( Services — Everett, Seattle & the Eastside )
Guttersthat actually drain.
A gutter is the only part of a house whose entire job is moving water away from everything else. In a climate this wet, undersized or badly hung gutters cause more damage than they prevent.
( 01 )
Most gutter problems are sizing and fall, not leaves
Five-inch K-style is the builder default across the region, and on a large or steep roof plane it simply cannot carry what a Northwest downpour delivers. Water sheets over the front edge, and no amount of clearing fixes it. On big planes we size up to six-inch with larger downspouts, because capacity is the thing that actually decides whether a gutter overflows.
The other half is fall and hanger spacing. A run pitched too flat holds standing water and sags; one hung below the roof's drip line lets water shoot straight over it. Both are installation faults rather than maintenance faults, and both are common on houses where the gutters went on as the cheapest line item of the original build.
( 02 )
What is behind the gutter matters more than the gutter
Gutters hang on fascia, and in this climate fascia is often the first wood on a house to rot — precisely because a blocked or badly pitched gutter has been keeping it wet. Hanging new gutters on soft fascia is a short-lived repair, and it is one of the most common things we are called back to fix after someone else's work.
Because we are a general contractor rather than a gutter-only crew, we replace the fascia, soffit and any rafter tail damage as part of the job rather than working around it. That is usually the difference between a gutter that lasts and one that pulls away from the house in four winters.
( 03 )
Where the water goes after the downspout
Downspout count and placement decide as much as the gutter size — a long run with a single outlet will overflow at the far end regardless of capacity. And discharge matters: a downspout emptying onto soil beside the foundation concentrates exactly the water the gutter was installed to move away.
On the sloped lots common through Bothell, Mukilteo and Edmonds, that water finds its way downhill and sometimes into a daylight basement. Tight-lining downspouts into a proper drain, or at minimum carrying them well clear of the building, is the detail that makes the rest of the system worth having.
Typical investment
Broad Seattle-area ranges, not quotes — your written estimate is free and itemized.
| Tier | Range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Seamless aluminium, 5-inch | $8–$15 per linear foot | Standard replacement on sound fascia, hangers, downspouts and outlets. |
| 6-inch, steel or complex runs | $15–$30 per linear foot | Upsized capacity for large roof planes, multi-storey access, steel or specialty profiles. |
| Fascia repair & drainage | Quoted per house | Rotted fascia, soffit and rafter tails found at tear-off; tight-lining downspouts to drain. |
Gutters & Downspouts questions
- How much do new gutters cost?
- Seamless aluminium typically runs $8–$15 per linear foot installed, so a average house lands roughly $1,500–$3,500. Six-inch, steel, multi-storey access or complex rooflines run $15–$30 per foot. Fascia repair found at tear-off and tight-lining downspouts to a drain are quoted separately.
- Should I go with six-inch gutters?
- On a large or steep roof plane, usually yes. Five-inch is the regional default and is frequently undersized for what a Northwest storm delivers off a big surface — which is why those gutters overflow even when clean. Upsizing capacity and downspouts fixes overflow that no amount of clearing will.
- Do gutter guards work here?
- Partially. Guards keep leaves out well and fine conifer needles out poorly, which matters more here than in most regions. Treat them as extending the interval between clearings rather than ending it, and be sceptical of anyone selling them as maintenance-free under fir cover.
- Can you replace the rotted board behind my gutters?
- Yes, and we would rather. Fascia rot is usually what the old gutter caused, and hanging new gutters on soft wood is a repair with a short life. As a general contractor we handle the fascia, soffit and any rafter tail damage as part of the job rather than leaving it for someone else.
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