What is included in a standard gutter cleaning service?

A standard gutter cleaning service includes clearing all leaves, moss and debris from the gutter runs, flushing the downpipes to confirm they drain freely, and a visual check of the brackets, joints and outlets. We work by hand from ladders so we can see and remove everything that has built up, bag the waste, and tell you about anything that needs attention before we leave.

Do you clean the downpipes as well as the gutters?

Yes. Clearing the gutter run on its own is only half the job — debris washes down into the downpipes and underground outlets, where it causes the worst overflows. We flush each downpipe through and check the water is running away properly. If a downpipe is solidly blocked, that falls under our downpipe clearance work and we will explain the options before doing anything extra.

How is a commercial gutter clean different from a residential one?

The method is the same hand-clearing principle, but commercial buildings have far larger roof areas, longer box and valley gutters, and more demanding access, so the job takes longer and is planned around your opening hours. Commercial customers usually want a written report with before-and-after photographs and a scheduled visit once or twice a year, which we are happy to set up.

Why don't you use a gutter vacuum?

Gutter vacuums work from the ground but struggle with compacted moss, wet leaves and the sludge that sets in the bottom of a neglected gutter. By cleaning by hand from ladders we can see exactly what we are removing, clear stubborn blockages properly, and inspect the brackets, joints and downpipes at the same time. With over 10 years' experience we are health and safety trained and fully insured for working at height.

Will you tell me if something needs repairing?

Yes. Because we are right next to the gutter while we work, we spot loose brackets, split joints, sagging sections and cracked downpipes that you would never see from the ground. We will point them out, explain whether they need attention now or can wait, and give you a price — there is never any obligation.

What's Included in a Professional Gutter Clean?

"Gutter cleaning" sounds simple, but the gap between a proper job and a quick wave with a vacuum pole is enormous — and it is the difference between gutters that quietly do their job for another year and gutters that overflow in the next heavy downpour. A good gutter cleaning service does not just scoop out the visible leaves; it clears the full run, frees the downpipes, inspects the fixings and leaves you knowing the condition your rainwater system is in.

This guide walks through what is included in a professional clean from start to finish, then explains how a residential visit differs from a commercial contract. We are hand-cleaning specialists based in Ashford, Kent, with more than ten years of working at height across the county, so everything below reflects how the job is genuinely done — not a sales pitch.

For typical homes our prices start from around £60–£100 for a standard semi-detached property; commercial work is quoted per building. If you would rather just talk it through, get in touch via our quote form for a free, no-obligation quote.

What a professional gutter clean includes, step by step

A complete clean follows the same five stages whether we are at a two-bed terrace or a factory unit. The detail and the scale change, but the principle does not: clear it, prove it drains, check it, and report back.

Every clean follows the same five stages — the scale changes, the method does not.

1. Arrive and assess

We call the day before so you know exactly when to expect us. On the day, the first job is a quick walk around the property to check the layout, spot any awkward access — conservatories, extensions, sloping ground — and decide where the ladder can be footed safely. Working at height is the part of this job that goes wrong when it is rushed, so a couple of minutes of planning matters.

2. Clear the gutters by hand

This is the core of the clean. We work along every gutter run removing leaves, moss, silt and any nests or wind-blown rubbish by hand, placing the waste in a bag rather than flicking it down the wall or onto your borders. Hand-clearing matters because the worst blockages are not the loose leaves on top — they are the compacted, half-rotted sludge that sets in the base of a gutter that has been left too long. A ground-based vacuum often skims the top and leaves that behind; a hand clean takes it all out.

3. Flush the downpipes

A clear gutter that empties into a blocked downpipe will still overflow, so no clean is finished until the water has somewhere to go. We flush each downpipe and outlet through and watch that it drains away freely at the bottom. If a pipe is solidly choked or the blockage is below ground, that becomes a downpipe clearance job — we will tell you what we have found and what it involves before going any further.

4. Check the brackets, joints and fixings

Being right beside the gutter gives us a view you simply cannot get from the ground. While we are up there we check the brackets are holding, the joints and seals are not leaking, sections are not sagging, and the downpipe clips are sound. Most gutter failures start small — a slipped bracket or a tired seal — and catching them early is far cheaper than dealing with the damp patch they eventually cause inside.

5. Report back and tidy up

Before we leave we tell you plainly what we found: whether everything is sound, or whether a joint, bracket or downpipe needs attention. There is never any pressure — if a repair can safely wait, we will say so. We clear away the bagged debris and leave the site tidy, so the only sign we have been is gutters that flow the way they should.

Residential vs commercial: what changes

The five steps above are the backbone of both jobs. What changes between a home and a commercial building is the scale, the access, the safety planning and the paperwork. The table below sums up the main differences.

The job is the same at heart; commercial work adds scale, access planning and reporting.

Residential gutter cleaning

For a house, the visit is usually a one-off or a once-a-year appointment. Most homes are one or two storeys with standard fascia gutters, so ladders reach comfortably and the whole job typically takes 30 to 60 minutes for a semi-detached or terraced property. You get a clear verbal rundown of what we did and anything we noticed, and that is generally all a home needs. You can read the full detail on our residential gutter cleaning page.

Commercial gutter cleaning

Commercial buildings are a bigger undertaking. Larger roof areas collect far more water and debris, the gutters are often long box or valley runs, and access can call for elevated platforms rather than a single ladder — so the work is planned carefully and scheduled around your trading hours to avoid disruption. Facilities managers and landlords also need evidence the work was done, so a commercial clean normally comes with a written report and before-and-after photographs, plus a recurring maintenance schedule of once or twice a year. The full scope is on our commercial gutter cleaning page.

What a good gutter cleaning service should never skip

Whichever type of property you have, a clean is only worth paying for if it covers the essentials. Before you book anyone, it is worth checking the quote includes the following.

Clearing the full length of every gutter, not just the easy-to-reach front
Flushing and testing the downpipes, not only the gutter run
Bagging and removing debris rather than dropping it on the ground
A visual check of brackets, joints and fixings while at height
An honest report of anything that needs repair — with no obligation
Proof of public liability insurance and health & safety training

If a quote leaves any of those out, you are likely paying for a surface tidy rather than a clean that actually protects the building. Get them all and your gutters should see out another year without a second thought.

What Is Included in a Professional Gutter Clean?