Since 1989, Kevin Rogalski and business partner Alex Goliszewski have been cleaning, installing and repairing residential gutters in Fairfield and Westchester counties. They say they began the business because they saw a basic need for improved gutter services on peoples' homes. Although it's a dirty job, Rogalski and Goliszewski take it very seriouslly. "Well, this is a very important thing for us. You don't want people that aren't certified to do this type work. We're registered with the state and so forth, but if you're not certified you're taking a big chance because of liability", said Rogalski.

What did you do before this? I was a landscaper.

What can happen if people don't get their gutters cleaned regularly?
It can damage your foundation and the paint on your home, and it causes erosion, too. These things can cost thousands of Dollars to fix.

Do you have regular customers?
We have hundreds of regular customers. We have a strong presence in the community because we do a lot of direct mail advertising.

How much does it cost?
It ranges from $60 to $120. Sometimes it might be more than that, depending on how big the house is. Larger houses are more.

How many other people do you work with?
We have a team of about eight contractors.

Any downtime in the business?
There's not too much downtime. We keep pretty busy. The peak seasons art spring and fall. This time of year can be a little slower, so we'll do repairs and installations. We even work throughout the winter. Sometimes people forget to get their gutters cleaned and will call us as late as January or February.

Any funny stories? You find dolls and kids' toys sometimes. We run into a lot of bees' nests. I've been stung before. You have to be careful because when you're on a roof there's not a whole lot of room to run around.

What makes your business different from others?
We have an ongoing maintenance program. When a person signs up for the first time, we enter their information in a computer, and call to remind them it's time for cleaning. This makes it more convenient for the customer. We like to educate our customers as well. It takes a lot of perseverance to do this, but there's a big demand foot it in this area and we like to think that we fulfill that demand with quality service.