When you want your home to stay in great condition for years to come, outfitting your home with rain gutters is crucial for protection against water damage.When choosing a new gutter and drainage system for your home, there is always one big decision to make: seamless gutters or sectional gutters. 

Sectional gutters are formed using smaller sections of gutter joined and fastened together at the seams. Seamless gutters are constructed using a specialized gutter machine, often formed right on site. When attached, seamless gutters only have seams at jointed points, usually at the corners of the house.  Sectional gutters are typically purchased at the big box stores and are available in 10 ft. sections

Sectional gutters are appealing because they are a tiny bit less expensive and easier to install. They make for a quick DIY project even for the novice homeowner. Seamless gutters, on the other hand, require the use of a specialized machine and often require more than one person as the sections can be too long to handle for just one person.  

While seamless gutters cost a little bit more upfront and can require additional manpower , they also offer many benefits over regular gutters. 

Benefits Of Seamless Gutters 

While seamless gutters still have joints around mitered corners and downspouts, they have far fewer joints than traditional sectional gutters. This leads to a host of advantages for the homeowner.

1. Seamless gutters experience fewer clogs, backups, & leaks

The joints and seams of sectional gutters lead to clogs and leaks. Every joint will require the use of fasteners and caulking.  The fasteners can protrude through the gutter and the edges of the fasteners can grab onto leaves and other debris causing blockages.  Large blockages can result in water overflow and uncontrolled runoff that damages the roof, foundation, and landscaping of your home. And the sealant, while necessary, will be a spot that impedes the water flow as the water will be forced to run over the top of the sealant. Along with choosing seamless gutters for your home, you can also consider installing leaf guards to prevent leaves and twigs from clogging your gutters or downspouts.

Moreover, anytime a gutter has a joint where two sections meet, there is the possibility of a future leakage problem. With fewer joints, seamless gutters have a lot less chance of leaking down the road.

Seamless gutters are also typically much stronger than sectional gutters.  Seamless gutters that come from a gutter machine are usually contractor grade and available in .027” and .032” thicknesses.  The sectional gutters that are purchased from the large box stores are typically made from thinner material with a thickness of .024”.  The gutters from the box stores can be more than 20% thinner than the contractor grade gutters and thus will not hold up to the elements over time nearly as well. 

2. Seamless gutters require less maintenance than sectional gutters. 

Because seamless gutters have less joints, they don’t accumulate as much debris as sectional gutters do. This all leads to less time spent on gutter cleaning. All of the seams in the gutters require caulk.  Even the best of sealants will not last forever and will need to be resealed over time.  Sectional gutters, with the seams every 10 ft., will have a lot more seams that need to be sealed which require a lot more maintenance over the life span of the installation.

3. Seamless gutters offer lasting curb appeal & enhance a home’s overall appearance. 

One big benefit of seamless gutters is the lasting beauty and appeal they provide to the home. Many find them more aesthetically appealing than sectional gutters. They are often constructed from aluminum but can also be made from copper and steel as well. Most can be painted to match the home’s exterior. Many also offer a baked-on enamel finish that lasts for years and never requires painting.

4. Seamless gutters offer a perfect fit every time. 

Seamless gutters are shaped from a coil by a seamless gutter machine, usually on site, to match the exact lengths and specifications of the house. Because each seamless gutter system is custom-fashioned for each unique property, homeowners are guaranteed a perfect fit. When gutters fit well, they function well. An expertly-crafted system will offer the performance you need.

How Much Do Seamless Gutters Cost In 2021?

Overall project costs of seamless gutters depend on the type of gutter system you choose, the gutter materials you choose, and the price of installation. 

Some homeowners opt for simple seamless rain gutters, while some prefer to add gutter guards. If your area experiences heavy rains, winds, and snowfall, or if your home is situated around trees, you are more likely to need gutter guards to prevent the water damage that comes with gutter clogging from snow and leaf buildup. Even if your climate is relatively temperate, guards make gutter cleaning a lot easier for homeowners in general. 

Moreover, gutter prices vary greatly depending on the material you choose. Typically, homeowners choose between steel, aluminum, vinyl, and copper. On average, a seamless gutter system will cost anywhere from $3 to $25 per linear foot with the choice of metal being the biggest determining factor. 

Steel Seamless Gutter Prices

Homeowners who are looking for an extremely durable seamless gutter system will often turn to steel. However, this usually requires a larger budget to work with. 

Typically, customers will find the average cost of 200-feet of new steel gutters to be around $1,490. Broken down further, galvanized steel gutters price out anywhere from $8 to $10 per foot.

Steel gutters have a much higher tensile strength than aluminum gutters.  They will hold up much better in extreme weather conditions that are prone to heavy snow loads and ice dams.  The only probable with this is that these climates are also the same climates that will allow standing water in the system which will cause the steel to rust out faster.  Steel gutters are a  bit more difficult to install because of their higher tensile strength.  24 gauge steel gutters, which is one of the standard thicknesses, requires the installer to have contractor grade tools to be able to cut the pieces to size.  The gutters also weigh substantially more than aluminum gutters and will often require additional man power which will drive the costs up.  This can often be a bit too cumbersome for DIY projects and best to be left for the professionals.  

Aluminum Seamless Gutter Prices

Aluminum gutter options were first introduced to the market in the 1960s. Aluminum gutters remain a popular choice for homeowners today, and seamless aluminum gutter systems are especially popular because of their combined flexibility and durability. Aluminum gutters also come in a variety of colors, making them an attractive choice for homeowners concerned about preserving curb appeal. 

Seamless aluminum gutters hold up well in harsh weather.  They expand and contract a little more than steel gutters and are a little less durable than steel gutters.   The maintenance for aluminum gutters could potentially be a little more than steel gutters because of the expansion and contraction and because of the weaker tensile strength.  But for the most part aluminum gutters rarely have issues with the expansion and contraction and the lower tensile strength really only comes into play with severe snow and ice build up and protection from tree damage.  Added costs may come into play if your property has algae-resistant shingles. The copper used in these shingles can cause electrolytic corrosion between the copper shingle and the aluminum gutter hanger, causing the aluminum to break down over time.  With copper and aluminum being relatively close on the nobility chart the electrolysis will take many many years to have a noticeable effect.

In general, aluminum seamless gutters will average anywhere from $4 to $9 per foot. The national average for 200 feet of gutter is around $1,340.

While the total cost of aluminum gutters isn’t significantly different from their steel counterparts, it’s important to remember that aluminum gutters take less time to install and many property owners can even take on the job by themselves.  Materials are readily available and in many areas you can get them delivered direct to your home with the gutters run out to your specified length.   Moreover, aluminum is a rust-proof metal, giving homeowners one less thing to add to their home improvement to-do list. 

Vinyl Seamless Gutter Prices

Vinyl gutter systems are the cheapest types of gutters to install, and they’re popular amongst consumers who want quick installations and minimal maintenance in regards to painting. Vinyl is a material that holds up well against scratches and dents, and it’s ultra-lightweight too.

The average cost per foot for vinyl gutters falls between $3 and $5, bringing the total for a 200-foot project out to around $1,140.

The price of vinyl gutters is definitely appealing, but a few installation tasks may ultimately increase the cost. Vinyl gutters frequently come prefabricated with a lot of components and many more than with aluminum and steel gutters.  This will require a lot of time putting all of the pieces together.  And when there are a lot of pieces there are also a lot of seams.  These seams tend to leak and will require much more maintenance over the long haul.  Additionally, vinyl does not hold up well with extreme temperature changes as it will expand and contract more than gutters made of metal.  And when vinyl expands and contracts too much it can crack and also lose its shape.  Copper Seamless Gutter Prices

Copper sits at the top of the price point list. At $15 to $25 per foot, seamless copper gutter systems average $2,970 for a 200-foot project.

While the cost of copper may keep some homeowners from pursuing this material, those that do will find that the look of the material is wonderfully appealing. Not only are copper systems extremely durable in harsh weather, but over time, the copper develops a blue-green hue, giving homes a unique and eye-catching appearance, too.  Copper gutter systems typically have soldered joints and all of the hardware is recommended to be of nonferrous metals.  The result is a system that won’t rust and the soldered seams shouldn’t require any maintenance for decades.  With life spans reaching a century, copper gutters are far by the most expensive but considered the best value over the lifetime of the installation.  

Seamless Gutter Installation

Seamless gutter installation requires professional gutter installers. Professional installation prices vary depending on the gutter company, as well as whether or not you are replacing gutters or installing entirely new gutters. Pricing also depends on your house size and its number of stories. Moreover, if you have a steep roof or a tall home, that can make labor more intensive and add to installation costs. 

On average, replacing old gutters will cost you about $1180 to install, while installing entirely new seamless gutters will cost you $970.

Choose the Best Seamless Gutters 

Gutter Supply is the industry’s leader, providing gutter contractors, professionals, and homeowners with the best selection of gutters by material, a wide range of gutter types, gutter machines, and accessories. We offer aluminum gutters, vinyl gutters, copper gutters, gutter guards, and many more types of gutters and accessories to get you and your contractor to get started. Beyond our extensive catalog, our website also offers all the resources and information necessary to learn more about the importance of finding the right gutters for your home.

Any questions about seamless gutter installation, costs, or gutter protection and repair? Whether you’re interested in seamless gutters or any type of gutter we carry, call 1-888-909-RAIN (7246) today.

Author: Mike Milliman

Mike is managing partner at Gutter Supply Inc. and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. His expertise and vast knowledge of the industry, along with his priority on customer service, has contributed to the continued success of Gutter Supply, it’s contractor customers and homeowner DIY’s. View all posts by Mike Milliman