Worth flagging for anyone reading this thread in 2026 - we just put up a refreshed companion cost guide on the LF blog that goes deeper on ice-damming, K-style vs. half-round, and whether gutter guards actually pay back in southern Ontario winters: https://lfbuilders.ca/blog/eavestroughs-gutter-guards-2026-cost-guide/
Two things I’d add to this thread for anyone pricing work this spring:
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Fascia rot is usually the hidden cost. If the old trough has been overflowing for even one winter, the fascia board is often soft behind the staining. Budget $8-$15 per linear foot of fascia replacement on top of the gutter quote, and inspect before you sign.
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Downspout termination matters more than the trough itself. A perfectly-installed 5" seamless system dumping beside the foundation with no extension is a basement-water problem waiting to happen. Ask for 6-ft rigid extensions, or tie into a drywell on the sloped side of the house - that’s where the real cost of a bad install shows up.
Also worth cross-linking for anyone in full spring-prep mode: Spring 2026 backyard prep in the GTA: why drainage and grading come before the patio covers the ground-level side of the same water problem.