From first call to install day: how a seamless gutter job actually runs

The whole job at a glance

A seamless gutter installation runs in five steps: you get in touch, a Solutionist visits for a free estimate, you receive a written recommendation, you approve it and the install is scheduled, and the crew installs and walks the job with you. Most homeowners get the estimate visit within a few days of contacting us, and once the estimate is approved and a deposit is placed, most projects are completed within one to two weeks, depending on scope and material availability.

That is the short version. At The Brothers that just do Gutters, the company's whole mission is reinventing what service from a contractor feels like, and most of that comes down to the process being predictable. Below is what happens at each step, what you can do to help, and what to check before the crew leaves.

• Connect: call, text, email or message to start
• Consultation: a Solutionist visits and assesses the house
• Custom solution: a written recommendation and quote
• Scheduling: our office books the install date with you
• Install and review: the crew installs, cleans up and asks for your feedback

Step one: the first call or message

You can reach us by phone, text, email or message, or request a quote and book an estimate online. Our office then works with you to find a time for the visit that suits your schedule, and we run estimate visits across Dallas and the surrounding cities. The more you tell us up front, the more useful that first visit is.

A few photos of the trouble spots help, as does a short note on what you have seen in a storm. Let us know if a roof replacement, exterior painting or other exterior work is planned, because that affects when the gutters should go up.

• What the problem is: overflow, leaks, sagging, clogging, or a new system
• Where it happens on the house, and in what kind of rain
• The number of stories, and any steep or hard-to-reach sections
• Roof work, painting or fascia repair planned in the next few months
• Whether you are interested in guards or a maintenance plan

Step two: what the estimate visit covers

The Solutionist's job is to understand how water moves off your roof today and how it should. That means walking the whole house, not measuring from the driveway. On every visit we assess the roofline, the pitch, the overhang, the fascia and the valleys, because those decide how much water each run carries and where it concentrates.

We also look at the existing downspouts and where they discharge, check the fascia for soft spots, and talk with you about what you have seen. It is a good time to ask questions, and you do not need to be on the roof or a ladder for any of it. If you want to understand the sizing logic beforehand, read how to tell which gutter size your roof needs.

• Roof area, pitch and overhang on each side of the house
• Valleys and upper roofs that pour water onto lower runs
• Condition of the fascia where the gutter attaches
• Existing downspout count, placement and discharge
• Trees that will load the gutters with debris

Step three: reading the written recommendation

After the visit you receive a written recommendation and quote for the system that fits the house. It should tell you the gutter size on each run, the profile, the material and color, the number and placement of downspouts, any fascia work, and any guards. Ask about anything that is not clear before you approve it.

Color is where many homeowners spend the most time, and it is worth it. Our seamless aluminum comes in almost twenty colors, and you can split them: the gutter and elbows can match the trim while the downspouts match the brick or siding. If you want a different look altogether, copper, galvanized and Galvalume are available in k-style and half-round profiles. A deposit secures your place on the schedule once you approve.

Deposit, payment and financing

Once you approve the recommendation, a deposit secures your place on the install schedule and lets us order material, which matters most for specialty metals and less common colors. The estimate should state the deposit and how the balance is handled, so there are no surprises at the end. If anything about the payment terms is unclear, ask before you sign.

If you would rather spread the cost, we offer financing through Wisetack for projects up to $25,000, with terms from 3 to 120 months and APRs from 0 to 35.9 percent depending on credit. Checking whether you prequalify does not affect your credit score. Some homeowners use it to add guards or fascia work they would otherwise put off, and some simply prefer monthly payments. Either way, it is worth comparing the rate with any other option you have before deciding.

Getting the house ready before the crew arrives

A little preparation makes install day faster and safer for everyone. The crew needs room for ladders along every wall that gets a gutter, and a clear path for the truck and the coil of gutter material.

If the fascia or trim is due for paint, it is often easier to paint before the new gutters go on than to paint around them. Peeling paint can also be a sign that water has been getting into the wood; a painter's guide to when peeling exterior paint is cosmetic and when it is a warning is useful if you are deciding.

• Move cars out of the driveway and away from the eaves
• Clear patio furniture, grills and planters from under the gutters
• Keep pets inside and let us know about gate codes or locked side yards
• Point out sprinkler heads, landscape lighting and delicate beds near downspout spots
• Tell us if anyone in the house works nights or needs quiet at certain hours

What the crew does on install day

The field team arrives on the scheduled date. The first job is removing the old gutters and downspouts, which also exposes the fascia. Any rotted fascia is replaced at this stage, because a new gutter is only as strong as the board it hangs from.

Seamless gutters are formed on site from a continuous coil of material, so each run comes off the machine as one piece cut to the exact length of that wall. The crew hangs each run with the right slope toward its downspout, fits the corners and outlets, attaches the downspouts, and adds extensions so water discharges away from the foundation. Guards, if you chose them, go on once the gutters are up. Before leaving, the crew cleans up the old material and debris.

• Old gutters and downspouts removed
• Fascia checked and rotted sections replaced
• Seamless runs formed on site to each wall's length
• Runs hung and pitched toward the downspouts
• Corners, outlets, downspouts and extensions fitted
• Guards installed where planned, then cleanup

What can stretch the timeline

The one-to-two-week window after approval covers most jobs, but a few things can push it out. Specialty materials such as copper may take longer to source than standard aluminum. A job with a lot of fascia replacement takes longer than a straight swap. Rain and high wind are not conditions anyone should be working on ladders in, so a stormy week can shift dates.

Other trades matter too. If a roof replacement is underway, the gutters should go up after the roofers finish, so your install date follows theirs. We would rather tell you honestly that a date has moved than have a crew rush the work. If you are still choosing a company and want to know what to ask about scheduling, my guide to questions to ask a gutter company before hiring covers it.

The walkthrough before the crew leaves

When the work is done, walk the house with the crew lead. It takes a few minutes and it is the best moment to raise anything, while the ladders are still on the truck. Look at the lines, the color, the downspout positions and the cleanup.

Afterward we ask for a review, and we publish every review a homeowner leaves on our independent review services, good or bad. We would much rather hear about something on the day than read about it later, but either way it gets seen.

• Gutters run straight and tight to the fascia, with no gaps behind
• Each run has a gentle fall toward its downspout
• Downspouts are where you agreed and discharge away from the slab
• Colors match what you chose
• No debris, screws or scraps left in beds, lawn or driveway

The first big rain, and the years after

The first heavy storm is the real test. Watch the house during it if you can: water should drop into the gutters, run to the downspouts and leave through the extensions without spilling over the edges. If anything looks wrong, call us and we will come back and look at it.

After that, new gutters still need attention, especially under trees. Unprotected gutters should be cleaned two to four times a year, and our maintenance program can put that on a schedule with a reminder when it is due. I cover what to check each season, and after hail, in keeping gutters working through the seasons. We install across Dallas and the nearby cities, and the first step is the same for every job: get in touch and we will set up the visit.

Questions people ask me