When working on your house and particularly your roof, there may be some projects that you can handle yourself. There are others that for safety or quality reasons are better left to the professionals. If you're in need of replacing your gutters, you have two options: DIY or hire professionals. Here are some things to consider when making this important decision.
Available Equipment
One reason why many people choose to do gutter installation themselves is because they have all the equipment and tools they need at home or readily available at a home improvement store. While this could potentially save money on parts, there's still an advantage to calling a roofer to do it. A roofer has all the tools and equipment on their truck to get the job done perfectly the first time.
Color Choices
Choosing to install gutters on your own might seem appealing because you may have a wider range of colors available to you. Working with a roofing company to install gutters may limit you just to the colors available with that roofer. If this is a concern for you, talk to a few different roofing companies in the course of getting quotes and ask to see a sample of colors they have in stock.
Safety Concerns
Safety is one of the best reasons to hire professionals for this work. You may be well experienced with ladders and working on the roof, but accidents can and do happen. Tens of thousands of people are injured from falling off roofs and ladders every year and it could happen to you too. Working with a licensed and insured roofing contractor for gutter installation can ensure the project is done safely and the company's insurance policy protects you from liability in the event someone is injured while working on your property.
Experience on Similar Projects
Working on your own roof doing a project like this that you've likely never done before may mean there's some trial and error in your future. You may not have the right tools, may not get the slope or pitch of the gutter just right. Little slip-ups like this may seem minor but if you get rainfall or heavy snow one day, being off by an inch can cost you.
Code Requirements
When you work with professionals to perform a gutter installation project at your house, you can rest easy knowing that the job will be up to code. When you're trying to sell your house, for instance, a home inspection is going to catch it if your gutter doesn't slough water off away from the house far enough, if the gutters are installed too close to the edge of the roof, and any other infraction, no matter the size.
Gutter installation can be a tricky job. There are a lot of things to remember to get them installed just right so everything is up to code. But whether you install your gutters yourself or hire licensed and insured professionals to do the work, it's important that you keep safety at the front of your mind. There are many reasons you might choose to go either route but it's key to stay safe while ensuring you do a thorough job.
