How Gutter Cover Machines Increase Profits

http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;machine allows you to form a variety of gutter
charset=utf-8">cover shapes from trim coil at the job site. You can
As part of your seamless gutter business, you arealso easily match the color of the cover to the
probably already offering gutter protection systemsexisting gutter for upgrades or repairs to existing
such as gutter guards, gutter covers, gutter screens,gutter installations.
and gutter filters to your customers. While there areThe machine is manually operated. It has a 50-inch
many different types and styles you can offer yourrolling capacity. In addition to forming the flange and
customers, the least expensive is a simple covercurved lip of the cover, it can form whatever angle
made of PVC or a screen of expanded metalthe cover needs to match the roof slope, 3/12 to 18
construction made from aluminum. Each type has its12 or anything in between. The system uses a gutter
advantages and features. However, they all have onebracket made of extruded 6061 T6 aluminum. These
thing in common. There were all made by someoneare very strong and are easily installed inside the
else. You material cost includes their material cost,gutter and secured to the fascia board. You form the
labor content, overhead, and profit.cover pieces on-site. The top lip of the formed cover
When you got into the rain gutter business youpiece is inserted and nailed under the shingle tab and
learned that with a seamless gutter machine youattached to the brackets with screws.
could save money on your material costs by makingThe Trim-A-Gutter machine can be installed on any
gutter from a coil of stock. The gutter sections youVan Mark brake. They also have instructions for
produced were of custom length, were producedinstalling the machine on other brands of brake.
on-site, and reduced the number of joints, which areAlternatively, the machine can be installed on an
potential leak points. The most important point wasindependent set of UniLegs, which are separately
that it cost you less per foot to produce theavailable.
seamless gutters on site than purchasing materialTo see the Trim-A-Gutter at work making gutter
preformed in someone else’s shop. In addition,cover, go to GutterSupply.com, A link takes you to a
you were not dependent on someone else deliveringshort video that clearly shows the forming and
the materials you needed when you needed them.installation process.
The difference in cost put more profit in yourThe process is simple. Measure the length and width
pocket. The larger the labor content that you couldof the required cover piece. Cut a piece to the
provide, at an equal or lower cost, the higher therequired length. Position the stock in the machine.
base on which your business can earn profits. TheBend to create a ½-inch flange. Reposition the
same thing is true of gutter covers.stock in the machine. Bend the cover lip radius.
While roofing jobs are similar, somehow every oneRemove the piece from the machine and reposition.
seems just a little different. And those purchasedBend the appropriate pitch angle on the piece.
cover sections may not be exactly right for both a 4Remove the cover piece from the machine.
12 pitch you did yesterday and that 16/12 job youPosition brackets inside the gutter and anchor to the
struggled with last week. There are also those timesfascia board with screws. Break the seal between
when you need a piece that’s just a littlethe shingle tag and the shingle below. Position the end
longer (or shorter).of the cover piece under the shingle tag. Align the lip
The customer may already have some particular kindof the cover with the gutter. Fasten the cover to
of cover or screen in mind, or he may not. If he isthe brackets with screws. Nail the top of the cover
firm about his selection, you will probably go alongpiece to the roof under the shingle tab. Apply roofing
and buy the type he specifies from your supplier.adhesive to the cover underneath the shingle tag and
Nevertheless, if you are selling the job, you have thereseal the single down on top of the cover.
opportunity to plan and sell it using custom madeRemember, higher labor content and lower material
covers made by your crew.costs can put more dollars of profit in your bottom
How would you manage that? Here could be theline. Sock Woodruff is founder and partner of
solution: The Van Mark Products Corporation inGutterSupply.com, the leading manufacturer and
Farmington Hills, Michigan, makes a machine calleddistributor of gutter supplies, gutter machines, gutter
Trim-A-Gutter. With appropriate accessories, thiscovers, and related tools and equipment.