After the thaw my vinyl gutters look absolutely great. My neighbor behind me who has all aluminum gutters had to replace his after one particularly icy winter. Here’s why:

Ice expands.

Vinyl will hold it’s shape after it’s been stretch by ice for a long period of time. Aluminum actually BENDS out shape and needs to be replaced.

Try this: Take a hammer and give a moderate hit to a vinyl gutter. Do the same with an aluminum gutter. I guarantee you’ll never get that aluminum gutter to look perfect again. Don’t want to use a hammer? Fine, use your hand and bend a vinyl gutter in and hold it there for 10 seconds. Let go and it will expand back out. Aluminum gutters will stay bent.

I have no idea why vinyl gutters would crack. My guess is that they were not true “vinyl” gutters at all, but cheap plastic.

Installing my own gutters was a long day but it wasn’t difficult. That was three years ago and my vinyl gutters are still just as white (no yellowing) and just as flexible (no cracks) as they were the day I put them up. I know this because I saved some left over pieces and stored them in my cool, dark basement. Every so often I take a little piece out and compare the whiteness and I have yet to see any sort of color or flexibility change.

If you’re going to install your own gutters, vinyl or aluminum, you are going to save money on the labor. I found that if you shop at the big box hardware stores for supplies then your costs between the two gutter types are minimal, depending on your gutter style and home’s design.

Good luck, let us know what you decide!

I was about to go with the vinyl but after hearing about the ice I’m a little worried. I’m a do-it-yourself type of person but may talk with a professional on this one.

Here’s why I included the “hire a pro” option… Most people, like yourself, make the assumption that a pro is going to be much, much more expensive than doing it yourself. Also, many “do-it-yourself” guys and gals (myself included) sometimes get so caught up in “doing it” themselves that they forget that a pro could actually be a much better, and ultimately cheaper option….

Take, for instance, gutters. I had four professionals give me quotes on seamless aluminum gutters for my house about a year ago. The estimates all ranged from $400 – $600 and the job would be completed in about 4 to 5 hours.

I haven’t written this up yet, but I actually chose to skip the aluminum gutters and I chose to install my own vinyl gutters. In the end I spent about $350 on materials (including a few pieces I broke or screwed up). That’s pretty good savings, but that doesn’t factor in the 12+ hours I spent doing it (made a few mistakes, had to figure out how to do a few things and I didn’t have any help). I didn’t need any specialized tools, but on many jobs and projects you often do need to buy new tools (that’s often part of the fun!)

Let’s say I have a job where I can work an extra day and make $20/hour. For those 12 hours I spent mucking around on a roof and ladder in the hot sun I could have worked my job and made about $240.

$240 + $350 = $590. Which is just about the same thing it would have cost me if I hired a pro in the first place :-)

I also have to remind myself that I’m not a pro at everything and sometimes it’s quicker, easier, and even cheaper to have someone else do it. I wanted to present all the options. Often, deciding to do home improvement project yourself is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the entire project.

I don’t like “one size fits all” solutions because in the real world there are no definite answers. Some people might find that doing their own gutters is a snap and totally worth the time spent. Some people might read this article and figure that it’s easier (and safer) to have someone else replace their gutters. Me? I just want to present the options…