How Much to Charge for Gutter Cleaning in 2026 (Per Foot Rates, Chart and Calculator)
By BRIX Editorial Team · Updated
Gutter cleaning is priced per linear foot of gutter, adjusted for the number of stories. Housecall Pro's 2026 guide puts the rate at $0.80–$2 a foot, with most homes landing at $125–$320 and single-story jobs at $100–$180. Set your rate from footage, ladder time, drive time, disposal and overhead, then add a story premium and a minimum.
Key takeaways
- Measure the gutter run in linear feet and charge more per foot for each story.
- On our illustrative costs, 160 ft on a one-story home comes to $178.91 ($1.12 a foot). Two stories: $231.27.
- Ladder moves are the hidden time. Height and roof pitch slow you down more than the debris does.
- A 45% margin is an 82% markup on cost. Use the right one when you set your rate.
- Sell twice-a-year plans. Fixr and Housecall Pro both say most homes need cleaning at least once or twice a year.
How is gutter cleaning priced?
Gutter cleaners price by the linear foot of gutter, with a higher rate for second and third stories, and usually a flat minimum. The footage tells you how much scooping and bagging there is; the height tells you how many ladder moves and how much care each one needs. The calculator below builds a per-job price from those inputs with the same engine as our job pricing calculator.
- Labor hours incl. setup and drive
- 2.43 hrs
- Crew time on site
- 126 min
- Direct cost (labor, materials, equipment)
- $98.40
- Price per linear ft
- $1.118
- Gross margin
- 45.0%
- Markup on cost
- 81.8%
- Billed per labor hour
- $74/hr
Charge $178.91 per job. That covers $98.40 of direct cost, $53.67 of overhead and leaves $26.84 profit. A 82% markup on cost is a 45% margin, not the same number. Defaults are illustrative; replace them with your own times and costs.
Price = (cleaning hours + setup + drive) × labor rate + disposal + truck and ladders ÷ (1 − overhead % − profit %)
- Cleaning hours
- linear feet ÷ feet cleaned per hour × (1 + story premium in time: +50% for two stories, +100% for three in our presets)
- Setup
- unloading ladders, flushing downspouts and cleaning up debris that missed the bag
- Disposal
- bags and dumping, per linear foot
The labor rate, cleaning speed and equipment cost are illustrative. Time three of your own jobs from ladder-off-the-truck to ladder-back-on and divide the footage by the hours. That one number makes every future quote faster.
Gutter cleaning price chart by home and story
Story count moves the price more than footage does, because every extra story slows each ladder move. The chart runs the worked example's costs across five common homes next to the per-story ranges Housecall Pro and Fixr publish.
| Home | Calculated price | Per linear ft | Housecall Pro (per job) | Fixr (per linear ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small ranch, 120 ft, 1 story | $150.55 | $1.25 | $100–$180 (single story) | $0.70–$1.50 |
| Typical home, 160 ft, 1 story | $178.91 | $1.12 | $100–$180 (single story) | $0.70–$1.50 |
| Typical home, 160 ft, 2 stories | $231.27 | $1.45 | $150–$275 (two story) | $1.50–$2.50 |
| Large home, 220 ft, 2 stories | $293.45 | $1.33 | $150–$275 (two story) | $1.50–$2.50 |
| Large home, 220 ft, 3 stories | $365.45 | $1.66 | $250–$400+ (three story) | $2.50–$3.20 |
Our two- and three-story rows sit inside Housecall Pro's per-job ranges but under Fixr's older per-foot ranges. That's a sign the illustrative +50% and +100% time allowances may be light for steep or tall homes. If you're regularly slower on two-story work than the calculator assumes, raise the story premium rather than working faster on a ladder.
Per foot, per story, flat or plan pricing?
| Model | How it works | Good for | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per linear foot | A rate per foot, higher for each story | Accurate quotes from a measured run | Customers don't know their footage; you must measure |
| Flat by story | One price for a one-, two- or three-story home | Fast phone quotes and online booking | Big ranches and small two-stories distort it |
| Hourly | Time on site × rate (HCP: $50–$100 an hour) | Heavy, compacted debris and repairs | Customers resist open-ended bills |
| Twice-a-year plan | Spring and fall visits at a set price | Predictable route work; fewer emergency calls | A wet fall can mean a third visit; price it in |
What customers typically pay for gutter cleaning
Customers typically pay $125–$320 for gutter cleaning in Housecall Pro's 2026 guide, with single-story homes at $100–$180 and two-story homes at $150–$275. Fixr's older data puts the national average at $300 and the typical range at $200–$400.
| Figure | Range | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job | $125–$320 | Housecall Pro, 2026 |
| Per linear foot | $0.80–$2 | Housecall Pro |
| One / two / three stories | $100–$180 / $150–$275 / $250–$400+ | Housecall Pro |
| Hourly | $50–$100 | Housecall Pro |
| Commercial, per linear foot | $1.25–$3.50 | Housecall Pro |
| National average | $300 ($200–$400 typical) | Fixr, updated Jan. 31, 2025 |
| 150 ft by story | $150–$225 / $225–$375 / $375–$480 | Fixr |
Downspouts, guards and other add-ons
- Downspout flushing. Housecall Pro lists $25–$75 per downspout; Fixr says a clogged downspout adds $50–$100. Flushing every downspout is a good habit; clearing a packed one is an add-on.
- Heavy or compacted debris. Housecall Pro lists $50–$150 extra for gutters that haven't been cleaned in years or have plants growing in them.
- Roof debris blow-off. Housecall Pro lists $75–$200. Leaves on the roof end up in the gutters after the next rain.
- Minor repairs and resealing. Housecall Pro lists $50–$150 for loose hangers, leaking seams and end caps. Photograph the problem and price it on the spot.
- Gutter guards. Checking or adjusting existing guards runs $25–$50 (Housecall Pro); installing new guards costs $2.60–$18.50 a foot according to Fixr.
- Gutter brightening. Washing the outside face of the gutter runs $1–$3 a foot (Housecall Pro). It pairs well with a pressure washing job.
Minimums, plans and payment
Every gutter job needs the ladders off the truck, so set a minimum. A 60 ft garage or small cottage calculates to $97.09 on our inputs; the $125 minimum sets the price. For plans, Housecall Pro's commercial example shows the logic: $1.60 a foot one-time versus $1.30 recurring. When plan customers are booked on the same route, the drive shrinks: an 8-minute drive brings the worked example to $165.82 a visit. Bill plan visits as they happen, keep a card on file, and offer to send before-and-after photos with the invoice.
Gutter cleaning pricing mistakes
- Confusing markup with margin. Aim for 45% by adding 45% to cost and the one-story job goes out at $142.68 instead of $178.91, a 31.0% margin. Check it with the markup and margin calculator and markup vs. margin.
- Quoting by the house, not the footage. A sprawling ranch can have twice the gutter of a compact two-story. Measure from a satellite map or pace the eaves.
- Underpricing height. Second- and third-story work is slower and riskier. Housecall Pro's ranges nearly double from one story to three; your price should too.
- Skipping the downspouts. Clean gutters that still overflow because of a clogged downspout bring a callback, not a referral.
- No insurance math in overhead. Ladder work raises your liability and workers' comp costs. Put them in overhead with the overhead rate calculator.
How to quote a gutter job
- 1
Measure the run and count stories and downspouts.
Satellite maps get you close; note steep pitches, guards and overhanging trees.
- 2
Quote per visit and per plan.
"It's $179 for a cleaning with all downspouts flushed, or two visits a year, spring and fall, on our route plan."
- 3
Send photos with the invoice.
Before-and-after shots of the gutters justify the price to a customer who never climbs up.
- 4
Book the next visit before you leave.
Fall leaf drop and spring seed pods are predictable. Put the customer on the calendar now. See how to follow up on an estimate.
Gutter work often sits inside a handyman or exterior cleaning business. See handyman pricing and how to start a handyman business.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge per foot for gutter cleaning?
Housecall Pro's 2026 guide gives $0.80–$2 per linear foot, and Fixr lists $0.70–$1.50 for one story, $1.50–$2.50 for two and $2.50–$3.20 for three. Charge more per foot on tall homes and small jobs.
How much do you charge to clean gutters on a two-story house?
Housecall Pro puts two-story homes at $150–$275. On our illustrative costs, 160 feet on two stories comes to $231.27. Time a few jobs and adjust the story premium in the calculator to match your crew.
What is the average price for gutter cleaning?
Most jobs land at $125–$320 in Housecall Pro's 2026 data. Fixr's older figures put the national average at $300 with a typical range of $200–$400. Footage, stories and how clogged the gutters are drive the difference.
Should I charge extra for downspouts?
Flush downspouts as part of every cleaning, and charge extra when one is packed solid. Housecall Pro lists $25–$75 per downspout, and Fixr says clearing a clogged one adds $50–$100.
How often should gutters be cleaned?
Fixr says professionals recommend at least twice a year, in spring and fall, and more often with overhanging trees or storms. Housecall Pro says most homes need it once or twice a year, which makes a two-visit plan an easy sell.
What minimum should I charge for gutter cleaning?
Set it to cover unloading ladders, the drive and cleanup on the smallest job you'll take. Neither Housecall Pro nor Fixr publishes a standard minimum; our illustrative calculator uses $125, which a 60-foot garage triggers.
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Sources
- Housecall Pro, How to price gutter cleaning jobs in 2026 (last posted Oct. 2026) (checked October 24, 2026)
- Fixr, Gutter cleaning cost (updated Jan. 31, 2025) (checked October 24, 2026)