Gutter Repairs & Replacement in Brighton & Hove

Gutters are the most overlooked component on most residential roofs — until they overflow. A gutter system that is blocked, leaking, or pulling away from the fascia will channel water down the external wall, saturate the masonry, and eventually track damp into the property. On Brighton and Hove’s Victorian and Edwardian terraces, where solid-wall construction is common, this happens faster than on modern cavity-walled properties. At Kirby’s Building & Property Maintenance Ltd, we carry out all types of gutter repairs and replacement work across the city and wider Sussex — from a simple clearance to a full cast iron replacement on a period property.

Why Gutters Fail

Debris accumulation is the most common cause of gutter failure. Leaves, moss washed down from the roof tiles, and general silt build up over time and create a blockage that prevents water from reaching the downpipe. The water then overflows the gutter edge and runs down the wall. On properties with overhanging trees — common in areas like Preston Park, Fiveways, and the Avenues in Hove — this can happen within a single autumn season.

Joint and bracket failure is the second most common issue. uPVC gutters rely on rubber seals at each joint, which perish and harden over time. Once the seal fails, water leaks through the joint and down the fascia board behind the gutter. Cast iron gutters corrode at the joints and along the back edge where water sits. Brackets that have rusted, snapped, or pulled out of the fascia leave the gutter sagging, which creates a low point where water pools rather than flowing towards the downpipe.

Fascia and soffit decay is often the underlying cause. Timber fascia boards that have absorbed water over years rot from the back, and the gutter brackets fixed into them lose their hold. Replacing the gutter without addressing the fascia is a short-term fix — the new brackets will pull out of the same rotten timber within a season or two.

Gutter Repairs & Replacement Services We Carry Out

Gutter cleaning and clearance is the simplest and most cost-effective maintenance job. We clear all debris from the gutter run, flush the downpipes with water to confirm they are running freely, and check the brackets and joints while we are up there. An annual clearance in late autumn — after the leaves have come down but before the worst of the winter rain — is the single best way to prevent gutter-related damp.

Gutter repairs cover leaking joints, cracked or holed sections, displaced brackets, and sagging runs. Many gutter problems are localised and can be fixed without replacing the full system. We replace failed unions and brackets, re-seal joints with the correct butyl sealant rather than silicone, and re-align gutters that have dropped so water flows correctly to the downpipe.

Full gutter replacement is recommended where the existing system is extensively cracked, the joints have failed across the full run, or the gutter profile is no longer adequate for the roof area it serves. We install uPVC, cast iron, and aluminium gutter systems matched to the property. On period properties in conservation areas across Brighton and Hove, we work with cast iron or deep-flow aluminium to match the original detailing.

Fascia and soffit renewal is often carried out alongside gutter replacement. We remove rotten timber fascia boards and replace them with durable uPVC equivalents, or over-clad existing sound timber where the substrate is still solid. This provides a stable fixing surface for the new gutter brackets and removes the ongoing maintenance burden of repainting timber at height.

Downpipe and drainage work ensures rainwater is discharged correctly. We replace corroded or cracked downpipes, re-route downpipes that are discharging onto paths or against walls, and ensure the connection into the underground drainage system is sound. A gutter that is perfectly clear is of no use if the downpipe is blocked or discharging in the wrong place.

Cast iron heritage gutters on listed buildings and period properties require a different approach. We repair and replace cast iron gutters and downpipes on a like-for-like basis, using traditional cast iron components and appropriate fixing methods. Where a conservation officer requires original-style cast iron, we source and install it correctly — a cast iron system installed with uPVC methods will fail prematurely.

How We Approach Gutter Repairs & Replacement

Every gutter repair or replacement job starts with an inspection from a ladder — not from the ground. We check the gutter run for sags, the joints for leaks, the brackets for security, and the fascia board for soundness. We flush the downpipes to confirm they are running freely. We then explain what we have found and provide a written quotation covering all recommended works. If a simple clearance is all that is needed, we will say so — we will not recommend a full replacement where a repair will do.

Areas We Cover

We carry out gutter repairs and replacement work across Hove, Portslade, Southwick, Shoreham-by-Sea, Brighton, Peacehaven, Saltdean, Rottingdean, Lewes and the wider Sussex coast. Our base is in Brighton, so response times across the city and immediate surroundings are fast — typically same-day or next-day for urgent work.

Gutter Repairs & Replacement Work We Carry Out