Seamless Gutter Price per Foot in St. Louis: What $9–$16 Buys
Three companies measure the same 1980s two-story in Ballwin. One quotes $2,100, one $2,800, one $3,300. Same house, same footage. The difference is never the aluminum coil — it's everything else on the line, and most quotes don't itemize it. Here's what each dollar of the per-foot price is paying for in St. Louis, so you can ask.
The per-foot range
Seamless aluminum installed runs $9–$16 per linear foot across the metro in 2026. That range is the honest answer to the average price of seamless gutters here; where a given quote's cost per linear foot for gutters lands depends on the items below, and so does the rain gutter cost per foot you end up paying. A 5-inch system with 2x3 downspouts on a simple ranch sits at the bottom; 6-inch with 3x4 downspouts, hidden hangers on 18-inch centers and a dozen corners sits at the top. The cost page has whole-house totals. What follows is what's inside the number.
What's inside the number
Gauge: .027 versus .032
Aluminum gutter coil comes in two common thicknesses. Most crews run .027 because it's cheaper and forms easily. .032 is about 18% thicker, costs a dollar or so more per foot, and it's the difference between a gutter that dents when a ladder touches it and one that doesn't. In St. Louis the case for .032 is ice: a run holding a hundred pounds of frozen water in January bows in .027 and holds its shape in .032. Ask which gauge is being quoted. If the answer is "standard," it's .027.
Hangers: the part you can't see afterward
Spike and ferrule — a long nail through the gutter into the fascia — was standard on every West County subdivision built before 1995, and it's why those gutters sag. The spike backs out a little with every freeze-thaw cycle. Some crews still use them because they're fast.
Hidden hangers are a bracket that clips inside the gutter and screws into the fascia and rafter tail. They cost more per piece and take longer to set. Spacing matters as much as type: 24 inches is the standard, 18 inches on long runs, north-facing eaves that hold ice, and anything under a big roof. A crew quoting hangers "every three feet" is saving about $80 on the job and giving you a gutter that sags by year eight.
Downspouts: 2x3 versus 3x4
A 2x3 downspout is the builder default. A 3x4 carries roughly double the water and costs about $10–$15 more per downspout in material. On a two-story St. Louis home in a two-inch-an-hour storm, that's the difference between water reaching the ground and water going over the back corner. A quote that includes 3x4 downspouts and a second downspout on the long back run is quoting the house properly; one that matches the builder's layout is quoting the cheapest thing that fits.
Corners and miters
Every inside and outside corner is a miter — two runs cut at 45 degrees and sealed, or a pre-formed corner box. Corners are where gutters leak, and they're where the labor is. A gable ranch in Florissant has four corners; a hip-roofed two-story in Chesterfield can have twelve. Price per foot goes up with corners per foot, and a quote that doesn't ask how many corners there are wasn't done from a ladder. Ask what sealant is used, too: a polyurethane or tripolymer gutter sealant stays flexible through freeze-thaw; general-purpose silicone from the hardware store doesn't.
Fascia and tear-off
The old gutters have to come down and go somewhere. Haul-away should be in the price. And behind the old gutter there's fascia that may be soft under a corner or two. A good quote includes a screwdriver check of every foot and prices any replacement per foot, on the estimate, before the job. A bad quote finds the rot on install day and hands you a number then.
The house itself
Some of the price has nothing to do with the gutter. A second or third story means taller ladders, more setup and often a second person on the ground. Tight side yards, steep slopes, decks and big shrubs under the eaves all slow the work. A hip roof has more corners than a gable roof of the same size. Expect those to push a quote toward the top of the range, and expect a fair company to say which of them applies to your house.
When the cheaper option is fine
Not every house needs the top of the range. On a single-story ranch with a simple gable roof, few trees and short runs, a well-hung 5-inch gutter with 3x4 downspouts and hidden hangers is often all it needs. Six-inch gutters and tighter hanger spacing earn their cost on big roofs, steep pitches, long runs and north sides that hold ice. Paying for them on a small, simple house is fine but not required. What you shouldn't give up on any house is sound fascia, solid hangers and downspouts that carry water away from the basement.
Mistakes when comparing per-foot prices
- Comparing totals without footage. One company may have measured 160 feet and another 185. Ask each for the footage they used.
- Ignoring the downspouts. Downspouts are often priced on top of the gutter footage. Two extra downspouts can change the total more than the gutter price does.
- Assuming fascia is included. It rarely is, because nobody knows its condition until the old gutter is off. Get a per-foot fascia price in writing.
- Forgetting extras you asked for. Guards, color upgrades and buried lines should be separate lines so you can see them.
- Choosing by the lowest number alone. The cheapest quote often uses thinner metal and spike hangers.
Comparing the three quotes
| Line item | $2,100 quote | $2,800 quote | $3,300 quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge | .027 | .032 | .032 |
| Size | 5-inch throughout | 5-inch, 6-inch on back | 6-inch throughout |
| Downspouts | 2x3, four | 3x4, five | 3x4, six |
| Hangers | Spike, 36 in. | Hidden, 24 in. | Hidden, 18–24 in. |
| Fascia check | No | Yes, per foot | Yes, per foot |
| Extensions | No | Included | Included |
| Haul-away | Extra | Included | Included |
The middle one is usually the right buy. The first is the gutters you're replacing, hung again. The third is worth it on a big roof under trees, and overkill on a small ranch.
Questions that sort quotes in five minutes
- What gauge?
- What hanger, and how far apart?
- Downspout size, and how many?
- Corners: how many, and what sealant?
- Is fascia checked, and what's the per-foot price if it's soft?
- Where do the downspouts end?
- Is haul-away included?
Anyone who quotes seamless gutters for a living can answer those on the spot. The installation page covers what a full job should include, and what to expect on installation day walks through the day itself.
Common questions
Is the seamless gutter price per foot the same for 5-inch and 6-inch?
No. Six-inch uses wider coil and usually larger downspouts, so it costs more per foot. On the site's cost tables, 5-inch seamless aluminum runs about $9–$13 a foot and 6-inch about $12–$16. The gap is usually worth it on large or steep roofs.
Why do some companies quote by the job instead of by the foot?
A single job price is simpler to read, and it can fold in downspouts, corners and haul-away. That's fine, as long as the quote also lists the footage, gutter size, gauge, hanger type and downspout count. Without those, you can't compare it with a per-foot quote.
Does the price per foot include downspouts?
Sometimes, but often not. Many quotes price gutter footage and downspouts separately, and downspouts on a two-story house add up because each one is longer. Ask whether downspouts, elbows, extensions and corners are included in the per-foot number or listed on their own. Either way is fine, as long as you know which.
Should color cost extra?
Usually not for standard colors. Most aluminum coil comes in a long list of baked-on colors at the same price. Special-order colors, copper-look finishes or matching an unusual trim can add cost, so ask before you choose.
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