Gutter Cleaning

We charge $165 to $340 for a full gutter cleanout in Gloucester County, with debris bagged and hauled away. Single-story homes sit at the lower end, two-story and steep-pitch homes at the higher end. Published NJ figures range from $100 to $500, so ask what is actually included before you compare.

What pushes a gutter price up: a second story, a steep roof pitch, long uninterrupted runs, heavy debris from years of neglect, and the number of downspouts that need clearing.

Be careful comparing quotes. Some companies price the cleanout and then charge extra to take the debris away, to clear a clogged downspout, or to lift gutter guards. Ours includes all three.

Height changes the job, not just the reach. Two-story work needs taller ladders, more setup and repositioning, a spotter on uneven ground, and a slower pace. It carries more risk, which is reflected in insurance costs. Expect roughly 30 to 60 percent more than the same work at ground level.

Twice a year for most homes here: late spring after the maples and oaks drop, and late fall once the leaves are down. Fall is by far the heavier of the two. If you have pines over the house, four times a year is realistic. With no trees at all, once a year can be enough.

Gloucester County's tree cover is the deciding factor. In Mantua, Wenonah and Pitman — genuinely wooded towns — we see gutters pack solid in a single season. In newer Woolwich developments with young trees, once a year often holds.

Most homes take one to two hours, including bagging the debris, clearing and flow-testing the downspouts, and rinsing off any patio or walkway underneath. Larger or badly clogged homes take longer, and we will tell you that before we start rather than after.

Water overflows where it should not. In order of expense: fascia and soffit rot, then water pooling against the foundation, then basement seepage, then ice dams in winter that push water back under the shingles. A $200 cleanout is meaningfully cheaper than any one of those repairs.

The South Jersey version of this problem is winter. A packed gutter holds water, that water freezes, and the ice dam forces meltwater up under the roof edge. It is the single best argument for the fall cleanout.

Gutters cleared by hand, not blown out onto your landscaping. Downspouts checked, cleared and flow-tested with water. All debris bagged and removed from the property. Patios, walkways, decks and planting beds protected and rinsed clean. Before-and-after photos taken from the gutter line.

We do not leave the leaf mess behind. That sounds like a small thing until you have had a company blow two years of wet leaves onto your beds and drive away.

Yes — less often, not never. Guards keep leaves out but let shingle grit, pine needles and roof sand through, and that sludge sets in the bottom of the trough. Plan on every other year for most homes, or annually if you have pines. Lifting and re-setting guards is included in our price.

We tell you the same day, before we leave if possible. We photograph it, put it in writing, and then repair it, replace it, or run it through our liability insurance. What we will not do is quietly knock a few dollars off the invoice and hope you do not notice.