New gutters — or eavestroughs, as most Ottawa contractors call them — cost roughly $8 to $18 per linear foot installed in 2026, which puts a typical two-storey Ottawa home with about 180–200 linear feet at $1,600 to $3,500 all in. Standard 5-inch seamless aluminum, the default choice locally, sits at the low end around $8–$12 per foot; upsizing to 6-inch commercial-profile aluminum runs about $11–$16, and copper is a premium product at $30–$60 per foot. Downspouts add roughly $8–$15 per foot of drop, removal and disposal of old eavestrough adds $1–$3 per foot, and gutter guards tack on another...
Seamless aluminum dominates the Ottawa market and for good reason: it is formed on-site to the exact length of your fascia, so there are no mid-run joints to leak, and it will not rust. Standard 5-inch seamless aluminum runs about $8–$12 per linear foot installed in 2026. Stepping up to a 6-inch profile with 3×4-inch downspouts costs roughly $11–$16 per foot and moves substantially more water — worth considering on homes with large roof areas or valleys that dump into a single run. Galvanized steel, at about $12–$20 per foot, is stronger and better at resisting damage from sliding ice sheets but can eventually rust at cut edges. Vinyl is the cheapest at $5–$9 per foot but becomes brittle in Ottawa's deep-cold snaps and is generally a false economy. Copper is the top of the market at $30–$60 per foot installed, chosen for heritage properties in areas like the Glebe and New Edinburgh where appearance is paramount. Colour matching, oversized hangers, and fascia repair all add to these baseline figures.
A typical 1,800–2,200 sq ft two-storey Ottawa home needs roughly 160–200 linear feet of eavestrough plus four to six downspouts. In 5-inch seamless aluminum, that lands around $1,600–$2,800 installed. A bungalow with a simple roofline can come in closer to $1,200–$1,800.
Linear footage is the starting point, but several factors move the number meaningfully. Home height is the biggest one — a three-storey or steeply pitched roof requires taller ladders or scaffolding and more crew time, often adding 20–35% over a bungalow of the same footage. Complex rooflines with multiple valleys, dormers, and corners require more end caps, mitres, and outlets, each of which is a labour item. Fascia condition matters too: rotted fascia board has to be replaced before hangers can be secured, typically $12–$25 per linear foot of affected board. Downspout routing adds cost when water must be carried a long distance away from the foundation or tied into an underground drain. Removal of old eavestrough runs $1–$3 per foot, and older homes with painted-on or nailed-through installations take longer to strip. Finally, seasonality plays a role — spring and fall are peak eavestrough season in Ottawa, and quotes in July or late winter are often more competitive.
Gutter guards cost roughly $6–$14 per linear foot installed in Ottawa in 2026, adding about $1,000–$2,500 to an average home. Cheap plastic mesh screens at the bottom of that range clog with the fine maple and ash seed debris common across Ottawa's mature-tree neighbourhoods, while micro-mesh stainless steel systems at the top of the range perform considerably better. The honest calculation is this: if your home is surrounded by mature trees and you would otherwise pay $150–$300 twice a year for gutter cleaning, quality guards pay for themselves in roughly six to eight years while eliminating ladder risk. On a newer suburban lot with small trees, cleaning once a year is cheaper. One important caveat for Ottawa: no guard prevents ice damming. Ice dams are caused by heat escaping through the attic and melting snow that refreezes at the cold eave — the fix is attic insulation and ventilation, not gutter hardware. Beware of any installer selling guards as an ice-dam solution.
Professional eavestrough cleaning in Ottawa runs about $150–$300 for a typical home, or $250–$450 for a three-storey. Most homeowners with mature trees need it twice a year: after spring seed drop and after fall leaf fall.
Eavestrough is not cosmetic here. Ottawa's freeze-thaw cycling and heavy spring melt push enormous volumes of water off the roof in short bursts, and undersized or poorly sloped gutters overflow directly against the foundation. That water finds its way into basements, saturates footings, and accelerates the frost-heave damage that already stresses Ottawa foundations. Correct slope — roughly a quarter inch of fall for every 10 feet of run — plus downspouts that discharge at least six feet from the wall are the two details that separate a functional system from an expensive gutter-shaped ornament. Winter brings a second problem: sheets of snow and ice sliding off a steep metal or shingle roof can tear aluminum eavestrough right off the fascia. On roofs prone to this, contractors use heavier gauge material, hidden hangers spaced 16 to 24 inches instead of the standard 32, and sometimes snow guards on the roof itself. Ask specifically about hanger spacing when you compare quotes — it is a small cost difference with a big durability payoff.
Because pricing is per linear foot, quotes are easy to compare once you standardize the scope. Ask each contractor to specify gutter size (5-inch vs 6-inch), material and gauge (0.027 aluminum is standard, 0.032 is heavier duty), hanger type and spacing, the number and size of downspouts, whether removal and disposal are included, and the workmanship warranty. Get three written quotes and be sceptical of any that come in dramatically below the others — the usual corners cut are thinner aluminum, wider hanger spacing, and fewer downspouts, all of which show up as sagging or overflow within a few winters. Confirm the contractor carries liability insurance and WSIB coverage, since this is ladder-and-height work. Most eavestrough replacements on an average Ottawa home are a one-day job, so scheduling is usually flexible. If your roof is also nearing end of life, coordinating both jobs with the same timeline avoids paying twice for the same setup and teardown.
In 2026, gutters in Ottawa cost roughly $8–$18 per linear foot installed. A typical two-storey home with 180–200 linear feet lands between $1,600 and $3,500, while a simple bungalow can come in around $1,200–$1,800.
Standard 5-inch seamless aluminum runs about $8–$12 per linear foot installed in Ottawa. A larger 6-inch profile with 3×4-inch downspouts costs roughly $11–$16 per foot.
Gutter guards typically cost $6–$14 per linear foot installed, adding about $1,000–$2,500 on an average Ottawa home. Micro-mesh stainless systems sit at the top of that range and perform far better than budget plastic screens.
Five-inch is adequate for most Ottawa homes. Choose 6-inch if you have a large roof area, steep pitch, or valleys that funnel a lot of water into one run — it moves noticeably more volume during heavy spring melt and summer downpours.
No. Ice dams are caused by heat escaping through the attic and melting roof snow that refreezes at the cold eave. The real fix is improved attic insulation and ventilation. Treat any installer who sells guards as an ice-dam cure with caution.
Professional eavestrough cleaning runs about $150–$300 for a typical Ottawa home and $250–$450 for a three-storey. Homes surrounded by mature trees usually need it twice a year.