Portland gutter companies: how to choose one

What this site is

This is a free local guide to gutters for Portland-area homeowners, not a gutter company. The guides on this site explain what usually goes wrong with gutters here, what the fixes typically cost, and what to ask before you hire. When you call or request an estimate, your request goes to an independent local contractor partner who looks at the gutters, writes the quote and performs the work. You're never obligated to hire, and the prices on this site are typical market ranges, not quotes.

Three things that separate good gutter work in Portland

They look before they quote. A sound estimate comes from a ladder, with a screwdriver in the fascia and a look down each downspout, not from a tape measure in the driveway. Ask what happens to the price if hidden rot turns up once the old gutter comes off, and expect to be shown before anything changes.

They build for a wet climate. That means .032 aluminum, screw hangers into the rafter tails, outlets cut to fit 3x4 downspouts, a drip edge where the roof has none, and a gutter that is pitched to drain rather than to hold a moss garden. A gutter in Portland is wet for eight months; it has to be built to be wet.

They tell you when you don't need much. If a $200 re-pitch fixes it, that's what a good gutter company in Portland will sell you. If your gutters have five good years left, they'll say so, and they'll put repair on the estimate next to replacement so you can compare.

Check the CCB license first

Oregon generally requires contractors to be licensed with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board, and gutter work on a home is usually included. Before you hire anyone, ask for their CCB number and look up the license on the CCB website. The lookup shows the license status and other details on file, and the CCB site explains what a license involves and how its complaint process works. If a company will not give you a number, that is your answer. This applies to whoever comes out from a request placed through this site, too.

What to expect from any gutter contractor in Portland

There are plenty of gutter contractors Portland homeowners can call, and whether you are after the best gutter company Portland has or just one that answers the phone, the checklist is short:

1. Ask for the CCB number and look it up on the CCB website before you sign.
2. Get the price in writing with the gauge, hanger type, downspout size and what is included. Oregon has rules on written contracts for residential work; check the CCB website for what applies, and get one either way.
3. Ask what happens to the water at the bottom of each downspout. A company that has no answer has not thought about your basement.
4. Ask how they handle fascia. If the answer is "we just hang over it," the rot stays.
5. Ask for proof of insurance and any warranty terms in writing before work starts.
6. Be wary of today-only pricing. The coil costs the same next week.

No single gutter company in Portland is right for every house, so use that list as the test for each one you call.

Deposits, scope and red flags

Ask before you sign whether a deposit is required and how much. Gutters touch the roof edge, the fascia and the drainage, so make sure the estimate says which of those are in scope. A gutter contractor isn't a roofer or a foundation company, and a good one will tell you when a problem belongs to someone else. Be wary of door-knockers after a windstorm and guard sales pitches for yards whose trees don't justify them.

Questions to ask on the first call

A short phone call can rule a company in or out before anyone visits. Ask:

• Do you do repairs, or only full replacements?
• Will someone get on a ladder before giving a price?
• Do you work on my kind of gutter: half-round, copper, or a shake roof?
• How soon could you come out to look, and how soon could the work be done?
• Is there a charge for the estimate or a trip charge?
• What is your CCB number?

Write down the answers. When three calls are done, the differences are usually plain.

How to compare estimates side by side

Two bids for the same house can look miles apart and cover very different work. Before you compare totals, make sure both list the same things:

1. Feet of gutter and number of downspouts
2. Metal gauge and gutter size
3. Hanger type and spacing
4. Outlet size and downspout size
5. Fascia repair, priced per foot
6. Where each downspout will drain
7. Haul-away and clean-up
8. A hose test at the end

Once the scope matches, divide by the footage and check the result against the typical price ranges. A number far below the rest usually means a missing line, not a better deal.

Common hiring mistakes

Taking the first price. Two or three written estimates are normal for a job of this size.

Skipping the license lookup. It takes a minute and it is the one check Oregon makes easy.

Paying most of the cost up front. Ask about the deposit before you sign, and be careful with any request for most of the money before work starts.

Agreeing to work by phone or text alone. Get the scope and price on paper.

Letting a cleaning turn into a big job on the spot. If a cleaner finds a problem, ask for a photo and a written number, then take your time.

When to schedule

Late summer and early fall are the easy months for repairs, because sealant cures best in dry weather and the work is done before the storms. Cleanings belong after the heaviest leaf drop over your roof. Replacement can happen most of the year, but booking ahead of the wet season gives you more choice of dates. If a windstorm has pulled a run off the house, make the call right away and photograph the damage first.

What this guide will not do

It will not tell you that one gutter company is right for every home, and it does not rank or review local businesses. It will not promise a price; the figures here are typical ranges. And it is not a substitute for checking a license, reading a contract, or asking your own questions. What it can do is help you ask better ones.

Areas this guide covers

Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties — St. Johns to Sellwood, the West Hills to Gresham, Beaverton and Hillsboro to the west, Tigard, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, West Linn and Oregon City to the south, Milwaukie in between. This guide covers the Oregon side only. If you are looking for gutter repair Vancouver WA homeowners can hire, note that Washington contractors register with the state Department of Labor & Industries rather than the Oregon CCB, so check registration there.

Call, text or send the details to request a free estimate from a local contractor partner. If you want to read first, the Advice section covers the common questions, from why gutters overflow in Portland rain to what a seamless quote should include.

How estimate requests are handled

Calls and requests through this site are handled by an independent local gutter contractor we work with in Portland, who provides the written quote and performs the work. We only work with gutter contractors licensed by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board — ask for their CCB number. Prices on the site are typical Portland ranges, not a quote.