needed.
We feel that we’re not just in the gutter business, but in the home protection business. That’s why we go beyond just gutters and downspouts, and also consider how the water will drain once it’s at ground level. Underground tubing is often needed to make sure that water doesn’t pool near the foundation. Most everyone has seen the black corrugated piping sticking out of the ground in someone’s back yard. Our experience has shown us that rigid PVC piping is much better. The smooth walls wont catch debris as easily as the corrugated pipes, and they hold up better, too. They won’t crush nearly as easily, and are far more resistant to tree and plant roots.
If you are ready for gutter protection please contact us today!
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