Spring is the window where most GTA homeowners discover their eavestroughs did not survive winter. The staining on the fascia, the seam that started dripping in February, the corner joint that heaved and buckled from the ice - these get noticed when the snow is finally off and you are walking the perimeter.
We just updated our 2026 eavestrough and gutter guard cost guide on the LF Builders blog with current pricing and some cold-climate detail that does not always get covered, so I wanted to open a conversation about what we are actually seeing on jobs right now.
Full guide: https://blog.lfbuilders.ca/blog/eavestrough-gutter-guard-cost-guide-2026/
What we are seeing on 2026 quotes
Basic aluminum eavestrough replacement on a typical GTA two-storey is starting around $4,000 before any guard or soffit and fascia work. If you add a micro-mesh guard system and a soffit and fascia refresh, that full package on an average house tends to land near $12,000. Those numbers have crept up modestly from 2025, partly because aluminum is in the same tariff pressure zone as the broader material market right now.
The thing worth knowing before you call anyone: the quote should always come with a line-item breakdown showing linear feet, number of downspout outlets, 5-inch versus 6-inch sizing, hanger spacing, and guard brand if applicable. A quote that just says “$3,800 - replace gutters” does not tell you anything, and you cannot compare it to anything.
5-inch vs. 6-inch: the question most homeowners never ask
Five-inch K-style with a 2x3 downspout is fine for a modest bungalow. If your house has large or steep roof planes, complex valleys, or heavy tree cover, step up to 6-inch with 3x4-inch downspouts - it handles roughly 40 to 50 percent more water volume. The premium is small. The difference in performance during a July downpour is not.
Should you add guards at the same time?
If you have maples, conifers, or any kind of heavy leaf drop situation, micro-mesh stainless over aluminum framing pays for itself in reduced cleaning over five to seven years. Foam and screen guards are cheaper upfront but need replacement more often. If your immediate neighbours are not heavily treed and your cleanings are infrequent, guards are nice-to-have rather than essential.
What the spring booking window looks like
Eavestrough crews are calendaring May and early June already. If you need work done before the first real summer rain event, you want to be booking now. Lead times for seamless aluminum are shorter than for a framing or kitchen crew - but the better shops fill up fast once the ground is solid.
Worth checking: a few GTA eavestrough contractors are listed and reviewed in the home.renovation.reviews directory. Makes it easier to compare who is actually operating in your area.
Happy to answer questions about sizing, cold-climate detailing (ice dams are their own conversation), or what to look for in a quote. Drop them below.