Gutter cleaning costs $100 to $400 per visit nationally in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $160 for a single-story home and $250 for two stories. Priced by length, that is roughly $1 to $2.25 per linear foot. The spread comes down to how many stories the ladder has to reach, how many feet of gutter there are, and how long since the last cleaning. Below, what changes the price, when to do it, and what skipping it actually costs you.
What you'll learn in this guide
- A single-story home runs $100 to $250; a two-story home costs 50 to 75 percent more because of ladder and safety time.
- Most pros price by linear foot: $0.95 to $1.25 on one story, $1.00 to $1.85 on two, $1.25 to $2.25 on three.
- Downspout flushing, gutter guard removal and minor fastener repairs are the common add-ons, $25 to $150 each.
- Twice a year is the standard cadence; heavy tree cover pushes it to three or four visits.
- A skipped cleaning can end in a $300 to $2,000 fascia, siding or foundation repair.
What changes the price of gutter cleaning
- Stories. Height is the biggest factor. Two-story homes cost 50 to 75 percent more than one story; a three-story home runs $210 to $450.
- Linear feet. A typical single-story ranch has 150 to 200 feet of gutter; a large two-story with wraparound rooflines can have 300 feet or more.
- Condition. Gutters that have become planters, with packed and rooted debris, take twice as long. Many pros add $50 to $100 for heavy buildup.
- Roof pitch and access. Steep pitches, gutters over sunrooms, and landscaping that blocks ladder placement all add time.
- Add-ons. Flushing downspouts to daylight ($25 to $75), removing and reinstalling gutter guards ($50 to $150), resealing seams and re-pitching sagging runs ($75 to $200).
Gutter cleaning cost by home size in 2026
| Home | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single story, 150 to 200 linear feet | $100 | $160 | $250 |
| Two story, 200 to 250 linear feet | $150 | $250 | $400 |
| Three story or steep, complex roofline | $210 | $330 | $450 |
| Per linear foot, any home | $0.95 | $1.50 | $2.25 |
A good cleaning includes more than scooping leaves. Every run is cleared, each downspout is flushed until water exits at the bottom, loose hangers are tightened, and the finished gutters are photographed so you can check the work without climbing. A cleaning that skips the downspouts is not finished; a clogged downspout overflows just like a clogged gutter.
How often gutters should be cleaned
- Few or no trees nearby: once a year, in late fall.
- Moderate tree cover: twice a year, spring and fall, which is the national norm.
- Heavy tree cover or pine needles: three to four times a year.
- After any major storm, roof work or nearby construction: an extra check, because shingle grit and debris arrive all at once.
Gutter guards cut the frequency to about once a year but do not eliminate cleaning; fine debris still builds on top of the screens and inside the downspouts.
What skipping gutter cleaning costs instead
Water that cannot travel goes exploring. Clogged gutters overflow at the back edge and rot the fascia and soffit; a fascia board repair runs $300 to $800 per section. Overflow stains siding, floods planting beds, and in cold climates freezes into ice dams that push water under shingles. Water pooling against the house is the most expensive outcome: foundation drainage repairs start around $1,500 and basement waterproofing runs into the thousands. Set against two cleanings a year at $160 to $250 each, the maintenance is the cheap option by a wide margin. If the fascia or soffit is already soft, a gutter and fascia repair in the same visit is the way to stop the damage from spreading.
What this means for you
Plan on $100 to $250 for a single story and $150 to $400 for two stories, twice a year, in 2026. Ask for downspout flushing and photos of the finished gutters to be included in the price, and add a third visit if you live under heavy trees. Compared with a rotted fascia or a wet foundation, it is the least expensive water problem you will ever solve.
Good questions, straight answers
$150 to $400 in 2026, with most homeowners paying around $250. Two-story homes cost 50 to 75 percent more than single-story homes because taller ladders, extra safety measures and slower repositioning add time to every run of gutter.
Yes in cash, no in risk. DIY costs are a $20 scoop and hose attachment, but ladder falls are among the most common home-maintenance injuries, and two-story work needs a proper extension ladder and a second person. Most homeowners hire out anything above one story.
Under heavy trees, usually yes. Guards cut cleanings to about once a year, and at $7 to $15 per linear foot installed they pay back in three to five seasons. In open yards with few trees they rarely earn their price, because two cleanings a year cost less than the guards.
About one to two hours for a typical single-story home and two to three hours for a two-story home, including flushing the downspouts. Heavy buildup, gutter guards and steep roofs push a visit toward half a day.
Rather have it handled? Call 855-695-1195 and we price the job over the phone. We answer in under three rings.