Why Toowoomba gutters get replaced
Rain that arrives all at once
In the 36 hours to 10 January 2011, more than 160 mm fell on Toowoomba and ran off fast into gullies and streets, washing cars away. Gutters that can't shed water that quickly spill over the back edge, behind the fascia and into the eaves.
Victorian houses and Queenslanders
Toowoomba is known for its Victorian-era homes and traditional Queenslanders. Lysaght's OGEE gutter has the scalloped profile that suits heritage houses, with a high front that hides the sheet edge. QUAD and half round are the other common choices.
Galvanised gutters under a steel roof
BlueScope says zinc-coated (galvanised) gutters can corrode early under Colorbond or Zincalume roofs. If that's what you have, new gutters in Colorbond or Zincalume steel avoid the mismatch.
Heritage approvals
With over fifty Queensland Heritage Register places in the city, it's worth checking your home's status. Most changes to a state-listed place need approval before work starts, and that can include repairs.
What a proper replacement includes
The NCC sets the basics. Eaves gutters need a fall of at least 1:500, brackets no more than 1.2 m apart and a way to overflow away from the house, and each downpipe can serve no more than 12 m of gutter. On a long verandah, that rule alone can decide how many downpipes you need.
On older houses, the fascia boards behind the gutter should be checked too. Rotten timber needs replacing before new gutters go up, or the brackets have nothing solid to hold.
In Queensland, gutters fall under the QBCC's Metal fascias and gutters licence, and plumbing and drainage licences cover them as well. Over $3,300, the job needs a written contract and home warranty cover, which specifically includes gutter and downpipe repairs.
Old gutters can be asbestos cement
ASSEA lists asbestos cement gutters among old roofing products. If yours look like fibre cement rather than metal, don't cut, drill or snap them. Get a sample tested first. In Queensland, removing more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos needs a licensed removalist.
What to ask before you sign
- What's your QBCC licence number, and does the class cover gutters?
- Will the new gutters and downpipes cope with a summer downpour off this roof?
- How many downpipes will there be, and where will they drain?
- What overflow measure are you using, so water spills outside rather than into the eaves?
- Is the fascia sound, and is replacing it in the price?
- Could the old gutters be asbestos cement, and how will you handle them?
Where we'd start
If the gutters overflow in every summer storm, we'd ask about more or larger downpipes before blaming the gutter itself, then replace the lot in steel that suits the roof. On a Queenslander or Victorian house, we'd pay a little more for a profile that fits its age. The national gutter replacement page covers materials, and our Toowoomba page the wider weather.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.