Linear feet of gutter, downspout count by drainage area, hangers and cost.
Estimates are planning aids, not a professional quote. Double-check quantities and product coverage — and any local code or permit requirements — before you buy.
⚠ Gutter work is done off a ladder at the eaves. Use a stabilizer/standoff on the ladder so it doesn't rest on the gutter itself, and never overreach — move the ladder instead.
| Roofing | $167–$227 |
| Connectors & Brackets | $124–$168 |
| Drainage | $19–$25 |
| Finishing & Sealant | $18–$24 |
| Fasteners & Hardware | $9–$12 |
| Total | $337–$455 |
Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.
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About this calculator
Give the Gutter Calculator your roof's footprint and shape, and it works out the whole system: linear feet of gutter split into stock sections, hidden hangers at spacing, end caps or corner miters depending on whether it's a gable or hip roof, and downspouts sized from the actual roof drainage area rather than a guess.
Pick aluminum, vinyl or copper and K-style or half-round, and every line item reprices instantly — gutter stock, downspout, elbows, drop outlets, hangers, straps and sealant — along with a cost range and a build time for hanging it yourself off a ladder. A gable roof gutters only its two shedding eaves and needs end caps; a hip roof wraps all four sides with a mitered corner at each turn, and the takeoff switches between them automatically.
Step by step
A step-by-step walkthrough to go with your plan above. Follow the product instructions and any local code or permit requirements as you work.
Snap a chalk line along the fascia from your high point to each downspout location, dropping about 1/4 inch per 10 ft. This line is what every bracket and joint follows.
Join gutter sections, corner miters and end caps on sawhorses with rivets and sealant at every seam — it's far easier to get a watertight joint at waist height than overhead on a ladder.
Screw hangers into the fascia at your spacing, following the chalk line exactly so the slope is consistent for the whole run.
With a helper, lift each assembled run into place and snap or crimp it into the hangers, checking the slope with a level as you go.
Cut an opening in the gutter bottom at each downspout location and rivet in the drop outlet, sealing the seam from inside.
Assemble downspout sections with elbows — one at the outlet to route it against the wall, one at the bottom to kick water away from the foundation — and strap it to the wall every few feet.
Run gutter sealant along every rivet, seam, corner and end cap from the inside. This is what actually stops the leaks, not the rivets.
Set a splash block or flexible extension at each downspout outlet, then run a hose at the far end of every run to confirm it drains cleanly with no pooling or overflow.
Equip the job
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Decks & Structures
Answers
A common rule of thumb is one downspout for every 600–800 square feet of roof plan area (footprint, not the sloped surface), with a minimum of one per gutter run so water isn't traveling too far to reach an outlet. A gable roof needs at least one downspout per eave; a hip roof, which wraps all four sides, typically wants one near each corner. Heavy-rainfall regions should size toward the lower end of that range.
DIY materials for aluminum K-style gutter typically run $4–8 per linear foot including hangers, end caps, downspouts and outlets, so an average house (150–200 ft of run) lands in the low-to-mid hundreds. Vinyl is cheaper; copper can run 8–15x more per foot. Hiring it out costs several times the materials price because most of the cost is ladder labor and precise slope-setting.
K-style has a decorative crown-molding profile, hangs from hidden brackets, and carries more water for its size — it's the standard on most modern houses and the cheaper, easier DIY option. Half-round is a smooth semicircular trough that suits historic or high-end homes, needs exposed hanger straps, and typically costs more per foot in every material. Both use the same sizing logic; the choice is mostly about the look and the house style.
Aim for about 1/4 inch of drop per 10 feet of gutter run, sloping toward whichever end (or middle point) has a downspout. Snap a chalk line from a high point to a low point before you hang a single bracket, and check it with a level as you go — a gutter hung dead level will pond water and overflow at the first heavy rain.
Aluminum is the workhorse: rust-proof, light, paintable and good for 20+ years. Vinyl is the cheapest and easiest to cut and join but gets brittle and can crack in cold climates over time. Copper develops a protective patina, can last 50+ years, and looks premium — but costs many times more and must be fastened with copper or stainless hardware, since steel screws will corrode against it.
Guards aren't required, but they cut way down on ladder trips for cleaning, especially under trees. Micro-mesh screens block the most debris but cost more per foot and still need an occasional rinse; cheaper foam or brush inserts clog faster. They're an add-on to the same run and downspout count — this calculator prices them as an optional line item over the full gutter length.