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Finding A Gutter Contractor
You may choose to hire a gutter contractor once you have determined that your gutters are in need of replacement or repair. As in the case of choosing any service professional, there are a number of things a homeowner can do to narrow down the search.
Check Out The Company
Before making calls to companies, talk to friends and family for possible recommendations. They may have personal experience with a contractor or company that installs rain gutters.
If you don't have a personal reference and you are calling guttering contractors on your own, find out the answers to things such as:
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What is their standing with the Better Business Bureau?
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Are they a member of any professional organizations?
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Is the contractor licensed and insured in case something goes wrong?
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Is the company stable and committed to providing excellent customer service?
Will the contractor set up a time to come to your home to check your old
gutters, measure for new ones and go over your options with you?
Some contractors will not offer this important service and will simply do a
drive by inspection and leave you a handwritten estimate in your mailbox.
Will the contractor provide you with samples of the proposed gutter so you can see the exact quality of the material you are getting?
Will the contractor provide you with a list of jobs in your area so you can see
what the finished product looks like installed?
Will the contractor provide you with a detailed estimate in writing, not only
for parts and labor for gutter and accessories but additional charges for replacing
rotten fascia boards, building-out fascia, or other extras like drip-edge extensions
or custom color choices?
A knowledgeable and forthright gutter installer will assess your current gutter configuration and make suggestions for improvements either involving a total replacement of an existing system or repairs.
If you are considering a new system, then a contractor should ask what type of rain gutters you want to have installed, whether you are thinking of a seamless gutter and whether you want a leaf protection system installed at the same time.
Each gutter job consists of a series of "runs" and
downspouts. The contractor will estimate the job after determining the run length
and run height of the system. Run Length is a straight section of gutter mounted
against the fascia board. It is measured in linear feet. A gabled roof has 2
runs, front and rear. A Hip Roof has 4 runs.
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