Roof Area Calculation
Gutter and downpipe sized to the actual roof feeding them, not to whatever was there before.
Gutters
Gutters
in New Orleans
Undersized gutters are the most common and cheapest to fix cause of foundation trouble in this city. Rain here does not arrive politely.
What We Do
Sized for the Rain We Actually Get
A gutter that copes fine in most of the country will overflow here. When a storm drops several inches in an hour, an undersized gutter sheets water straight down the wall and into the ground beside your foundation.
That is where settling starts. Wet soil on one side of a pier and beam house and dry on the other is exactly how you get a floor that slopes and doors that stop closing.
We size the gutter and the downpipes to the roof area, then make sure the water actually goes somewhere once it leaves them.
Gutters rarely appear on a remodeling quote and often should. They decide where the water off your roof ends up.
- Gutter replacement and new installation
- Downpipe sizing and placement
- Fascia repair
- Gutter guards
- Cleaning and unblocking
- Tie in to drainage
What You Get
What a Gutter Job Covers
Fascia Repair
Rotten fascia replaced. Hanging new gutter off soft timber is a callback waiting to happen.
Fall and Fixing
Pitched so water moves, and fixed at the spacing that stops it sagging in a downpour.
Downpipes
Enough of them, in the right places, sized to clear the volume.
Discharge
Water taken away from the foundation rather than dumped at the base of the wall.
Guards
Optional, and genuinely useful under trees. We will say when they are not worth it.
How It Works
Four Steps From Call to Finished
The same process on every job in the New Orleans metro, whether it is one room or the whole house.
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Free On-Site Walkthrough
We come to the property and look at the actual house. On older New Orleans homes that means checking settling, moisture and what sits behind the plaster before anyone quotes a number.
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Written Scope and Price
You get gutters written down: what is included, what is not, and what could change it. No charge and no obligation.
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One Crew, One Contact
Materials, trades and scheduling handled in house. You hear about problems the day we find them, not in a bill at the end.
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Walk It and Sign Off
We walk the finished work with you, write down anything you are not happy with, and fix it before the job is called complete.
Gallery
Seamless Aluminum, Copper, and Guards: What’s Actually Worth Paying For
Seamless aluminum gutters are the standard choice for most New Orleans homes, and for good reason. Seamless construction means fewer joints where leaks start, and aluminum resists rust in a humid climate better than older galvanized steel gutters do. For most houses, seamless aluminum is the right balance of performance and cost.
Copper gutters cost significantly more and develop a patina over time that some homeowners want on a historic home and others don’t. They perform well and last a long time, but the decision usually comes down to look and budget rather than function, since aluminum handles this climate’s rainfall just fine.
Gutter guards are worth considering given how much tree cover many New Orleans neighborhoods have. Live oaks drop leaves and debris nearly year round, not just in fall, which means gutters here clog faster than in a lot of other climates. Guards reduce how often gutters need to be cleared, but they don’t eliminate maintenance entirely and still need periodic checking.
How Bad Gutters Cause Foundation Problems in This City
Gutters that overflow or drain too close to the house send water straight down next to the foundation instead of away from it, and in a city with a high water table and a lot of pier and beam foundations, that’s a bigger problem here than in drier climates. Water pooling at the foundation is one of the more common causes of the soft, shifting soil that leads to pier settlement over time.
This is especially true on pier and beam homes, where the crawl space underneath is already closer to ground moisture than a house on a slab. Poorly draining gutters add to that moisture load every time it rains, which is often in this region. A downspout that dumps water two feet from the house isn’t doing its job even if the gutters themselves are in good shape.
If you’ve noticed doors or windows sticking, or new cracks in interior plaster, gutter drainage is worth checking before assuming it’s a bigger structural issue. Sometimes it’s the gutters, not the foundation itself, that started the problem.
Sizing and Downspout Placement: Where Gutter Installs Go Wrong
A common installation mistake is using the same gutter size and downspout count on every house regardless of roof size, which leaves larger roofs undersized for the volume of water they actually shed during a hard rain. Roof square footage and pitch should decide gutter size and downspout placement, not a one size fits all default.
Downspouts need to actually move water away from the foundation, not just off the roof. A downspout that empties directly onto the ground next to the house recreates the same drainage problem the gutters were installed to solve. Extensions, or a connection to proper drainage that carries water several feet away from the foundation, are part of a correct installation, not an optional add-on.
If your house has areas where water visibly pools after rain, point those out before gutters are installed. Downspout placement can often be planned around those low spots instead of draining straight into them.
Local Knowledge
Where the Water Goes Next
Getting water off the roof is half the job. If the downpipe discharges onto the ground beside the house you have moved the problem twelve inches.
On most New Orleans lots there is nowhere obvious for it to go, which is why gutters and drainage are really one job. See drainage.
- Ten inch eventsCapacity sized for the rain this city actually gets
- Foundation dampDischarge routed away so soil moisture stays even around the house
- Tree litterGuards where oak and magnolia make blockages inevitable
- Soft fasciaTimber replaced before new gutter is hung off it
Ready For a Straight Number?
Tell us what you want done. We will come look at the house and put it in writing.
They transformed my old kitchen into a modern space quickly and kept everything clean.
Lucas Rivera
They renovated our entire condo and the quality is top-tier. New flooring, fresh paint, and updated lighting throughout.
Sophie Ruby
A full main floor renovation. Honest pricing, high-quality materials, and a very hardworking crew.
Zachary Bailey
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if mine are too small?
If they overflow in a hard rain, they are too small, blocked, or pitched wrong. All three are fixable.
Can you just clean them?
Yes. If the system is sound and simply blocked, cleaning is the right call and we will say so.
Do you fix the fascia at the same time?
Yes, and it usually needs it. Rotten fascia is the reason a lot of gutters are sagging in the first place.
Is there a difference between renovation and remodeling?
In practice, no. People use both words for the same work, and we answer to either. If you want the longer version we wrote about it: renovating vs remodeling.
Are gutter guards worth it for New Orleans homes?
Given how much year round leaf and debris drop comes from live oaks and other mature trees in this region, gutter guards are usually worth it. They reduce how often gutters clog and need clearing, though they don’t eliminate maintenance completely and still need periodic checks.
Can bad gutters actually affect my foundation?
Yes. Gutters that overflow or drain too close to the house add moisture right at the foundation, which is a common contributor to pier settlement in pier and beam homes and shifting soil issues in this region’s high water table. Proper drainage away from the house helps protect the foundation over time.
How do I know if my gutters are the right size for my roof?
Gutter and downspout sizing should be based on your roof’s square footage and pitch, not a standard size used on every house. A roof that sheds more water than its gutters can handle will overflow during heavy rain, even if the gutters themselves are in good condition.
Cities We Serve
Gutters Across the New Orleans Metro
Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and Tangipahoa parishes, and out to Baton Rouge.
- New Orleans
- Metairie
- Kenner
- Gretna
- Slidell
- Covington
- Mandeville
- Madisonville
- LaPlace
- Hammond
- St Rose
- Baton Rouge
Not listed? Call 504-470-0455. We cover most of the metro and the Northshore.
Explore Our Services
What Else We Do
One contractor, inside and out, across the New Orleans metro and the Northshore.
Where We Are
Based on Magazine Street
We work out of 3436 Magazine Street in Uptown New Orleans, which puts most of the metro within a short run and the Northshore inside an easy morning.
- Address3436 Magazine Street #120-D
New Orleans, LA 70115 - Phone504-470-0455
- HoursMonday to Saturday, 8:00am to 5:00pm
Next Step
Let’s Talk About Gutters
Tell us what you want done in New Orleans and we will come and look at the house. Free written estimate, no obligation, and a number that holds.
Free Estimate
Let's Look At Your House
Send this over and we will call you back to set up a walkthrough.
- Call504-470-0455
- Visit3436 Magazine Street #120-D
New Orleans, LA 70115 - HoursMonday to Saturday, 8:00am to 5:00pm