What's genuinely DIY
Cleaning, on a single story, with a good ladder and someone home. Downspout extensions. Resealing a corner, if you prep to bare metal. Reattaching a loose downspout strap.
Those are real jobs a homeowner can do well.
Where it goes wrong
Pitch. A quarter inch per ten feet doesn't sound hard until you're on a ladder holding a twelve-foot section with one hand. Level-looking gutter holds water.
Hanger spacing and depth. Hangers need to hit solid fascia every two feet. Missing the board and screwing into sheathing is a failure people don't discover for a year.
The joints. Sectional gutter's slip connectors are the leak points, and there's no home version of seamless.
The ladder. Most gutter injuries are ladder injuries, and gutter work means moving a ladder dozens of times on uneven ground.
The cost comparison, honestly
Sectional materials from a big-box store are genuinely cheap. If you value your weekend at zero and the install is perfect, DIY wins on cost.
What it doesn't account for: the joints will leak within a decade, the pitch is probably imperfect, and there's no warranty. Professional seamless installation costs more once.
Our position
Clean your own gutters if you're comfortable on a ladder. Extend your own downspouts — it's the highest-value thing a homeowner can do.
For a full install, the roll-forming machine is the whole argument. It isn't a skill gap, it's an equipment one.
Questions people ask
Can I install gutters myself?
Sectional, yes. Seamless, no — it requires a roll-forming machine on site.
How hard is it to get gutter pitch right?
Harder than it looks. A quarter inch per ten feet, held over a long run, from a ladder.
Is DIY gutter installation cheaper?
On materials, yes. Over ten years with leaking joints and no warranty, usually not.
What gutter work should I never DIY?
Anything on a second story or above, and anything requiring the gutter to come off the fascia.
Free estimate
We measure, we look at the fascia, and you get a number in writing.
Talk to a real St. Louis gutter company
Third generation, family-run since 1947. Somebody picks up, day or night.