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You must be very a very savvy Homeowner to have researched our humble, yet extensive web site on rain-management products for your home here in the Great Northwest, or better parts shipped out to many other States. I am sure by now you have realized how there is nothing on a house that is nearly as frustrating on a regular basis as failing gutters. Now you are here searching for a better solution; at a reasonable cost. That's where I come in, as long as you have the patience to wait for my schedule to clear? I also run one of the only gutter installation training programs in the Country and have had several groups come here from other States to learn this business all throughout the pandemic. Don't worry, I do not allow student to work on my customer's homes: http://dmr-gutters.com/gt.htm I have thousands of photos on this website and have been uploading my more recent project photos on my Business Facebook profile. You can see them by clicking on this link below: What gutter profiles do I offer? I only have the one: K-5 profile gutter machine. This K-style (crown molding shape) gutter profile is the most functional profile for several reasons. Especially compared to the common 'Fascia Gutter'. The ‘half-round’ gutter profile was a horrible design right out of the gate, and those issues have never been solved, so it remains an obsoleted profile for about a century now. I find it very scarry to see it trying to make a comeback; as if they were some sort of deluxe expensive gutter style. Now we will be reminded again why it never became the standard. Much like how if vinyl siding or the horrible LP particle-board siding managed to make a big come-back. We can only hope it never will, but the half-round gutter is no better and should never be considered an option. Even if they offered it for less than half the cost, it still would not be worth installing. I have turned down huge copper gutter job, where the Builder was insisting on half-round gutters and the matching rownd downspouts. I know the homeowners will hate them before long and it would then be my problem to deal with and my reputation would suffer. To learn more about this
issue and why: Dealing with your own rain-gutter failure is difficult, dangerous, messy, and quite smelly. I have developed the best possible 3-part system, which is the best value you'll find for a low-maitenance gutter system. Especially compared to what our competitors peddling. My 3-part system added to the gutter replacement can save you a great deal of grief and thousands of $ over the next decade. True, how perception is everything. No debate there. I hate playing such games with people. I try to be a straight-shooter. I do not push what is most profitable to sell. I build what my clients ask for, and I will help guide them to what will work best for their situation in the long run. A little about me. I was born in Sacramento Calli, and lived there for the first 6 years, but I do not remeber too much from that time. Then I was relocated to the heart of Utah against my will (LOL). I have lived here in the Portland Oregon area since 1978, where my parents were from. I have worked as a licensed Gutter Contractor since mid 1993. After 10-year stint nestled in SW PDX, we relocated to the Eastern edge of Sherwood just prior to the pandemic. My strength is to help problem solve unique solutions to fit your needs. There is no 'one-size-fit-all' solution from DMR Gutters. I am thinking of ways to improve your dainage system before you even ask. Since I am a hands-on contractor, you are getting my full 30+ years of experience and personal attention on each project I sell, since I do not have teams of underlings, like most gutter contractors. I have a unique process
of repricing a project at the end, once I know exactly how much
metal went into a project. Ususally to my client's benefit. This
level of honesty is unheard of in this industry. Most industried for
that matter. If I under-bid a project, I trust you will be willing
to compensate me fairly. The same as how you will benefit on
projects I may have over-bid, and offer a discounted cost. This way
you are not paying for sloppy quotes or even cut-off waste.
I encourage you to get plenty of bids while using my Check List to see how they measure up. They will be quick to claim many of my 'high falutin' details do not really matter. But what does that really say about their attitude towards the quality of their craft? Shouldn't they care about all those small details? Because of this lack of ethics I found the need to source better parts from 9 vendors in 5 different States, because the local suppliers here will not bring in those better parts just for me. What does this say about all the other local gutter contractors who are not willing to pay for those better parts? Here are just the highlight features: our exclusive gutters system is mounted with thicker #12 shaft stainless steel screws = to 1 screw per foot, which is 4X the fasteners Building Code requires. With a DMR installation the new gutters are carefully sloped to fully drain, which I have found is terribly uncommon. I have used a better more expensive caulk for over 2-decades. I impliment expansion joints like no other contractor, which is far more important than you would imagine. Along with many other advantages too numerous to list in this paragraph, but detailed listed on my Quality Standards page. As a hands-on Gutter Contractor for the last 3-decades, most of my work has been replacing rusted out gutters, so as a matter if ethics I will not install steel gutters. Yet, most Contractors around here still do, which alone speaks volumes about their low sense of ethical standards, so nothing they claim can be trusted. This is also quite true of any Roofer using steel flashing. A simple magnet will reveal this intentional deception for what it is, since only steel will atract a magnet and rust out. How can a gutter system be truly clog-free? Clearly, there is no perfect system that requires no maintenance at all, so I will not suggest there is, but I have found it takes a more comprehensive 3-part no-clog options package (as listed below) to relieve the stress and danger of having to frequently deal with this issue. Which needs dealt with in the worst of weather, when you finally notice you have a problem develop. I believe these options should be sold at a more reasonable cost as well. Unlike Leaf Guard's aluminum system, which can cost more than what I charge for copper gutters along with my exclusive 3-part no-clog system, and provide a 50% longer warranty service to boot. I offer a unique 15-year installation warranty, along with a 15-year No-clog guarantee with this 3-part no-clog options package, which consists of:
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"Quality & service is not expensive. It's priceless!" |
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Again, I was a Finalist that year for my 26 years of dedication to my clients in my contractor business & custom sheet metal shop Here is the official list of Finalists: http://trust-bbb.org/torch-awards/ |
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If your gutters are OK it can help a lot to just replace your downspouts with those 2 advantages listed above and add screens over the gutters for a fraction of what a full gutter replacement cost. This can achieve a huge functional advantage. An aluminum downspout replacement with these advantages typically runs just $225 to $275 per downspout depending on how long it is. Screen w/cleaning runs $3.50 ln' on a one story house. Here are 10 of the most common short-comings with typical gutter installations in our area, which I address and solve without even being asked to: 1.
Steel gutters that are thinner than aluminum gutters, which rust out in
short order, and the ugly rust stains they causes. Which is by far
the #1 reason requiring replacement; by a margin of at least
70%. Yes, this is a very long list of common problems that I've seen time and time again when replacing gutters over the last quarter century. I could list many more issues I've run across, but I trust you get the point. How many of these issues do you suffer year after year? DMR Gutters serves to correct all these issues and many more on each gutter replacement I do as a standard. I also add and or move some downspouts (with your approval) to improve the gutter function. Read over our Quality Standards Page to see what sets us apart from any other Gutter Contractor in our area. Even if you do not happen to reside in our area of the Country you can still use this list when interviewing local Gutter Contractors to see how they stack up. This industry will not change unless Homeowners insist on better than standard planned obsolescence. I can see from what linited parts being sold locally is what are commonly used by other Gutter Contractors in this area, which clearly shows how I stand alone in good ethical standards for some reason. I have found the need to order parts from several different out of State suppliers to get better parts that not sold locally; because of such low demand for these better parts by local Contractors. Local suppliers will not stock these better parts just for my small contractor business. |
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I know this sounds too good to be true, but I can prove all this to you if you give me a chance and take the time to read over some of this web site. Here's just a few of my personal quotes that are relevant to these issues: "Nails are for Neanderthals!" "Any product is only as good as it's weakest
link, "Planned obsolescence should be a crime, because it is intentional fraud! Yet, is allowed as standard procedure in most industry. Which also contributes to our landfill issues far more than any other single issue" If you do not want to live in a world of lies and deciet, do not put it out there, as an absolute rule. |
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My Personal Ethics I've been working as a licensed contractor and doing most of the work personally over the last 32 years+. Not just having subordinates to do all the hard work, like most contractors. Much of it working alone. My reputation for quality work is far too important to let it fall to a greater production volume, so my work tends to be a lot slower than most other Gutter Contractors. I often will suggest improvements that other contractors are not willing to do any any price. It typically takes me 2 weeks to do what other gutter contractors will slap out in a single day. I would like to think that this priceless detail alone makes DMR well worth the wait, but that is certainly your call. You'll only get the benefit for the effort and quality of parts that is put into any project. I have always focused on quality over speed and profit. I focus on my client's long-term satisfaction, even if I am unselling myself. I figure by maintaining that focus, the money will be there. This is tricky, as planned obsolescence has been worked into most products on the market. Whom of us can truly say we are delivering an honestly good product, which is what we would hope to get from others, right? I have to source my parts from a dozen different vendors to get the better parts to use. Most of which are out of State. Even without bringing in a religious philosophy, I like to believe you'll never meet a person who could honestly say "I don't mind living in a world of lies and deceit". So, why is this such a huge problem in our society?
Assuming we all do not want to live in a
world of lies and deceit, then the least we can do
is not add to that muck. We just need to focus on what it is we put out there,
as to our words and actions. Especially when no one's looking. Unless we are honorable with
those of our association, be it business and or personal, we
have no right to even hope for any better from others, let
alone expect it. We each need to strive to create the world
we would hope to live in. Regardless of what we may get in
return. As an absolute rule; without waiver.
We also need to accept how others have just as much right to live and prosper as we do. Unconditionally! They should not be cheated through our selfishness. Beside unjustified WAR, this is manifested in many more ways than you could possibly imagine. It is in how we conduct our daily life and purchases. Please take some time to research 'Fair Trade'. I wish Ethical Responsibility was not such a rare quality in our modern day business world, but wishing and waiting on the side lines is not going to make a difference. The best I can truly hope to accomplish in my lifetime is to set a good example in every aspect of what I do. In order to show it is possible to still make a modest living while running an ethical business. Raking in a fortune is not ethical any way you spin it. I may never be finacially rich (aside my name sake), but I am rich in life. My ideals are not because I was raised a Mormon in Utah. I have not found the LDS share my passion for ethics, let alone implement it in their actions beyond their pretenses, or else it would have impacted the business world a great deal more than it has: through fair competition. I can only hope to inspire others to seek out opportunities for good karma to enhance their lives and character through helping to enhance other people's lives in their chosen field of work; with compassion and care. Every aspect of all we do should be approached as an art-form with conscious intention. We can try to teach others how to live and love, but until they own it and becomes a part of them, this sort of philosophy will just be a pretty string of words with little real meaning to them. As long as we strive to set a good example, perhaps those around you will eventually gleam wisdom from your example. You can not force it on others, and we need to be very patient, as they still need to grok it within their own timeline, or the next. Although, if we were to pass a law to make planned obsolescence the crime it truly is we could do more for the landfill issue than all the recycling programs put together. author: David Rich The above is a simple concept that is un-debatable (I dare anyone to try). These are words I strive to live by. Sadly, my suppliers report that I seem to be the only contractor in our Metro area who consistently buys the better construction materials? You can read more details on my thoughts of 'Ethical Responsibility'. I stand behind my quality with my extensive installation warranty (see: my Warranty & Service web page for details), along with the manufacturer's 20 year finish and 40 year parts warranty. I give 15 times the minimum labor warranty the Construction Contractors Board requires of all contractors. Along with my labor warranty, I also offer a 15 year no-clog warranty for new gutter installations with my low maintenance options package, which is 50% longer than my main compeditor. I would be happy to offer a longer warranty, but I do not expect I will be climbing up 2 story ladders much after I am 75 years old, but I'll do my best to provide strong workers to take care of it. I pride myself on not making unrealistic claims I may be unable to keep. |
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The screens I recommend have large enough holes you can fit a pencil down through. This is a very important detail. This same manufacturer sells a screen labeled 'Small Hole', but it had too high of a failure rate, so I refuse to offer that option any longer. They would get covered and clogged with debris before long; allowing rain water to cascade over the outer rim of the gutter. These screens we use work fine even with pine needles, as long as you have a larger outlets and a strainer mounted below in the downspouts, which I call Leaf-catchers. This is so they can be easily accessed w/o a ladder or tools. I have had our Clients not bother cleaning out their DMR Gutters system for over a decade. For example of their effectiveness you will find hundreds of addresses for houses listed that we've worked on to find some in your area to see first hand how well they work: Aluminum gutters:
http://dmr-gutters.com/ag/
Have you ever seen
this much moss growth inside a gutter? This is a client's home after they were able to leave their aluminum gutters alone for nearly a decade. I cleared this out at no charge, even though these gutters were still functioning with all that moss in them.
DMR Gutters
One of the best aspects of these screens is how; if you want to clean out the gutters you can easily see down in through these screens to see if there's a blockage. Without even removing the screens they can be simply rinsed out down to the Leaf-catchers. With these Leaf-catchers you can cover the screens in them during that rinsing, so even the small sand particles from the roofing will simply wash out the opening and not be washed down into your storm drain pipes. Even w/o my No-clog warranty can you think of a better system than this? I haven't been able to. No matter how much a Client may be willing to pay I have not found a better system. The best part is how this system is less expensive than any other No-clog gutter system you'll find, which makes this your most practical option and best possible value.
About Me: In alphabetical order I've personally worked on houses in Albany, Aloha, Banks, Beaver Creek, Beaverton, Boring, Camas, Canby, Canon Beach, Canton (Ohio), Cascade Locks, Colton, Corbett, Cornelius, Corvallis, Dallas, Damascas, Dayton, Eagle Creek, Estacada, Eugene, Everett, Forest Grove, Gaston, Gillette (Wyoming), Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Hood River, Lake Oswego, McMinnville, Milwaukie, Mololla, Mulino, Newberg, North Plains, Oakdale (California), Oregon City, Portland, Rainier, Rhododendron, Ridgefield, Salem, Sandy, Sauvie Island, Scappoose, Sherwood, Silverton, St. Hellens, St. Johns, The Dalles, Tigard, Troutdale, Tualatin, Vancouver (WA), Vernonia, Warren, Washougal, West Linn, Wheeler, Wilsonville, Yacolt, and Yamhill. Since I am I'm not licensed to work outside Oregon I cannot service the Vancouver/Camas area, but I was licensed there for a couple years. I feel my mission in life is to rail against 'Planned Obsolescence' in all forms, and champion Ethical Responsibility, which as you must know is sadly lacking in most business practice these days. I at least do what I can to set a good example for other Business Owners, which is the best we can realistically hope to accomplish in life. Feel free to get plenty of bids from other Gutter Contractors, but I can assure you that you'll not find a better value elsewhere. Please use my Quality Standards list linked above while interviewing those other Gutter Contractors to protect yourself against their lies and greed. You'll see from the reaction you get as you read off my quality standards where their standards lack. I would love to hear about your experience, even if you are not local to the Portland, Oregon area. If they say they cannot get those better parts I list; that is very telling and you should not hire them. If they claim they will do what I do they are most likely going to charge you twice what I would, and still not do what I do at any cost when it's all said and done, sadly. I'd love to be proven wrong; to hear there may be other ethical Contractors out there. There are several Contractors in our area who sell just a gutter cover and charge as much as DMR Gutters for a whole gutters and downspouts replacement w/our No-clog options included, if you can believe that. No joke. I have regularly under bid LeafGuard's aluminum system with our thicker than standard 20oz copper no-clog gutter package. Even if they worked as good as they promise, which would you rather have to add value to your home? This may all sound like just fancy hype; 'too good to be true', but just one highlight of my Quality Standards is my exclusive 8X building code strength gutter installation w/#12 high grade stainless steel screws and stronger hidden hanger brackets, than what are sold locally to Gutter Contractors. DMR uses a pair of SS screws every 2 feet with stronger rust free Hidden Hanger brackets that I have to special order from back East. These stronger hidden hangers cannot be acquired locally, because a lack of demand by the other Gutter Contractors in the Northwest for these better parts. That is very telling in of it's self. When getting bids look for the reaction you'll get when asking them about this one detail. Most Gutter Contractors will only follow the minimum Building Code of just 1 nail every 4 feet. Building Code was not meant to be used as an instruction manual of how things are to be built. It is the lowest standards Licensed Contractors are allowed to get away with. When working on any project it tells a story. We see evidence of how what was done clearly had not been good enough to last. It is suppose to be our duty to find a solution to those failures we find when replacing anything on your home. But this does not seem to be the MO with most Contractors. Their Salesmen may talk a good hype, but I've seen all to often how they do not have their workers do as they may have promised. Oopsey. We need to remember the old saying of how to tell when a Salesman is lying: 'you can see their lips moving'. From the other side as a Subcontractor that's what I've seen in most every case, so I don't work for GC's (General Contractors) any more. When they talk to you they may act like they care, but from the other side of this we see their only interest is to skate the line of a one year minimum warranty to save every dime they possible can. GC's hate working with me, since I am not ethnic enough to fane I speak no English, so I have been told I must not speak to their clients at all, since it would conflict with the BS their Saleman had told them. I have yet to meet a GC that can be trusted.
My Experience: Why get more of the same junk you have to replace now I say? When I've remove worn out gutters it tells a story; why am I here? Most of my work has been from old steel gutters that had rusted all the way through, so it seems quite clear what not to do this time around. Besides all that experience I am well equipped to solve unique problems you may have; with custom solution to your situation, that is simply not available from most Gutter Contractors. My work has graduated into a custom copper sheet metal design and fabrication shop that I promote through my other web site Copper-By-Design.com where I've designed and created thousands of original decorative and functional rain management products for clients across the Nation.
Our Better Parts:
How can we be sure your system will last? Regardless of those unrealistic 50 year claims; paint simply cannot hold up more than a couple decade at best. Ponder for a moment the durability of any automotive paint. Which is much better than you'll find on any metal construction products. I ask you this 'what car have you seen that did not need repainted within 2 decades? That's even when you've had it waxed regularly. What would it cost to have your metal roof cleaned and waxed every 6 months? It simply does not happen, and I know those paint coatings scratch a lot easier than any original automotive paint, which clearly demonstrates what a false claim this is. As a highly ethical person my greatest challenge is to design each product with the best blend between: Aesthetics, Function, Strength, Longevity, and of course at a reasonable Cost for the best benefit to our clients. These 5 elements do not naturally blend together cohesively, but are more apt to oppose each other. So my challenge is to reach the best possible balance between each of these important elements. Without the best balance between these any product is no good. I am not just pushing what I want to sell for the best possible profit margin. Such as with most Salesmen willing to tell you outrageous lies to make that sale. Why use a life-time metal like aluminum or especially copper if it is poorly installed, or so thin and weak that it dents easily and more prone to wind or snow damage; making it look terrible within a few decades? I will never build in planned obsolescence! I even use a thicker 20oz copper, which is not even sold locally. Working with this philosophy in mind; other than this web presence I've had no need to advertise locally over the last decade +, or do home shows to desperately reach new clients, as most businesses have to. I've personally invested thousands of hours in this comprehensive web site, because I feel it is important to clearly communicate with my clients in this way. Not because I need the work. Also I hope to help teach, or at least influence other Gutter Contractors; showing them how it should be done. Feel free to get plenty of bids and do your part to ask them about many of the Quality Standard details I list on this web site. That will let them know they have some serious competition, and need to raise their standards to compete. If they claim they cannot get the same parts I use, you'll know their lying. They just don't want to bother providing you with a better service, so you'll know not to hire them. I have benefited from reaching the more intelligent clientele (such as yourself) who use search engines or one of the many Consumer Protection web services to find better than standard Contractors. I show proof of the highest quality standards and integrity you will find, with glowing reviews on Insider Pages and other web sites. This is a direct compliment to you, since you are reading this now.
Why not go through a GC (General Contractor)?
Maybe this will help you understand where I'm coming from; in dealing with clients who have a direct investment in the quality of the work I do; they greatly appreciated the extra effort I put into each project. Where GC's are thinking more about their bottom line. Every $ they get away with saving is a $ in their own pocket. They have proven time and time again to be nothing more than unethical glorified used car salesmen, not to be trusted. They will do a great job pretending to care about you and promise to do the best possible work for you with top quality parts, but from the supplier end we see a whole other side that directly contradicts this. GC's hate working with me, since I am not ethnic enough to fane I speak no English, so I have been told I must never speak to their clients at all, since it would conflict with the BS their Saleman had told them. If they ran an ethical business this would not be an issue. I have yet to meet a GC that can be trusted. If I believed in Hell I imagine there would be a special place set aside for Builders and GC's to hang out with CEO's, Politicians, and Lawyers (LOL).
Are you a 'Green Company'?
What else do you do? Even if you are not local to the Portland, Oregon Metro Area this web site also has a wealth of valuable information about gutter installation, other rain management, roofing, moss control, and even gutter installation training. Believe it or not I'm still just a small time hands-on Gutter Contractor, which is how I have maintained the highest reputation for quality you will find in the country, or in most any field for that matter. |
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Low Maintenance & No-clog Gutter Options: Gutter Covers:Beyond the many advantages we offer for standard gutter replacement we also offer No-clog options that not only work better long term than our competition, but are more cost efficient than most any other devices you may have seen. I have lots of proof of this, but sheer logic is my best weapon. You should keep in mind that window screen is too fine of a weave to be practical as a gutter cover. It may keep out more of the smaller debris, but it will wind up keeping the rain water out of your gutters as well before long. It is just too fine and will become caked with debris, which will cause the rain water to cascade over the outside edge of your gutters. In that case you might as well just remove your gutter system all together. Any gutter cover with that fine of a straining is not worth installing, let along the outrageous cost they want for those flawed products. Gutter covers need large holes and lots of surface surface area to allow the rain water to sift into the gutters, before dropping off the outer edge. It will still keep out the larger debris like branches, pine cones, large leaves and toys, which would clog a gutter quickly. There will still be small debris getting through, which is why the larger outlets are so important. Your gutters could be as large as a bath tub, but if the outlets are still the same small size they would clog and fail just as quickly. The metal screens I use have twice the open area than plastic screens and last longer under the UV rays of the Sun. It is true that these will not keep out all the smaller debris and you'll have moss globs growing inside your gutters over time if you are truly able to leave them alone, but that's where the larger outlets and the Leaf-catchers I make come in to form a good functional and practical rain management system at a reasonable cost. As you may have become aware of by now those costly metal hood gutter covers fail in short order. If any debris gets trapped in that small groove the water is suppose to use to get into the gutter that rain water will simply cascade over the outside of the gutter. Many of these companies pushing these covers will adamantly claim they will guarantee the gutters will not clog, but they will never guarantee the gutters will continue to accept water. They also create a perfect dark moist breeding ground for moss and become filled with large moss globs that will keep rain water from passing sideways to the outlets, or even to enter the gutter.One of the worst details is how their metal covers cost more than our copper gutters and screens. I believe a gutter cover no matter how good it could possibly work should never cost more than a new aluminum gutter, or it is impractical, no matter how well it could work. The worst part is how pretty much all of them are a scam at any cost and they know it. Not that you'll ever get them to admit it, Trust me, I've argued on the phone and on-line groups with their sales reps for hours trying to get me to sell their faulty product. They clearly have no conscience. You can read more on this subject on our Gutter Covers Comparison web page: http://dmr-gutters.com/lp.htm Larger Outlets: Remarkably most Homeowners do not realize the single best advantage to any gutter system is the size of their outlets, but you do not need an industrial size downspout running down your wall. If you had a bigger gutter with the same size outlets that would only mean you now have 5 minutes in stead of just 3 minutes in a heavy down pour before the gutter over flows after the outlet clogs yet again, which as you should know is the most common cause for gutter failure. That's why Leaf Guard ® hinges their warranty on the use of the 2X larger industrial size downspouts, which I also use, but with a less expensive detail that looks better. It is best to have a strainer down low where it can be easily accessed w/o a ladder. Strainers up in the gutter are death to gutters. A strainer up in the gutter is the opposite of a larger outlet. My aim is to make a gutter system that will continue to function w/o having to get up on the roof in the worst of weather, when you finally notice you have a problem. Although the larger DSP is not needed for the vertical drop, so I install these reducers up high to minimize the looks and cost. You can read more on this subject on our No-clog Options web page: http://dmr-gutters.com/opt.htm#Outlets |
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Leaf-catchers: I designed and make our own downspout strainers with a much stronger stainless steel screen in them than any other gutter system strainer we've seen on the market. DMR has been installing these on most gutter replacement done over the last 2 decades, and modified it's design several times making improvements to the look and function over the many years of client tested results. These are a $60 option per downspout made in aluminum w/stainless steel screen. Or a $80 option made with 20oz copper w/stainless steel screen. That a good value compared to paying Roto-Rooter $100 an hour or more to clear out your storm drain system. These strainers are clearly our most popular feature of our work and the main reason clients hire DMR to replace and improve their rain management system. It is rare we have had Homeowners not want this feature. These Leaf-catchers are not needed if you do not have an underground storm-drain system. Although, if that's the case you are better off without gutters on your house and just let the rain water dribble evenly off your roof along the bottom edges. If you have gutters it is imperative how that rain water is effectively carried away from your foundation whether you have a basement or not, or they are doing more harm than having no gutters at all. Using this same logic; no gutters is still better than frequently failing gutters. You can read more on this subject on our No-clog Options web page: http://dmr-gutters.com/opt.htm#catchers |
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Click on this image to read the magazine
article in a National Consumer Protection web site, which has the
initials A L, where I was interviewed to discuss my thriving
business during this recession for their July 2008 issue (they
requested not to be named here). It seems I was the only Contractor in their poll who
said their business was doing better than ever. I attributed my success to doing better quality work at a more reasonable price, along with good communication though easy phone access, this extensive web site, and swift e-mail replies. |
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Because of my diligent efforts here I have been told by dozens of clients how this web site is clearly the most comprehensive web site on rain management in the world: with over 300 web pages spread out over this business web site and http://copper-by-design.com along with over 5,000 digital photos that link to full screen images for a closer look. Many link to a whole separate web page with a gallery of related photos and a more detailed description of that project. They also love how I'm one of the few who list the cost of those projects, so they can do anonymous price comparison shopping w/o having to suffer talking to a high-pressure salesman. I'm happy to do free on-site quotes for local homeowners within 20 miles of our local area, as the CCB requires of all Licensed Contractors, but I have found it works best to develop more of an interactive partnership with my clientele by working out some of the details through e-mail first (see Latest News page for details). These days pretty much everyone has a digital camera on their phone and knows how to send pics through e-mail. I have had to do this with most all my non-local clientele over the last 9 years for the custom copper fabrications I do, since most of them are located back East of the Mississippi. I am still a hands-on contractor, so I couldn't possibly drive around town all day filling all the bid requests I get, let alone do the volume of work I could sell, so I request a simple pre-qualification effort on your part. I would not be able to get any work done otherwise, as I am already booked several months out. I will not sacrifice quality for a larger production volume. |
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I explain my bid process on my
Latest News
web page I would like to believe I am well worth the wait,
but if your project cannot wait to be fit it into my schedule you can
print out my set of quality standards and use that to help interview
other gutter contractors: You can also consider my professional parts delivery service to do the installation yourself or with some help using my list of installation instructions and recommended list of tools. I can normally make a delivery within a week: http://dmr-gutters.com/del.htm DMR Gutters
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Check out these web sites for good honest resources to find
reliable contractors in your area that your neighbors had used
and reviewed: |
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Aluminum Gutters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Included copper ridge caps for moss control |
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Included copper ridge caps for moss control |
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Copper Gutters and Hardwood Decks |
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This was the most impressive restoration I've ever seen. He said my bid was $14k less than a competing Gutter Contractor. |
I replaced their gutter w/copper, rebuilt their carport, and built a hardwood patio and cedar pergola in back |
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He said after years of searching I was the first Gutter Contractor willing to provide a bid for the work he needed |
I was contracted to replace their poorly installed copper gutters |
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Who
is
DMR Gutters? Before the year 2000 I carried the type of liability insurance to do roofing as well, but since the cost of that insurance is 500% higher than any other types of construction it was too expensive for a small company like mine, who cannot possibly do enough volume to cover that expense. That's sad, since in my travels I have yet to see evidence of a decent roofer who is committed to doing good work and use materials designed to last more than a decade (no joke). The reason is because contractors are only required to provide a 1 year warranty on the work they do. After the Homeowner had exhausted their efforts to deal directly with that contactors and then had to resort to filing a complaint with the CCB for mediation; it has to be filed within 1 year of completion or it is an invalid complaint and thrown out. Meaning that Contractor is off the hook for any negligent work they did. I know I would not want anyone working on my house who only expected their work to last a little over a year. I've worked hard over the last 30 years to maintain the highest reputation for quality and honest work practice, which is a primary reason I have not been able to grow and take on lots of employees. I'm primarily a Hands-On Contractor who specializes in low-maintenance no-clog gutters at a more reasonable cost than my competition, who have charge over $1k more than my copper gutter bid for their aluminum gutters. There are several dozen leaf protection concepts out there, but many of them are more expensive than my copper gutters. No matter how good they could possibly work I do not understand how a gutter cover could cost more than a gutter? Even if they worked better than they claimed they should not cost that much unless they were gold plated. According to the Homeowner of Tara North my bid for 20oz copper gutters at only $15k was only about half of what a competitor wanted at $29k for less quality than I do. That $14k has been the widest spread I've heard to date. He said he even asked their Sales Rep if he was buying him a Harley. (LOL) Here is one of the custom copper projects I build shown above. This was shipped to a Lake house in Seneca Falls, New York. I also make custom copper roof caps for turrets and gazebos. Most of the custom work I do is fabricated with a heavy-duty solid 20oz copper or thicker. Some times 48oz copper is used, which is 3lb per square foot and is too thick to cut with tin snips.
You will see a lot of copper gutter photos here and other custom work, but many of the gutter work I've done over the last 2 decades has been in pre-painted aluminum sheet metal. I refuse to install steel gutters, because I do not believe in planned obsolescence, so it goes against my ethical values. For my latest availability see my Latest News web page. |
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Watch out
for Gutter Contractors pushing steel gutters! Why not steel? Depending on how frequently you had your gutters cleaned out steel gutters will last between 10 to 20 years before the metal has become so rusty that it has holes through the bottom and cause nasty rust stains as well. The steel downspouts those Gutter Contractors use are even worse. They are prone to clog easily and are noisy for hours after the rain has stopped; drip, drip, drip ............... Steel can be detected with a simple magnet test, since the iron in steel is the only metal that will attract a magnet. This issue is very important, since rusty steel gutters accounts for over 75% of the need for gutter replacement. Gutters detaching from the house is the second leading cause, and here is a common example of that problem. There are more details on this issue at the top of my #2 FAQ web page. Why do I need to worry about these issues? Sadly most businessmen focus more on maximizing their profit margin over client service. They're relying on Homeowners not networking and just rely on advertising to reach new clients to snow. They see Building Codes and the CCB as a thorn in their side. Not as minimal recommendations like I do. Giving little to no thought of how they would like to be treated by other Contractors working on their own home. Steel for gutters is pushed because it is a little cheaper metal and offers them planned obsolescence for more repeat business. They will adamantly claim that steel makes for much stronger gutter, which is a lie they push to sell you on this cheaper metal that will not last nearly as long. Even if their claim were true; damaged gutters account for well under 10% of gutter replacement work, so it's only a minor issue at best. Try to see their obvious motivation for this deception they push. They are just fighting to compete with other Gutter Contractors for the lowest possible bid to make that sale, while making the maximum profit margin still. Simple as that. What is even funnier is how if they were the actual installer doing the work like I am; to lift those heavier steel gutters and struggle with driving in those 7" nail spikes while holding the gutter up on top of a 2 story ladder they would not work with steel. They are only slick talking salesmen that cannot be trusted. What do I need to demand? As simple logic would dictate if you have a life time metal for the gutters it does not makes sense that the other parts will not last. I only work with rust-free sheet-metal, other than the leaf screen for over the gutters. They should be willing to use stainless steel screws (nail-free) for a lasting hold. You will most likely need to test them with a magnet to be sure they are not just regular screws. Building Code does not require contractors to use aluminum or screws. Although, when aluminum is used for making gutters it is only to Code if it is a lot thicker than steel in order to make sure they are just as strong. So you have a metal that is about twice as thick as steel and will not rust. Realize how most of the money you pay for most any construction work is for labor and their business expenses. Not the cost of parts, so it is a waste to use cheaper materials that will not last 1/3 as long. What about Plastic Gutters? Plastic gutters may not be able to rust out, but they are even worse than steel for longevity and strength. They are so soft that you cannot lean a ladder against them for cleaning the gutters out or servicing the roof. Within a decade the sun breaks down the plasticizer, so they become brittle and crack easily. They're actually more expensive parts, but the seals fail in short order. I have more on this on my FAQ pages |
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What if I am not local to you?
Homeowners:
If they claim they cannot do what I do or get the parts I buy for my clients as listed on this web site, that would be very telling, and you will then know not to hire them. They could also order the custom parts from us through this web site, or you can order these parts yourself. Note: If you do find the information here very helpful, it would be kind of you to show your appreciation for the generous advice I spent thousands of hours to provide here for your benefit. Perhaps this information was worth enough for you to send us a nice gift certificate for dinner at a local restaurant here? A favorite of ours is Newport Bay. Don't feel too bad about not bothering with this kind gesture though, since it has been extremely rare. Far less than 1 in a 1,000 take the time to even send us a nice note of their gratitude. |
Gutter
Contractor Educational Service: |
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For more about my equipment on wheels, click on the photo above |
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Comparison to Our No-clog
Gutter System Above left is an actual aluminum LEAFGUARD® gutter cross section profile that I have to show clients the clear difference. The image right shows my more user-friendly hinged copper leaf screen over my copper K-5 gutter for about the same cost as their flimsy aluminum gutter design.
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Below is a
photo of my |
I was also a 1997 semi-finalist for this award as well. See my referral web page to see how I managed to be honored with this special award two years in a row. |
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If you are local to the Portland Oregon metro area feel free to E-mail us for a free no-obligation estimate, for the finest in rain management |
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"Quality and service is not expensive, it's priceless!" |
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Top 14 corporations w/documented human rights violations
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I do not mean to get political here,
but
these days it is too hard to just ignore
Poignant one-liners:
Let's Fix Democracy in This
Country First
(Actually
we are a Republic, not a Democracy)
You Can't Be Pro-War And Pro-Life At The Same Time
Who Would Jesus Torture
or bomb?
Which God Do You Kill For?
No, Seriously, Why Did We Invade?
Doesn't
that make us the terrorists?
Rich Man's War, Poor
Man's Blood: Is It Vietnam Yet?
Bush Didn't Care About Most White People
Either
When Bush Took Office, Gas Was $1.46
(we should be driving
pneumatic cars)
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