Does this seem like an extortionate quote for gutter cleaning?

[scampadoodle]

£220 plus VAT, so £264.

2 storey, 5-bed house. London.

It seems bloody ridiculous to me but I've never had them done before.

I was quoted £130 for a three bed mid terrace house but yes that seems far too much - try using checkatrade to find other local companies. I managed to find someone who did mine for £70 in the end. I suspect that company is using the vacumm equipment so they charge more whereas the guy who did mine was just a man and a ladder

Yes I think they do use vacuums. And you're right - all I need is a man and a long ladder!

Yes expensive!
We used to live in a very large Victorian house split into 3 flats in London and we used to pay £50 between the 3 flats to have the gutters done !

I live in a big and high Victorian house, a bit high for ladders really ( unless you're very brave). Our window cleaner does it for £30.....he's the only brave enough to go that high!

i dont think its that bad, we were £400 for ours. big victorian house, roof is about 8.5m high - couldnt get anyone to clean them from a ladder, they all wanted to go onto roof and clean them from there which they then needed to use ropes etc.

Laws changed a few years ago, you are only allowed to use a ladder for access, not for working off, above a certain height (can't remember it, but windowcleaners can usually do a first floor but not a second)

So they would not get insurance above that, and would be in deep trouble if they had an employee who fell and was injured.

Pigletjon I have just had a look at the regulations and was surprised that you can work off a ladder as long as it is only light work and that the work only requires one hand. There are no height restrictions mentioned though, According to the rules any work off the ground is now classed as work at height. Our window cleaner wouldn't have a hope in hell when it comes to reaching our gutters.

Had this done in Dec 2013, for three bed detached house near Hampton Court. Was £85 including guters on big garage and very blocked gutters on long single storey side return - 10m long at side of house to util room. So more work than normal. Chap did a good good and talked us out of spending money on replacement gutters - said 'let me give them a good clean first then decide if you need to replace" so he was very ethical.

Previously paid £80 for 4-bed detached house gutter cleaning in Windsor and £60 for minor gutter cleaning in small 3-bed semi in Twickenham. Those Prices over a 5 yr period though so expect an uplift.