# Pilotiko for gutter companies

> Quebec gutter company? Handle the fall cleaning rush, schedule seamless gutter installs with the right crew and keep ladder safety in view. Free 30-day trial.

Updated on October 15, 2026 · https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/gutters

Pilotiko helps a Quebec gutter company spread fall cleanings over real open slots, schedule seamless gutter installs with the right crew and the right forming machine, and draft quotes that a person approves. Municipal downspout rules and ladder safety stay visible at every step of the job.

## In short
- Recurring fall cleanings are booked online into genuinely free slots.
- The gutter machine and the lift are bookable resources, never at two addresses at once.
- RBQ subclass 7.0 covers gutters, flashing, eaves and ice guards.
- Several cities ban sending downspouts to the sewer: Québec City asks for water to be released more than 2 metres from the house.

## Why does everyone want their gutters cleaned the same week?

Because the leaves come down across a whole neighbourhood at once, and everybody wants empty gutters before the freeze.

A gutter company's year has two halves. From spring to late summer it's installation: seamless aluminum gutters formed on site, downspouts, gutter guards, fascia and soffit cladding. From late September the phone changes tone: everyone wants a cleaning, and right away.

Fall cleaning is short, repetitive and weather-sensitive: a day of heavy rain or wind pushes back a whole run of jobs. Then winter brings ice dams, torn-off downspouts and calls about heating cables. In spring the thaw shows the damage: sagging runs, pulled hangers, water running down the foundation.

A company that can't see its fall slots ahead of time hands out dates over the phone, then spends October moving them around.

| Period | Main work | What to protect in the calendar |
|---|---|---|
| April and May | Post-winter repairs, hangers, downspouts | Short assessment visits |
| June to September | Seamless gutter installs, soffits, fascia | Install days with the forming machine |
| October and November | Cleanings, gutter guards, downspout extensions | Runs by area, booked in advance |
| December to March | Ice, heating cables, torn downspouts | A small emergency block each week |

## Which rules apply to gutter work in Quebec?

The RBQ lists subclass 7.0, Contractor – Insulation, waterproofing, roofing and siding [1]. Its French-language fact sheet names metal cladding of gutters, eaves and flashing, the installation of ice guards, and heating cables along the roof edge when they are plugged in [2].

Where downspouts drain is also a municipal matter. Québec City says gutters that empty into the municipal sewer, directly or indirectly, put the property at risk and overload the treatment plant. It lists as non-compliant draining onto an asphalt, paved or gravel driveway, connecting straight to the street (cutting the curb is prohibited) and connecting to the foundation drain. Water must be directed more than 2 metres from the house [3]. Rules differ from one city to the next, so check them for every municipality you serve.

Finally, nearly everything happens at height. The CNESST says a ladder used for access must extend at least 900 mm (35 in.) beyond the top support and be firmly secured, and that a ladder used as a workstation requires fall protection when the worker could fall more than 3 m. Where possible, it favours an elevating platform or scaffolding [4].

| Point | Reference | How Pilotiko helps |
|---|---|---|
| Subclass 7.0 for gutters, flashing, ice guards | RBQ   | Your licence shown on your hosted website |
| Downspout released 2+ m away, never to the sewer (Québec City) | Québec City  | A standard line on install quotes |
| Ladder secured, 900 mm above the support | CNESST  | A "work at height" skill required for assignment |
| Fall protection above 3 m | CNESST  | The lift booked as a resource |

## How does Pilotiko set up a gutter company's office?

The Home services template sets up **Reception**, **Dispatch**, **Quotes**, **Workshop** for elbows, hangers and aluminum coil, **Vans and fleet** and **Accounting**. In October, **Dispatch** becomes the heart of the business.

Fall cleaning is published as a fixed-length service: the customer picks a free slot, and two cleanings never overlap for the same crew. Seamless installs need the forming machine on the truck; set up as a resource, it can't be promised to two sites on the same morning.

For assignment, Pilotiko ranks crews by skills, free hours and workload after the job. If a three-storey house requires the "lift" skill, anyone without it is ruled out unless a manager explicitly decides otherwise. The quotes agent drafts install quotes by the linear foot; you review them before they go out.

## How many cleanings can you fit between October 1 and November 20?

**Pilotiko estimate: fall cleaning capacity for two crews**

- Working days, October 1 to November 20, 2026, Thanksgiving excluded : 36 days
- − days lost to heavy rain or wind (assumption: 1 in 4) : − 9 days
- = real working days : 27 days
- × 2 crews : 54 crew-days
- × 6 cleanings per crew-day (assumption) : 324 cleanings
- − 10% kept for repairs found on site : ≈ 290 cleanings
- **= About 290 cleanings: past that, every promise made on the phone bumps another one**

## What objections do customers raise?

- "Just hook the downspout into the drain, it's tidier." In Québec City, connecting to the foundation drain is listed as non-compliant [3]: offer a splash block or an extension that releases water more than 2 metres away.
- "With gutter guards I'll never need cleaning again, right?" Don't promise that. Explain the upkeep that remains, depending on the trees on the lot.
- "Can you come tomorrow?" In October, the calendar shows the first real opening in the customer's area instead of a guess.
- "Why two people for a cleaning?" Because ladder work has rules [4] and a lift isn't always possible.

## What isn't available yet?

> Coming soon: automatic grouping of cleanings by route, an AI receptionist for the October call wave, and reminders sent by text. For now, confirmations and reminders are being commissioned: the code is ready, but no message goes out. Grouping by area is done by choosing which slots you open.

## How do you get set up before next leaf season?

Create your services (cleaning, install by the linear foot, repair, heating cable), your crews and their skills, then the forming machine and the lift as resources. Open cleanings to booking in September. Worth reading: the [work order](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/glossary/work-order), how [dispatch](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/glossary/dispatch) works and our guide to [reducing missed appointments](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/guides/reduce-no-shows).

Related trades: [roofing](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/roofing), [window cleaning](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/window-cleaning) and [insulation](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/insulation), useful when ice dams point to a poorly insulated attic. Plans are on the [pricing](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/pricing) page.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do you need an RBQ licence to install gutters?

Yes, for construction work: subclass 7.0 covers metal cladding of gutters, flashing and eaves, as well as ice guards. For cleaning-only work, check the RBQ's keyword index or ask the RBQ directly.

### Can a downspout be connected to the foundation drain?

Not in Québec City: the city lists that connection among its non-compliance examples and asks for water to be directed more than 2 metres from the house. Other cities have their own by-laws, so check them for each customer.

### Which CNESST rules apply to ladder work?

A ladder used for access must sit on a firm base, extend at least 900 mm beyond the top support and be secured. Used as a workstation, it requires fall protection above 3 m. The CNESST favours a platform or scaffolding where possible.

### Can customers book their fall cleaning online?

Yes. You publish the service with its length, and the customer picks from genuinely free slots. You can open only the days your crews are in their area.

### Does Pilotiko optimise cleaning routes?

Not yet: route optimisation is coming. Today, assignment accounts for calendars, skills and workload, and you choose which slots to open by area.

### Does Pilotiko send install quotes?

Not on its own. The quotes agent drafts from your prices; a person reviews and sends it.

## Sources

1. Régie du bâtiment du Québec, « Specialized contractor's licence subclasses », https://www.rbq.gouv.qc.ca/en/licence/determining-your-licence-subclasses/specialized-contractor/specialized-contractors-licence-subclasses/ (accessed on 2026-10-15)
2. Régie du bâtiment du Québec, « Sous-catégorie 7.0 – Entrepreneur en isolation, étanchéité, couvertures et revêtements extérieurs », https://www.rbq.gouv.qc.ca/services-en-ligne/licence/determiner-la-licence-requise/liste-des-sous-categories/?tx_gdlr_pi1%5Bexternal%5D=1&tx_gdlr_pi1%5Bsubcat%5D=55&cHash=ac6d9a3dbc9d54c3491346ac88054bdb (accessed on 2026-10-15)
3. Ville de Québec, « Gouttières », https://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/citoyens/propriete/eau/eau-pluviale/gouttieres.aspx (accessed on 2026-10-15)
4. CNESST, « Falling from a ladder », https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/en/prevention-securite/identifier-corriger-risques/liste-informations-prevention/chute-partir-dune-echelle (accessed on 2026-10-15)