Gutter Replacement Process

A simple, step-by-step look at what happens before, during, and after installation.

What Happens During Gutter Replacement

When you know what to expect, the whole thing is less stressful. You're not wondering when the crew will show up, how long they'll be working, or whether your yard will be torn up when they leave. Everything follows a clear process.

We've been doing this across Ohio for **25 years**. Three years ago, we brought that same approach to Michigan. The process stays the same whether you're in Toledo, Canton, or Ann Arbor—measuring your home, fabricating **seamless gutters on-site**, installing them with the right pitch so water flows where it should, and cleaning up daily. You'll know what's happening at each stage, and we'll walk the property with you before calling it done.

Here's what a gutter replacement project includes:

Predictable timeline — Most homes finish in a day or two; we'll tell you upfront based on your roof size and complexity

On-site fabrication — Seamless gutters cut to your exact measurements right in your driveway, which means fewer seams and fewer leak points

Correct pitch — Gutters need to slope toward the downspouts so water doesn't pool; we check this as we go

Hidden hangers — Fasteners stay tucked inside the gutter for a cleaner look and stronger hold

Proper downspout placement — Water exits where it won't erode soil or push back toward your foundation

Final walkthrough — We review the system together, hand you warranty paperwork, and answer any questions before we leave

What should I do before gutter installation?

There are a few simple things that help installation day go smoother. Nothing complicated—just clearing space so the crew can work without tripping over stuff.

What helps on your end:

Clear the driveway and about 10-15 feet around the house — We'll have a truck with fabrication equipment and need room to move ladders and materials

Move patio furniture, grills, planters — Anything close to the house should go to the side or garage temporarily

Keep pets and kids inside — Ladders, tools, and activity around the perimeter can be distracting or unsafe

Point out outdoor outlets — If we need power for tools, knowing where to plug in saves time

What we handle:

We protect your landscaping with drop cloths and tarps. Siding, trim, and anything near the roofline gets covered or carefully worked around. If we spot soft or rotting fascia boards—that's the board running along your roofline where the gutters attach—those need fixing first. Damaged fascia won't hold new gutters securely.

What happens during gutter installation?

1. Assess & Measure

The crew starts by confirming measurements and double-checking downspout locations. Where does water need to go? Are there spots where the ground slopes back toward the foundation? We map drainage paths before cutting any material.

This is also when we look at valleys, dormers, and anything that affects how water moves across your roof. More complicated rooflines mean more planning.

2. Fabricate Seamless Runs

Once measurements are locked in, we fabricate the gutters on-site using a machine mounted in the truck. The material—aluminum, in most cases—gets fed through, shaped into a K-style profile (the decorative shape that looks like crown molding when you see it from the side), and cut to the exact length needed for each section.

Why seamless matters:

Traditional gutters come in sections—usually 10 or 20 feet long—that get pieced together with connectors. Each of those connections is a spot where leaks can start. Over time, sealant dries out, metal expands and contracts, and water finds its way through. Seamless gutters eliminate most of those seams. You'll still have corners and downspout outlets, but the long runs stay continuous.

>Seamless gutters handle freeze-thaw cycles better than sectional systems—something we see plenty of across Ohio and Michigan.

The machine shapes gutters up to about 50 or 60 feet without a break, depending on what the home needs.

3. Mount & Pitch

This is where experience shows. Gutters need to slope toward the downspouts—about half an inch for every 10 feet. Picture a slight tilt, nothing you'd really notice from the ground. Too flat, and water sits there and becomes a mosquito pool. Too steep, and water rushes past the downspout opening instead of dropping in.

We use hidden hangers that attach inside the gutter. You won't see brackets or spikes sticking out—just a clean gutter line. The hangers are stronger than the old spike-and-ferrule systems too, which is why gutters used to pull away from houses after a few years. These fasten directly to the fascia board and support the gutter from within. Spacing stays consistent—usually every two feet—for even weight distribution.

The highest point of the gutter sits at one end; the low point sits at the downspout. Water follows gravity and exits cleanly.

4. Seal & Connect

Corners, end caps, and downspout outlets get sealed with a high-quality sealant that stays flexible. Aluminum expands and contracts with temperature changes, so the sealant needs to move with it without cracking.

Downspout extensions get placed so water flows away from the foundation—at least four to six feet out, ideally. If your yard slopes in a tricky direction or you've had basement moisture issues—something we see often in Canton and Royal Oak—we'll talk through the best routing before locking anything in.

5. Water Test

Before we call it done, we run water through the gutters with a hose. This catches problems while we're still on-site with ladders up and tools out. Here's what we're checking:

Flow direction — Is water moving toward the downspouts smoothly, or pooling anywhere?

Leak check — Do corners, seams, or outlets show any drips or seepage?

Downspout function — Is water exiting cleanly at the bottom, or backing up somewhere in the system?

If something looks off, we fix it on the spot. Tighten a hanger, reseal a corner, tweak the pitch slightly. Small fixes now prevent callbacks later.

6. Cleanup

Debris goes into a trailer or dumpster as we work. At the end of the day, we do a full site cleanup: pick up cut material, old gutter pieces if it's a replacement, and any fasteners or brackets that came off.

If we used screws or rivets, we run a magnetic sweep across the driveway and yard to grab anything that might have dropped. Nobody wants a flat tire or a punctured lawnmower blade. Your property should look the way it did before we arrived—just with new gutters.

What happens after gutter installation?

Final walkthrough:

We walk the perimeter of your home together. You'll see how the gutters sit, where the downspouts exit, and how everything's fastened. If something doesn't look right to you, point it out. We'd rather handle it now than have you notice it later.

We also cover basic care:

Rinse the gutters once or twice a year with a hose to clear out dirt and small debris

Check downspouts in the fall after leaves drop to make sure nothing's blocking the flow

Look for standing water after a heavy rain—if you see pooling, give us a call and we'll adjust the pitch

Warranty paperwork:

You'll receive documentation for our **Lifetime Workmanship Warranty**. This covers installation-related issues for as long as you own the home. If a hanger pulls loose, a seam opens up, or the pitch shifts over time, we fix it at no cost.

The gutter material itself typically comes with a **manufacturer warranty—often 20 to 30 years** depending on the product. We'll walk through what's covered and how to reach us if you need service down the road.

How long does gutter replacement take?

Most gutter replacement projects finish in one day. Larger homes or more complex layouts might take two days, but that's the exception.

What affects the timeline:

Home size — a simple ranch may be done in a few hours; a bigger two‑story with dormers and valleys can take a full day or two.

Roof complexity — dormers, valleys, and steep pitches add time for precise cutting and fitting

Downspout count — each outlet, elbow, and run adds steps

Fascia repairs — add a few hours for minor repairs; up to a day for extensive damage

Add‑ons like gutter guards — extends install time slightly but reduces maintenance later

Ready to Schedule Your Gutter Replacement?

We've completed gutter projects for over 10,000 customers across Michigan and Ohio, and we've refined how we work: timelines you can count on, job sites we clean up daily, gutters that last. From the first measurement to the final walkthrough, you'll know what's happening and when.

Our gutter replacement process includes seamless fabrication, proper pitch for water flow, hidden hangers for a finished look, and a Lifetime Workmanship Warranty that protects your investment for as long as you own your home.

Get a Free Estimate See Financing Options

Building Better - Get A Free Estimate

Submitted Successfully!

Check your email for confirmation.

GET

STARTED

Customer Google Reviews