Got Gutters?

It’s not the most intriguing of discussion topics around the Monday morning water cooler. In fact, you’re probably more likely to talk about a kitchen remodel or what’s getting planted in the garden this spring; still, gutters are an often overlooked aspect of your home. “It’s amazing how different a house looks before and after,” said Caleb Nicholson, owner of Nicholson’s Custom Gutters.

Caleb and his wife Sandi live in Athol with their three children and do custom gutter work all over North Idaho. The Nicholsons first knew they wanted to run their own business after spending years in Africa working for a Christian organization in a heavily Muslim population. While the couple faced challenges of raising three small children abroad, including language and cultural barriers and intermittent power failures, they were impressed with the dedication and hard work of the people who lived around them. “I had workers that would go out of their way to save me a few pennies on my orders,” recalled Caleb. “They really earned my trust by caring for the details, something I try and do with each and every one of my customers today.”

Now happily settled in North Idaho, Caleb and Sandi really take the word custom seriously, believing each home deserves individual attention. “We save people money by not selling them something they don’t need,” said Sandi. Nicholson’s Custom Gutters offer a variety of different seamless gutters, everything from aluminum all the way up to distinctive copper.

Caleb goes to every home with the same approach; look at the current gutters, address any problem areas, determine a budget and what’s important and come up with a quote that fits the customer’s needs. Caleb has seen many cases where the gutters might look okay from below, but not so when he gets to the roof. “I’ve found all sorts of mold and other nasty elements growing in gutters that otherwise look totally fine.” If your gutters don’t need to be replaced, Caleb will do the dirty work for you by cleaning them out and making sure they are functioning properly. Nicholson’s Custom Gutters also carries Gutter Guards, a protective cover for your gutters that helps keep leaves, sticks and pine needles out of the gutters so they can drain properly.

Another inspiration they realized from living abroad was the ability to let as little as possible go to waste. When the business first began, Caleb and Sandi were wondering if there was a good use for the leftover ends after cutting lengths of gutters. After some thought, they realized that these leftover pieces would work great as flower boxes that can hang below a window. The window boxes are perfect for growing herbs and flowers and are another way Nicholson’s Custom Gutters is keeping their environmental impact low.

A lot can go wrong trying to hang gutters yourself. If the angle is off even a half inch, they won’t drain properly, and gutters that aren’t seamless can leak and will need to be replaced sooner. “You need gutters because your home is your greatest asset,” said Caleb. “Without them rain can destroy your siding, warp your foundation and pools of frozen water during the transition months are very hazardous.” It might not be at the top of your list for home improvement projects, but a one-day fix might save you big in the long run.

Nicholson’s Custom Rain Gutters

www.NicholsonsRainGutters.com

208.755.2916

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