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Gutter cleaning price per foot: how much to charge
Use $0.50–$2.50 per linear foot as a US benchmark for gutter cleaning, then price the actual height, debris and access. HomeGuide reports $100–$250 for a typical visit. Published local prices can run higher: Richmond Gutter Cleaners lists $200–$400 for two-story homes. Set a minimum that covers the trip.
Calculate a price
Starting point: $1.00 per linear ft. Single-story gutters (US guide): $0.50–$1.50 per linear foot. Our midpoint of that range, rounded to cents. Basic cleaning labor and supplies for single-story gutters. HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost, checked 2026-10-15.
Extras, travel and minimum
Measure the gutter runs, not the home's floor area. Include downspouts, debris disposal and access in your scope.
Enter gutter length (linear feet).
Gutter cleaning price list: published rates
| Job or unit | Published price | What the price covers | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-story gutters (US guide) | $0.50–$1.50 per linear foot | Basic cleaning labor and supplies for single-story gutters. | HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost · Published · Checked |
| Two-story gutters (US guide) | $0.75–$2.00 per linear foot | Basic cleaning labor and supplies for two-story gutters. | HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost · Published · Checked |
| Three stories or more (US guide) | $1.25–$2.50 per linear foot | Basic cleaning labor and supplies for gutters at three stories or higher. | HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost · Published · Checked |
| Single-story home under 2,000 sq ft (Chicago North Shore) | from $150 per visit | Local starting price, including clearing, flushing and debris removal. | Sparkle Service: Chicago North Shore gutter prices · Published · Checked |
| Two-story home (Richmond, VA) | $200–$400 per visit | Gutter cleaning, downspout flushing and debris removal. | Richmond Gutter Cleaners: Richmond, Virginia prices · Checked |
| Large or complex roofline (Richmond, VA) | $350–$600+ per visit | Complex or large roofline, including gutter clearing, downspout flushing and debris removal; prices can exceed $600. | Richmond Gutter Cleaners: Richmond, Virginia prices · Checked |
Should you quote gutter cleaning per foot or as a flat price?
Measure the gutter runs and use the linear-foot rate to calculate the work, then give the customer a fixed price for that scope. Floor area does not tell you every gutter length. Record the story height, downspout outlets and access beside the measurement so the price describes a complete visit.
The footage tells you how much gutter there is; access tells you how long the work takes. Walk the perimeter and record each gutter run, downspout outlet, story height and ladder position. A narrow side yard, a sloping driveway or a sunroom under the eaves can matter more than the house floor area. Photograph the difficult section so the scope is clear when the customer accepts.
How much more should two-story gutter cleaning cost?
HomeGuide’s November 2025 bands are $0.50–$1.50 per foot for one story, $0.75–$2 for two and $1.25–$2.50 for three or more. Price the actual setup and access behind the height difference. A sunroom, sloping driveway or narrow side yard can change the equipment and working time.
Keep the access allowance inside the quoted total or name it clearly as an included line. The overlapping published bands do not create a fixed percentage surcharge. Check the method you can use at the property before promising a low footage rate.
What should gutter guards and downspout flushing include?
State whether the cover stays in place or must be opened and refitted, and name the sections included. Ordinary downspout flow checks can belong in the base clean. A blocked underground drain, damaged guard or leaking seam needs a separate description and price when it falls outside the accepted cleaning scope.
How do you set a minimum gutter cleaning charge?
Add the trip, setup, minimum paid working time and cleanup, then allow for overhead and margin. Sparkle’s Chicago North Shore card starts at $150 for a single-story home under 2,000 square feet. Use that as a local comparison; your own minimum must cover the stop your route and equipment actually require.
How long should you allow, and how often should customers book?
Estimate time from the measured runs, access and debris condition, then compare it with your completed-job records. Packed wet material or guards can make a short run slower than a longer open one. Agree repeat timing around the property’s trees, prior blockages and leaf drop; name each visit and its price.
Where do insurance and equipment costs go in the rate?
Include the coverage, vehicle and equipment costs of the work you actually perform in your overhead allowance. Count setup and travel as paid time. When a lift or special access method is needed for one property, price that job-specific cost with the cleaning scope instead of assuming every visit can absorb it.
Why do local gutter cleaning prices disagree?
The sources describe different markets and scopes. HomeGuide reports a broad US benchmark. Sparkle Service publishes starting prices for Chicago’s North Shore by home size and height; Richmond Gutter Cleaners publishes local visit ranges. Do not average those figures into a supposed national rate. Compare the included downspout work, debris removal, guards and access before borrowing a price.
Use the table as a check after calculating your own cost. If a measured job needs a higher price, describe the access or additional work that creates it. If your price is lower, confirm that travel and cleanup are still paid for. A clear quote lets the customer compare the same finished job.
How do you set a rate that leaves a margin?
Add paid working time, setup, travel, supplies, disposal and an allocation for insurance, equipment and administration. Include your own pay even when you work alone. Divide that cost by one minus your chosen margin expressed as a decimal. Margin is a share of the selling price; adding the same percentage to cost gives a different result.
Keep the cost calculation in your business notes. The customer needs the cleaning scope, agreed extras, total and payment terms. After the job, compare the time and expense you allowed with what happened. Adjust future rates when guard work, awkward access or long drives repeatedly use more time than expected.
Three worked prices
Example lengths use rates inside HomeGuide’s story bands. The short visit applies a $150 minimum, matching Sparkle’s single-story starting price.
An accessible single-story run. 160 linear feet without guards at $1.25 per foot, within HomeGuide’s single-story band. Includes ordinary downspout flow checks and bagging the leaves.
Single-story gutter cleaning: 160 linear feet × $1.25 = $200.
Example total: $200. Rate source: HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost, checked 2026-10-15.
A longer two-story clean. 220 linear feet at $1.75 per foot, within HomeGuide’s two-story range. Includes the agreed flushing and cleanup, with repairs priced separately.
Two-story gutter cleaning: 220 linear feet × $1.75 = $385.
Example total: $385. Rate source: HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost, checked 2026-10-15.
A detached garage with a visit minimum. 60 linear feet at $1.25 per foot, with a $150 visit minimum based on Sparkle’s published single-story starting price. Charge the minimum when it exceeds the measured-work total.
Garage gutter cleaning: 60 linear feet × $1.25 = $75.
Apply the $150 minimum instead of $75. Example total: $150. Rate source: HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost, checked 2026-10-15.
Frequently asked questions
Should I price gutter cleaning by the foot or by the house?
Measure linear feet internally, then offer a fixed total for a defined job. A house-size band can work for familiar properties, but record height and difficult access separately. Floor area does not tell you the length of every gutter run.
How much more should a two-story gutter clean cost?
Use the additional time and access cost to set your difference. HomeGuide lists $0.75–$2.00 per linear foot for two stories versus $0.50–$1.50 for one. The overlapping bands are a benchmark, not a mandatory height surcharge.
Do I charge separately for downspouts?
Say exactly what your normal clean includes. If ordinary flow checks and flushing are included, do not add them again. Quote an obstructed section or underground drain investigation separately when that work goes beyond the accepted cleaning scope.
What is a sensible minimum gutter cleaning charge?
Calculate travel, setup, minimum paid time and overhead, then apply your margin. Publish the visit minimum beside your per-foot rate. On a short run, charge the minimum when it is higher than the footage calculation; the worked garage example shows the calculation.
Should gutter guards change the price?
Yes, when opening and refitting them adds work. Record their type and condition before quoting, and state which sections you will open. A guarded system can still need cleaning; a guard installation or damaged-cover replacement needs its own scope.
How do I price repeat gutter cleaning?
Base repeat work on the time a maintained property actually takes and the travel saved by your route. Keep each visit’s scope and price clear. Agree any change for packed debris or newly restricted access before carrying it out.
Sources
- HomeGuide: gutter cleaning cost · Published · Checked
- Sparkle Service: Chicago North Shore gutter prices · Published · Checked
- Richmond Gutter Cleaners: Richmond, Virginia prices · Checked