You know that moment when you realize your gutters are just done? Maybe they’re sagging so bad they look like they’re about to fall off the house, or maybe you’re getting tired of patching the same spots over and over. We get it. Sometimes gutter repair just isn’t worth throwing more money at anymore.
As a roofing contractor in Katy, TX with over five years of dealing with whatever Mother Nature throws at us, we’ve had this conversation with a lot of homeowners. Finding the right gutter service in Katy, TX for replacement work isn’t just about getting new gutters, it’s about getting someone who understands how everything works together.
At Roofing Technologies Unlimited, we’ve torn off and replaced gutters on everything from those gorgeous old houses in Old Katy (some of them had gutters that were probably older than we are) to brand new builds in Cinco Ranch. Whether your gutters are falling apart or you just want to upgrade while you’re doing other work on the house, we’ll help you figure out what makes sense.
Why Roofers Replace Gutters
Do roofers replace gutters? Yeah, absolutely, and honestly we’re probably your best bet for replacement work. Here’s the deal, your gutters and roof aren’t separate things that just happen to be near each other. They work together as one big water management system.
We see tons of gutter problems that actually started up on the roof. Bad drip edges, fascia boards that are rotting out, roofs that don’t slope right, stuff like that. A guy who only does gutters might slap new gutters on there and call it good, but if there’s a roof problem causing the issue, you’re just going to have the same problems again.
Since Roofing Technologies Unlimited spends all day up on roofs anyway, we know what to look for. If you need downspout installation work that involves getting up there, that’s just another Tuesday for us. Plus, we know the local building codes and can handle permits if you need them.
Seamless vs Sectional Gutter Systems
Are seamless gutters worth it? For replacement jobs, we almost always go seamless. When you’re already spending the money on new gutters, the extra cost for seamless usually makes sense. Here’s why, seamless gutters get made right there on your property to fit your house exactly. Fewer joints means fewer places for leaks to start, and they look way cleaner than sectional gutters with all those visible connections.
The water flows better, you’ll have fewer problems down the road, and they just last longer. Since they’re custom-made for your specific house, they fit better and handle our crazy storms better too. The cost difference isn’t as bad as you might think, especially when you consider you probably won’t be dealing with as many gutter repair calls later.
Best Gutter Materials for Replacement
What type of gutters are best? Look, for most houses around Katy, aluminum’s going to be your best choice. It handles our crazy humid weather without turning into a rust bucket, it’s not heavy enough to stress out your fascia boards, and you can get it in pretty much any color to match your house.
Copper gutters are absolutely beautiful, especially on some of those older homes around here. They’ll outlast everything else by a mile, but you’re going to pay for that longevity. If you’ve got the budget and the house style for it, copper’s amazing. Steel gutters are tough as nails but can rust out over time in our climate. Vinyl gutters are cheap, which is nice, but they get brittle when it’s hot and cold cycles like we get here. They also look, well, cheap.
For replacement projects, we usually tell people to stick with aluminum unless there’s a specific reason to go fancier. The performance per dollar just makes sense, whether you’re doing complete replacement or partial gutter installation work.
When to Replace Your Gutters
How often should gutters be replaced? Most decent gutters should last 20-30 years if you take care of them with regular gutter maintenance, but that can vary quite a bit depending on what they’ve been through. Age isn’t everything though. We’ve seen 15-year-old gutters that were shot because they were installed wrong or beat up by storms, and we’ve seen 30-year-old gutters that just needed some minor work.
If you’re calling for repairs multiple times a year, or if you’ve got problems in several different spots, replacement usually makes more sense than keeping throwing money at Band-Aid fixes. Same thing if you’ve got significant sagging, rust damage, or if a big storm really hammered them. Sometimes recurring downspout repair issues are a sign that the whole system needs attention, not just the gutters themselves.
Gutter Replacement Installation Timeline
How long does it take for gutters to be installed? For most houses around here, we can knock out a complete replacement in 1-2 days. Smaller houses or simple rooflines might get done in one day, bigger houses or really complex rooflines might take two.
We start by carefully getting the old gutters off and hauling them away. Then we check all your fascia boards and fix anything that needs attention before we start on the new stuff. We measure everything super carefully and form the seamless gutters right there on-site.
The actual installation includes getting the slope right for proper drainage, mounting everything securely, and doing all the downspout installation work. We test everything before we pack up to make sure water flows like it should. Weather can mess with the schedule, we’re not installing gutters when it’s pouring rain or blowing 40 mph. But under normal conditions, you’ll have brand new gutters protecting your house pretty quickly.
Katy Area Replacement Considerations
Every area’s got its quirks, and Katy’s definitely got some. Our clay soil shifts around a lot with wet and dry cycles, which can affect how foundations settle and how gutters need to be positioned.
Tree coverage is all over the map around here. Some neighborhoods like Kelliwood have these massive old trees that dump tons of debris, while newer developments have tiny trees that aren’t really an issue yet. This affects what size gutters you need, where downspout installation makes sense, and whether gutter guards are worth it. Different neighborhoods also have different rules about what you can do. Some HOAs are picky about gutter colors or styles, and we know what flies where.
Look, at Roofing Technologies Unlimited, we’ve been replacing gutters around Katy for years, and we know all the little things that can trip you up. When you’re ready for gutters that’ll actually protect your house for the long haul, don’t mess around with contractors who don’t know the area. Give us a call at (832) 479-1211 and let’s talk about your replacement project. We’ll shoot straight with you about what you need and get it done right.