pre cleaning charge for new gutters?
- Thread starter CarLuver
- Start date
Meaning they’re charging you to clean the leaves out or just to remove the old?
If it’s the former, at least they’re being honest with the charge. If it’s packed with leaves and can’t easily be removed, then they’ll need cleaned first. The added weight alone makes the cleaning worth while IMO.
Can you clean them yourself?
If it’s the former, at least they’re being honest with the charge. If it’s packed with leaves and can’t easily be removed, then they’ll need cleaned first. The added weight alone makes the cleaning worth while IMO.
Can you clean them yourself?
I think there are a lot of rip-offs when dealing with companies that install gutters and the gutter guards. But it sounds like you could negotiate the $275 down to a small amount like $0 or $50. Are the gutters currently all filled with leaves and have plants growing in them?
Why do you need new gutters? If they are aluminum they should last a long time. If steel then new ones are a good idea. If copper they are worth big $$.
Why do you need new gutters? If they are aluminum they should last a long time. If steel then new ones are a good idea. If copper they are worth big $$.
Why would a gutter have ever been made out of copper?
The money from the scrap metal is probably not worth it.
Just question them on the charge.
I think contractors include dummy charges to see whether you are a push-over. Then on the back end they'll say it was really x more feet so I need to sneak in an extra $500.
The money from the scrap metal is probably not worth it.
Just question them on the charge.
I think contractors include dummy charges to see whether you are a push-over. Then on the back end they'll say it was really x more feet so I need to sneak in an extra $500.
I have one big gutter on the front my FL house, and it needs replacement. I would love to have copper gutter, but it is likely really costly. I think the green patina would look cool, compared to beige anodized aluminum. I also don't want to come home one evening and find that some miscreant has stolen my copper.
If you are getting gutter guards there are all kinds out there. If you have pine needles you need a very fine screen. Leaves not so much.
Some of the ones with fine screens get mold and mildew under the screen which clogs the screen. There are some useful videos on YOUTUBE for gutter guards. One from a guy next to a dumpster showing the various ones his company has taken down to replace.
Some of the ones with fine screens get mold and mildew under the screen which clogs the screen. There are some useful videos on YOUTUBE for gutter guards. One from a guy next to a dumpster showing the various ones his company has taken down to replace.
MANY years ago, before aluminum took over, copper was the ONLY material used for making gutters. They lasted a very long time, and weren't that expensive then. That's the way people thought back then, not like today's disposable society. 60 -75 year life was achievable with copper gutters.
Not true. Had galvanized gutters on a house in AR during the 50s.
Depending on when your roof was last shingled, you could have leaves or a ton of granules in your gutters. Five years ago the back portion of my roof with a southern facing exposure had the gutter entirely filled with granules, I filled up more than a home depot bucket full of that gunk when I cleaned it out.
I guess they are protecting themselves if there is a mess to clean. If you could inspect the gutters beforehand, maybe you could get that fee waived if they are mostly clean.
I guess they are protecting themselves if there is a mess to clean. If you could inspect the gutters beforehand, maybe you could get that fee waived if they are mostly clean.
Pre-cleaning NEW gutters? What the heck needs to be cleaned on a new gutter install? That's a total rip-off IMO. I do know outfits in my area charge anywhere from $150-250 to do a gutter cleaning on ones that have been in place.
Like Donald said above, gutter guards really are a case by case basis in terms of what will work best for your conditions. I had the plastic snap in ones for years on my home. I think they were made by "frost king". I would buy them when you could get them for $1/ea on sale for the 3ft sections. They worked pretty well, but would let small stuff in and of course let the roofing shingle aggregate in. I recently had to remove the whole house worth of cutter guards in preparation of having a metal roof put on. Some areas of gutter were more than half full of aggregate. Pounds and bucket loads of it. Problem with the new metal roof is, there's no way to tuck gutter guards under the roofing. Not sure what I'm going to do about that yet.
Like Donald said above, gutter guards really are a case by case basis in terms of what will work best for your conditions. I had the plastic snap in ones for years on my home. I think they were made by "frost king". I would buy them when you could get them for $1/ea on sale for the 3ft sections. They worked pretty well, but would let small stuff in and of course let the roofing shingle aggregate in. I recently had to remove the whole house worth of cutter guards in preparation of having a metal roof put on. Some areas of gutter were more than half full of aggregate. Pounds and bucket loads of it. Problem with the new metal roof is, there's no way to tuck gutter guards under the roofing. Not sure what I'm going to do about that yet.
When I worked on a framing crew, we put up wooden gutters, IIRC, they were fir. Too expensive these days. I used preformed gutters delivered. They were heavier and had a better hanger system than the extruded on site gutters. The gutters are 35 yrs old and not really that hard to clean.
Don't really see too many wooden gutters these days, the ones you do see are usually rotten.
"It is important that we perform the gutter clearing so that we do not make a mess on the property. It is also a safety concern because there will be nails and bolts coming loose from the existing gutters and we want the grounds to be kept clean so that we can clean-up after ourselves."
there is also a $275 charge for gutter disposal
there is also a $275 charge for gutter disposal
I must ask
Is this $275 in addition to the earlier $275 "pre-cleaning" charge?
If so, I'm about to embark on a pre-retirement career change
Seriously, I would ask ( and get in writing) exactly what this pre-cleaning charge is and why its necessary otherwise they would be out the door.
^ Time to get a couple more estimates, they seem like a ripoff. As someone else mentioned it is still about the total price, other companies may just not itemize their billing to this detail, but in addition to price, be sure you are comparing the same gauge of metal. Some of those made on site gutters are pretty thin, thinner than even the contractor grade originals found on many homes.
Gutters are in fact worth scrap metal money, maybe not enough to take one or two, but throw them in a pile and haul a trailer worth at a time, yes. Granted, at the moment scrap metal prices are pretty low, it could make sense for a company with the space to sit on them till prices improve.
Gutters are in fact worth scrap metal money, maybe not enough to take one or two, but throw them in a pile and haul a trailer worth at a time, yes. Granted, at the moment scrap metal prices are pretty low, it could make sense for a company with the space to sit on them till prices improve.
