The Second Story Changes Your Gutter Guard Price

A gutter guard quote that lists one price per foot can hide the factor that changes the price most in the field: how high the crew has to work. A gutter on a one-story ranch can be reached with a standard extension ladder set on level ground. The same gutter on the second floor of a brick house in Webster Groves or Florissant may need a longer ladder, a stabilizer, a second person on the ground, and more time at each joint. That time is fair to charge for, but it should show on the quote.

Why height changes the labor

Guard installation is slow work at the eave. The crew has to fasten the guard to the trough or hanger, work the edge under the shingle line or drip edge, and check each seam. On a low gutter a worker can stand on the ground or a short stepladder and reach across the run. On a second-story eave the worker is standing on a ladder with the guard in one hand and a drill or snips in the other, and every reach means stepping down and back up. The crew moves more slowly because safe work requires it, not because time is being padded.

St. Louis houses add a few specific complications. Many older homes in the county have brick veneer close to the eave, so the ladder has to be set away from the wall and secured at the top. Freeze and thaw cycles can loosen hanger screws over a winter, which means a crew that finds a sagging run on a second floor has to correct the run before any guard goes on. A guard placed over a sagging trough will not sit flat, and water will still find the low spot.

Pitch and the reach over the roof

Roof pitch matters at the same eave. A steep roof above a gutter pushes the crew farther from the trough and makes the ladder harder to keep square. On a moderate pitch the ladder can sit close to the wall. On a steep pitch the ladder has to be set farther out from the house, so the top of the ladder may rest against the gutter itself or the fascia, and the crew needs a way to keep the ladder from walking. Neither arrangement is a problem if it is planned, but both take time.

Ask whether the crew will work the guard from the ground with a long extension pole, or whether they will climb for each section. Pole work is common for guard panels that snap into a trough. It is less useful for guards that tuck under the shingle line, because the worker needs to see the edge.

Access from the yard

The ground under the gutter also counts. A narrow side yard with a fence, a gas meter, an air conditioner condenser and a row of shrubs means the ladder has to be carried in and out, and it cannot stand on soft mulch or a slope. A patio, a retaining wall or a deck below the gutter can limit how far out the base of the ladder can go. Each limit adds setup time. A quote that says nothing about access was probably written without a walk of the yard.

What the quote should show

A guard quote for a two-story run should break out at least three things. First, the linear feet of guard on each story, so you can see how much of the work sits above the first floor. Second, the number of downspouts, because each one is a separate join where the guard must be cut and fitted. Third, any setup charge for ladder placement, stabilizers or ground protection. Some contractors fold setup into the per-foot rate, which is fine as long as the rate is written down and you can see what it covers.

Ask also whether the price assumes the existing gutters stay in place. If the trough has to be removed or a section replaced before the guard goes on, that is a separate piece of work with its own time, and it should not be hidden inside the guard price.

Questions to ask before you compare

• Which stories does the quote cover, and is the price split by story?
• How will the crew reach the second-floor eave, with a ladder, a stabilizer or a lift?
• Does the price include setup, ground protection and any fence or gate work?
• Is the guard fastened to the trough, the hanger or the fascia, and does the quote name the fastener?
• Who checks the run for sag or loose hangers before the guard goes on?
• What happens if a section is too steep or too close to the wall to reach safely?

The last question matters. A crew that cannot reach a section safely should say so before the job starts, not halfway up the ladder. A written answer gives you something concrete to compare when the other quotes arrive.

Comparing two bids on the same house

Two bids for the same house can differ mainly on access. One contractor may have walked the back yard, measured the ladder base and priced a stabilizer. Another may have estimated from the street and assumed a flat lot with a clear side yard. The lower number is not automatically the better offer. Read down the line items and find where the crew expects to work from. If one bid shows a second-story ladder setup and the other does not, the gap is probably not a lower price for the same work.

When you call for a walk, ask the estimator to point at the spots where the ladder will sit. Ask where the downspouts exit and where the crew will need to step onto the roof edge, if at all. Ask what the crew will do if a section is not safe to guard from a ladder. The answers will tell you more than a rate per foot.

Keys Roofing can be reached at (314) 220-2333 to set up a walk of the property. Bring the gutter measurements you have, a note about how many stories the run covers, and a photo of the side yard that shows the fence and the meter.