In a St. Louis house, the gutters take the brunt of the leaves in the fall and the heavy rain that comes through every season. When they clog, the water finds another route, usually along the fascia or into the foundation edge, and the repair costs more than the cleaning would have. The question is not whether the gutters need cleaning. It is who climbs, who holds the ladder, and who checks the work after the next storm.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
This is a comparison guide. Read it as a checklist for deciding whether the job stays with the family or goes to a crew, and then write the answer down so the group text does not decide it for you.
Measure the job before you choose
Stand in the yard and look at the gutters from the ground. Note how high they sit, how steep the roof pitch is, and whether there are windows, a porch roof, or power lines close by. Check whether you can reach the gutters from the ground with an extension pole and a hose, and whether the downspouts drain clear. Count the sections that need to be cleaned and the number of downspouts. That count tells you whether this is a one-hour job or a half-day job, and it shapes the rest of the decision.
Check the footing and the helper
If you will use a ladder, look at the ground under it. It should be level and firm, and the ladder should reach a point above the gutter that gives you something to hold. Plan for a second person who holds the ladder and can call for help if you need it. If nobody is available to hold it, that is a reason to hire the job, not a reason to climb alone. If the roof is steep or the gutter is high, the crew is the sensible answer.
Compare the crew's written scope
When you call a gutter company, ask for the written scope of work. A useful scope says the gutters will be cleaned, the downspouts flushed to confirm they drain, the debris bagged and removed, and the sections checked for loose brackets or sagging. Ask whether the company is insured for the work and whether its workers carry their own coverage. Ask how the company handles damage to the roof, the siding, or the landscaping during the job, and get the answer in writing. Compare two or three written scopes side by side, not one verbal estimate against one written quote.
Decide who books it and who checks it
Whichever way you choose, name the person who schedules the job, the person who is on the property the day it happens, and the person who looks at the gutters after the next heavy rain. If you clean them yourself, the checking step is the one that gets skipped. Put it on the calendar. A gutter that overflows at the corner of the house is easy to miss from inside.
If the house belongs to Mom and she lives there, decide whether the gutter work is a family cost or a cost she covers, and say so at the family meeting before the leaves start falling. The Local help page lists where to start if you need a referral for a contractor in the area.