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Siding & Exterior

Gutter Calculator

Gutter is priced by the linear foot, but the downspouts are what actually move the water. Enter the length of eave the gutter follows and how far it has to drop to grade, and this sizes the downspouts at one per 35 feet of run, counts hangers at 24-inch spacing, and totals the installed cost.

Reviewed by The CostToUpgrade Estimating Desk Last reviewed How we estimate

Your project

Roof

Add up every eave the gutter follows — usually the two long sides of the house.

Sets how far each downspout has to fall before the elbow at the bottom.

Downspouts

Leave 0 to size automatically — one downspout per 35 ft of gutter.

Pricing

Seamless aluminum runs ≈ $8–$14 per linear foot installed; sectional vinyl less.

Downspout, elbows, and straps commonly run $6–$12 per foot installed.

Estimate

$1,676.00

Estimated installed cost · Gutter run plus downspouts

Gutter needed
140ft
Downspouts
4drops
Downspout material
52ft
Hangers
70hangers

Estimates are guidance only and exclude tax, labor, and site conditions unless stated. Confirm with a local pro.

How it's calculated

No black boxes — here is the exact math behind your estimate, so you can check it or adapt it for your own quote.

  1. 1Gutter feet = roof edge length
  2. 2Downspouts = max(2, ⌈ gutter feet ÷ 35 ⌉), or your override if entered
  3. 3Downspout feet = downspouts × (drop height + 3 ft for elbows and the ground extension)
  4. 4Hangers = ⌈ gutter feet ÷ 2 ⌉ at 24 in spacing
  5. 5Total cost = (gutter feet × gutter price) + (downspout feet × downspout price)

Worked example

A single-story ranch with 140 ft of eave, downspouts sized automatically, at $9/ft for gutter and $8/ft for downspout.

Inputs

Roof edge length
140 ft
Height to grade
10
Downspouts (override)
0
Gutter price
9 $/ft
Downspout price
8 $/ft

Result

Estimated installed cost
$1,676.00
Gutter needed
140 ft
Downspouts
4 drops
Downspout material
52 ft
Hangers
70 hangers

Tools & materials for this project

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

  • Hidden gutter hangers Screw-in hangers at 24 in spacing — far more secure than spikes and ferrules.
    View on Amazon
  • Gutter seam sealant Seal end caps, miters, and outlet cuts so joints do not drip.
    View on Amazon
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Gutters cost by state

The calculator does the quantity math exactly. What it can't know is what a fair unit price looks like where you live — new gutters runs 61% more in the priciest US market than the cheapest.

Gutters cost in all 50 states + DC US average $9.00 per linear foot installed · regional averages, full ranked table, and typical project totals.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use 5-inch or 6-inch K-style gutter?
Five-inch K-style with a 2×3 in downspout is the residential default and handles roughly 600–800 square feet of roof area per downspout at typical US rainfall intensities. Six-inch carries about 40% more water and pairs with a 3×4 in downspout, which has twice the cross-section of a 2×3 (12 in² versus 6 in²). Step up to 6-inch when the roof is steep, the planes are large, the eave run is long, or you get intense short-duration storms. Six-inch also clogs less because debris passes the bigger outlet. Expect roughly $1–$3 more per linear foot.
How many downspouts do I need?
Plan one downspout for every 30–40 feet of gutter run and never fewer than two, so water still has an exit if one outlet clogs. This calculator uses 35 feet as the midpoint, which puts four drops on a 140 ft perimeter. What matters more than the house total is how the runs break up: a 45 ft run that dead-ends at a corner needs its own outlet regardless of the overall count. When one short section of gutter drains a large roof plane, add an outlet rather than upsizing the trough.
How much slope should gutters have?
About 1/4 inch of fall per 10 feet toward the outlet — roughly a half inch over a 20 ft run, which is invisible from the ground. Less than that and water stands in the trough, breeding mosquitoes and sagging the hangers; much more and the gap between gutter and fascia becomes obvious. On runs longer than roughly 40 feet, set a high point in the middle and slope down to a downspout at each end so the total drop stays small. Snap a chalk line on the fascia before hanging anything.
Is seamless gutter worth it over sectional?
Sectional gutter comes in 10 ft sticks joined with connectors — inexpensive, DIY-friendly, and about $4–$8 per foot in materials, but every joint is a future leak. Seamless aluminum is roll-formed on site into one continuous run with joints only at corners and outlets, and runs about $8–$14 per linear foot installed; copper is $25–$40. On a 140 ft house that is roughly $1,100–$2,000 installed in seamless aluminum. Seamless needs a contractor with a brake truck, so it is not a weekend project — this estimate is for budgeting, not a quote.
How far apart do gutter hangers go?
Hidden hangers screwed through the gutter into the fascia go every 24 inches on center — one per 2 feet of run, so 70 hangers on a 140 ft house. Tighten the spacing to 16–18 inches in snow country or anywhere ice dams form, because a gutter full of ice weighs several times what water does. Always land the screw in solid wood: if the fascia is soft or rotten, replace the board before hanging gutter or the screws will pull out within a season. Spike-and-ferrule hangers are the old standard and work loose over time.

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