When homeowners want a timeless classic look and curb appeal, especially for a historic home, there’s nothing quite like copper gutters to satisfy that desire. Not only are copper gutters incredibly elegant, but they also have incredible durability against corrosion, and their lifespans often last a century or more. Within a few years of installation, oxidation also gives old gutter systems a timeless, stately-looking green patina. Below, you can learn more about the installation costs associated with copper gutter systems as well as a few tips to save some money.

How Much Gutter Does a Standard Home Need?

Though individual homes will vary a great deal, the average amount of gutter required for an American home is anywhere from 125 to 200 feet, and this will ultimately determine the price for the materials needed to complete the job. However, it should be noted that copper gutters are typically installed on much larger homes that have more than one story. You could need as much as 350 feet of gutter along with the various accessories, including things like elbows and downspouts.

How Much Do Copper Gutters Cost? 

Copper gutters are one of the most expensive of the standard gutter materials. Copper gutter pricing depends on a number of factors like their weight, quality, and style.  Copper is sold by the pound and the thicker the copper the more pounds that will be needed which will drive up costs.  Typically, copper gutters are 16 oz, which means that one square foot of material will weigh 16 ounces.  Most copper gutter profiles are also available in 20 oz. copper which means that you’ll need 25% more in lbs. of material for every ft. of gutter.

 On average, homeowners can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $15 more per linear foot for their copper gutters – and that’s just for the materials. At the time of writing, scrap copper was selling for about $2 to $2.50 a pound, which goes to show just how high the demand for copper has become. Copper gutters, of course, cost much more than $2 a pound as they are made with higher quality copper that has been molded and shaped for its intended purpose. As such, a homeowner who requires 200 feet of copper gutter at $12 per linear foot will pay a total of $2,400 just for the gutters.

K-style copper gutters are generally the least expensive for materials, and half round gutters typically cost a few dollars more per foot.  This is because the k style gutters are more mass produced where the half round gutters are less common.  

Accessories will also add to the cost. The same accessories are used in copper gutter systems that are used with the other metals.  But the accessories for the copper gutters will typically be copper, brass, bronze, and stainless steel to avoid electrolysis.  This will drive up material costs over the aluminum and steel systems as these accessories will cost considerably more money. For instance, the gutter hangers, which typically get installed every 24” in the gutter, can cost anywhere between $1.50 – $10.00 or more for a single gutter hanger.  In comparison, aluminum gutter hangers cost between .30 cents to $5.00 per hanger.  On a job with a couple hundred feet of gutter tis could add up to hundreds and hundreds of dollars. What about Labor and Copper Gutter Installation?

Next, homeowners will also need to think about the costs associated with installing their copper gutter systems. There are numerous factors that go into installation costs, including the number of stories, size of the house, and processes used which will ultimately determine how long it takes to get the installation done. Ideally, a good copper gutter system will have all of the seams and joints soldered as opposed to sealing them with caulk.  Soldering not only takes a lot of skill and specialty tools and equipment but it also takes substantially more time.  Soldering a gutter miter vs sealing it with caulk can take an additional 15-30 minutes.  When you add up all of the end caps, miters, outlet tubes that will get soldered you can hours and hours of additional labor costs over another system.  There’s also the fact that copper gutters are much heavier than their aluminum or vinyl counterparts, making them far more difficult to lug up ladders and hold into place during installation, and this can add to homeowners’ costs, as well.

Most copper gutter installers will charge roughly $5-10 per foot to install copper gutters, so for a house that requires 200 feet of gutter, this means the installation will cost $1000 – $2000. Of course, that price can and does fluctuate from one company to the next depending on special offers, and it could be different from one house to the next as well.  Prices also vary depending on the height of your house, as well as the design of your roof.  If your home is cut up with lots of valleys, hips and dormers there will be more pieces to put together and to solder which will require more time. 

To put this into perspective using national averages, a homeowner requiring 200 feet of copper gutter would pay roughly $2,400 for the gutter, $650 for the accessories used to hang the gutter and complete the system, and another $1000 for the installation. The total cost for installing copper gutters, then, would be just over $4,000. Keep in mind this is only an average and your costs may be higher or lower depending on where you live and the size of your home.

Your One-Stop Shop for Gutter Systems, Gutter Machines, and Accessories 

Gutter Supply is the leader in gutter systems, machines, and gutter accessories. We have a wide range of gutter styles from k-style and seamless gutters to half-round rain gutters, all available in the best selection of materials. Explore our copper gutters, aluminum gutters, galvanized gutters, galvalume, and more. If you’re considering installing a copper gutter system, we also feature matching copper downspouts. Any questions about our selection? Call (888) 909-RAIN to talk to our experts.