There are three types of corner seams commonly used. The corner with the least amount of seams has the least chance of a leak developing. Different corner styles have more seams than others.

Box Miter: A preformed corner that actually has 3-seams per corner. Mainly used because they are inexpensive and don’t require skilled labor to install.

Strip Miter: A seam formed in the corner and held together by a separate thinner strip of aluminum material. Also less expensive to produce, it actually creates 2-seams per corner with the “strip” requiring paint due to discoloration over time.

Custom Hand Mitered: Crafted by a skilled gutter installer, this seam has only one seam per corner. It fits tighter, stronger and longer.

Nails (or spikes): Generally an older style method, the nail goes through the outside of the gutter, and passes through the inside and attaches (hopefully) into the fascia board and rafter. Nails tend to pull out over time due to weight of water in the gutter causing sagging and detachment from the home.

Screws: A more reliable method because screws don’t pull out over time and don’t corrode. Installers use 2 ¾” screws to attach the gutter to the home through the fascia board and into the rafter. Be sure the screws are “long-form” screws, over 2 ½”, some companies will use a shorter screw (3/4” or 1”) which saves time on labor and cordless drill batteries, but doesn’t hold to anything other than the fascia, which wasn’t meant to fully support a gutter. Gutter Buddies only uses long-form screws during installation.

Galvanized: The standard until the 1980s, malleable and easy for a sheet metal worker to install, but prone to corrosion and decay.

Aluminum: The present industry standard. Strong, durable, doesn’t corrode and is easily formed (rolled) by a gutter machine on the job site.

Subs: 9 out of 10 gutter installation companies use subcontractors, which basically means they hire someone else to do the job they sold you. Using subcontractors on a job can cause problems for the homeowner because the homeowner is put in between the relationship of the gutter company and their Sub. If there is a problem or complication the homeowner has to work with two companies to hopefully have the job completed and to their satisfaction.

Fulltime Employees: It is best to have your job done by a company who uses their own fulltime employees, that way there is no confusion or complication as to who is ultimately responsible for your job. Fulltime gutter installers are committed to one line of work and considered more to be craftsmen than laborers. Gutter Buddies only uses their own fulltime employees on the jobs.

The jobsite is your property, your home. Always deal with the highest quality installers you can find. Drug testing helps eliminate undesirable workers from being near your property or family. Drug testing also increases safety on the job site by decreasing injuries. Gutter Buddies has a random drug testing policy.

Being assured that you are working with a company that has liability insurance and workmen’s compensation binders which covers your home AND their employees (or Subs, if they use them). The company should be able to provide you with specific documentation to show they bear responsibility. Gutter Buddies provides the highest level of insurance available in the industry.

Again, the jobsite is your property, your home. Make sure that you will always be able to identify the company’s workers by sight (so you don’t have to ask them who they are and should they be here). The various types of “Gutter Buddies” apparel can easily identify all Gutter Buddies employees.

An Expeditor works for the installation company. The Expeditor’s job is to evaluate the job before work begins. The Expeditor rechecks the Sales Estimators calculations and makes sure there were no unforeseen complications that could occur after the job begins. Having an Expeditor eliminates many problems that can crop up during installation. Gutter Buddies has an Expeditor that checks every job before it starts.

Barring weather or unforeseen complications, Gutter Buddies strives to complete jobs in one day. Gutter Buddies’s goal is to always have the job complete as soon as possible, so you the homeowner, can have your household back to normal.

After the work is complete, except for the appearance of the new gutters, the worksite should look the same as it did before the work began. Gutter Buddies is passionate about clean-up, you will notice that they keep their truck extremely clean, which is how your job site will look afterwards.

Checking for complaint with the Better Business Bureau is your job. It’s easy, just call 504-581-6222. All you will have to do is input the companies phone number that you are investigating. You will find that Gutter Buddies has NO complaints on file....they never have.

Sometimes after removal of existing gutters wood damage is found in areas that couldn’t be seen before. A reputable gutter company will have a carpenter on staff to repair the area. Fees for repairs are typically charged by the foot.

A satisfaction guarantee means exactly that; the job is not complete until the homeowner is satisfied with the work performed. Gutter Buddies does not expect full payment of a job until the customer is satisfied.