Seamless Gutters & Drainage
Sized for Gulf-South Rain
Standard 5-inch gutters get overwhelmed by the rainfall events common across LA, MS, AL, and the Gulf Coast. We default to 6-inch with 3×4 downspouts because the math actually requires it — and bundle fascia repair so the new gutters don't re-fail in five years.
Why Gutters Matter
The Cheapest Foundation Insurance You Can Buy
Gutters look simple — sheet metal channels at the eaves to catch and direct rainwater. What they actually do is protect everything below the roofline: the foundation from soil erosion and hydrostatic pressure, the siding and trim from splash-back rot, the landscaping from washout, and the basement or crawlspace from saturation. Failed or undersized gutters are the leading cause of foundation movement, fascia rot, and landscape erosion on residential properties in our markets.
The single most important sizing decision is downspout capacity. Standard 5-inch K-style gutters with 2×3 downspouts are engineered for moderate rainfall climates — and they routinely overwhelm during the 2–4 inch per hour summer thunderstorms common across LA, MS, AL, and the Gulf Coast. When the system overwhelms, water cascades over the front lip of the gutter and lands at the base of the foundation: exactly where the gutter exists to prevent water from landing.
That's why we default to 6-inch K-style gutters with 3×4 downspouts on most Deep South installations. Six-inch gutters carry 40% more capacity than 5-inch; 3×4 downspouts move roughly 70% more water than 2×3. The math accommodates real Gulf-region rainfall events, not the moderate rainfall the standard residential gutter spec was designed around.
The other thing that determines whether a gutter system works is what's behind it. Most failed gutter situations have rotted fascia behind them — and installing new gutters into rotten fascia just sets up the next failure. We inspect fascia during every gutter quote, replace damaged wood as part of the project, and prime/paint to match. The installations we do tend to last 25 years; the ones that don't are usually because someone skipped this step.
Why Our Gutters Are Different
Protects Foundation & Landscaping
Properly sized and installed gutters direct 100% of roof runoff away from the foundation. Without them — or with undersized or clogged gutters — the same volume of water hits the ground at the base of the home, eroding soil, saturating foundations, and rotting siding from below. The single most cost-effective form of foundation protection a homeowner can install.
Sized for Gulf-South Rainfall
Standard 5" K-style gutters with 2×3" downspouts are sized for moderate rainfall climates. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Gulf Coast routinely see 2–4 inches of rain per hour during summer thunderstorms — overwhelming standard sizing. We default to 6" gutters with 3×4" downspouts on most of our installations because the math actually requires it.
Seamless Installation
We form gutters on-site from continuous aluminum coil — no factory seams every 10 feet to leak, separate, or stain over time. Seams exist only at corners and downspout connections, which we seal with marine-grade sealant rated for exterior exposure. Cleaner aesthetic, fewer failure points, and meaningfully longer service life.
Hidden Hanger System
We install with concealed hangers screwed directly through the gutter back into solid fascia framing — not the older spike-and-ferrule method that loosens over time and lets gutters sag. Screw-mounted hangers carry significantly higher load capacity (critical when the gutter fills with leaves or freezes) and are virtually invisible from the ground.
Fascia & Soffit Coordination
Most failed gutter situations come back to rotted fascia behind them. When we replace gutters, we inspect the fascia and soffit beneath, replace any damaged wood, and re-prime/paint as part of the project. Skipping this step is why gutters re-fail within 5 years — the new gutters were screwed into the same rotten fascia the old ones pulled away from.
Insurance & Storm Considerations
Gutter damage from wind, hail, or fallen trees is typically covered under standard homeowners insurance — and we document storm damage to gutters during the same site visit when we're documenting roof damage. Bundling gutter and roof claim documentation into a single adjuster visit is more efficient for everyone involved.
Gutter Guard Compatibility
We install Leaf Filter, Gutter Helmet, MasterShield, and other major gutter guard systems — or our own engineered micro-mesh option — as add-on or retrofit. We don't pressure homeowners into guards (most aren't worth the cost), but for homes with heavy tree coverage or two-story access challenges, the right guard system pays back the investment quickly.
Downspout Drainage Solutions
Where gutters end matters as much as how they're installed. We design downspout drainage to direct water at least 6 feet from the foundation — extension elbows, pop-up emitters, French drain integration, or rain barrel connection where appropriate. The gutters do half the job; the downspout discharge does the other half.
Gutter System Specs
6-inch K-style gutters with 3×4 downspouts is our default Gulf-region spec. Coastal and premium installs upgrade to .032 aluminum or copper.
Bundling with a re-roof?
Gutters and fascia are easiest to replace during a roof project — full access, fewer site visits, and coordinated drip-edge to gutter alignment.
View Roof Replacement →Gutter Profiles
Four Residential Gutter Systems
From standard 5-inch aluminum to premium half-round copper. The right system depends on your rainfall climate, architectural style, and ownership horizon.
5" K-Style Aluminum (Standard)
The volume residential gutter — formed on-site from .027 or .032 aluminum coil in 30+ baked-on enamel colors. 5-inch profile with a stylized fascia-board front face that complements traditional architecture. 20–30 year service life with proper installation. The right answer for most homes in moderate-rainfall portions of our service area.
Best For
Most homes outside the heaviest Gulf-rainfall zones; budget-conscious replacements; traditional architectural styles
6" K-Style Aluminum (Gulf-Rain Spec)
Larger 6-inch profile delivering 40% more capacity than 5-inch — sized for the 2–4 inch per hour rainfall events common across LA, MS, AL, and the Gulf Coast. We default to 6-inch on coastal and Deep South installs because standard 5-inch overwhelms during thunderstorms and the runoff defeats the purpose of having gutters at all.
Best For
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Gulf Coast, and any home with steep large roof faces draining into a single gutter run
Half-Round Copper
Premium half-round profile in 16-oz or 20-oz copper — the historical residential gutter material on premier and historic-district homes. Develops a natural patina over decades, eventually settling at the deep verdigris green characteristic of old American architecture. 50–100+ year service life. Significant premium pricing offset by lifetime durability and aesthetic.
Best For
Historic homes, premier estates, slate or copper-flashing roofs, period-correct restoration
Box Gutters / Built-In
Concealed gutters integrated into the roof structure or behind a parapet — common on Greek Revival, Italianate, and historic commercial-residential conversions. Specialty installation with EPDM, TPO, or copper liner. Higher cost, higher craftsmanship requirement, and the historical correctness only architectural-style restoration warrants.
Best For
Historic restoration with original box gutter systems; high-end custom architecture
Where Sizing Matters
Home & Climate Applications
Gutter sizing isn't one-size-fits-all. Rainfall climate, tree coverage, foundation type, and architectural style all influence the right spec.
Heavy Rainfall Markets
LA, MS, AL, and the Gulf Coast see 50–70 inches of annual rainfall, much of it concentrated in summer thunderstorms producing 2–4 inches per hour. Standard 5-inch gutters with 2×3 downspouts overwhelm during these events; we default to 6-inch with 3×4 downspouts on most of these markets.
Heavy Tree Coverage
Homes under significant oak, pine, or magnolia coverage need either gutter guards or 4–6 cleanings per year to keep gutters functional. We assess tree coverage as part of the install and recommend guard systems where they actually pay back.
Foundation-Sensitive Homes
Slab-on-grade homes, raised pier-and-beam construction, and homes with finished basements all depend on functional gutters to prevent foundation movement and moisture. The cheapest foundation insurance a homeowner can buy is a properly sized gutter system with extended downspout discharge.
Two-Story Homes
Two-story homes need oversized capacity in the lower-roof gutters to handle both upper-story discharge and direct second-story rainfall. We size second-story gutters one tier larger than ground-floor and route discharge to dedicated downspouts.
Coastal & Salt-Air Exposure
Coastal LA, MS, AL, TX, and FL benefit from upgraded substrate (heavier .032 aluminum, copper) and corrosion-resistant fastener hardware. Salt-air shortens standard aluminum service life noticeably; the upgrade is modest and the longevity gain is meaningful.
Historic & Period-Correct
Half-round copper, painted half-round galvanized, or restored box gutters are often required by historic preservation boards and HOA architectural review committees. We work within preservation requirements on all four major historic-district materials.
New Construction & Major Renovation
Building new or renovating is the ideal moment to design gutter discharge into the broader site drainage plan — French drains, dry wells, rain barrels, or pop-up emitters. Coordinating with the landscape and grading is far easier when other site work is already underway.
Storm-Damage Replacement
Wind, hail, and fallen-tree damage to gutters is covered under most homeowners policies. We document the damage along with any roof damage during the same site visit, attend the adjuster inspection, and replace under the claim scope. Often a fast secondary scope to add to a roof claim.
Cost Factors
What Determines Gutter Pricing
Gutter pricing is driven by ten specific variables. We provide a written, itemized estimate after a free site visit — including any fascia repair scope identified during the assessment.
Relative tiers for a typical Southern home (150–250 linear feet of gutter):
- 5-inch K-style aluminum: Lower-cost option
- 6-inch K-style aluminum (Gulf spec): Mid-tier (our default)
- Gutter guards (Leaf Filter / micro-mesh): Add-on premium
- Half-round copper: Top of the residential gutter market
Pricing depends on linear footage, profile, downspout count, access, and any fascia work uncovered during inspection — we provide a written estimate after a free on-site visit.
Request a Written Estimate10 Variables That Drive Gutter Cost
- 01Linear footage of gutter (drives material and labor)
- 02Profile and size (5" K-style baseline, 6" upgrade, copper premium)
- 03Material gauge (.027 standard vs .032 premium aluminum)
- 04Number of downspouts and downspout sizing (2×3 vs 3×4)
- 05Number of corners (each adds installation complexity)
- 06Fascia condition (rotten fascia replacement adds scope)
- 07Story height (two-story access requires lifts or scaffolding)
- 08Gutter guard inclusion (Leaf Filter, micro-mesh, etc.)
- 09Color and finish selection (custom colors carry premium)
- 10Discharge solutions (extensions, pop-up emitters, drainage tie-ins)
Long-Term Care
Maintenance, Repair & Storm Response
Functional gutters need 2–6 cleanings per year (depending on tree coverage). Storm damage and chronic-clog damage to fascia are the two most common gutter-related repair calls.
Roof + Gutter Maintenance
Annual roof and gutter inspection, gutter cleaning, fascia condition checks, and downspout discharge verification.
Learn more →
Roof Repair
Drip-edge replacement, fascia rot repair, soffit ventilation correction — the work that's usually adjacent to a gutter project.
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Storm Claims
Wind, hail, and fallen-tree damage to gutters documented and replaced under your homeowners claim — bundled with any roof scope.
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FAQ
Gutters FAQ
- For most LA, MS, AL, and Gulf Coast homes, we default to 6-inch K-style gutters with 3×4 downspouts. Standard 5-inch gutters are sized for moderate-rainfall climates and are routinely overwhelmed during the 2–4 inch per hour summer thunderstorms common across the Deep South. AR, KS, North TX, and inland FL homes typically work fine with 5-inch — though steep large roof faces draining into a single gutter run benefit from 6-inch in any market. We measure roof area and pitch as part of the assessment and size accordingly.
- It depends on your home. Homes under heavy tree coverage (oak, pine, magnolia) where you're cleaning gutters 4–6 times per year typically pay back gutter guards within 3–5 years through saved cleaning costs alone — and pay back further if you've had foundation or fascia damage from missed cleanings. Homes with minimal tree exposure rarely benefit. We recommend guards only when the math actually works for your specific home; we don't pressure-sell them.
- For homes without gutter guards: minimum twice per year (late spring after pollen drop, late fall after leaf drop). Homes under heavy tree coverage need 4–6 cleanings per year. Homes with quality gutter guards typically need annual inspection only. The single biggest cause of gutter-related foundation damage we see is missed cleanings overwhelming the system during a heavy rain event — back-feeding water under the lowest course of shingles and rotting fascia from behind.
- Wind, hail, fallen-tree, and other covered-peril damage to gutters is typically covered under standard homeowners policies, minus your deductible. We document gutter damage along with roof damage during the same site visit, attend the adjuster inspection, and complete replacement under the claim scope. Wear-and-tear or maintenance failures (sagging from clogs, separation from rotted fascia) are not covered — those are homeowner responsibility.
- Yes, when needed. Most failed gutter situations have rotted fascia behind them — installing new gutters into rotten fascia just sets up the next failure. We inspect fascia and soffit during the gutter quote, replace damaged wood with primed pine or PVC trim, and prime/paint to match. Many homeowners are surprised to learn this is a common scope addition, but skipping it is why so many gutter replacements re-fail within 5 years.
- Pricing depends on linear footage, profile/size, number of downspouts, fascia replacement scope, and gutter guard inclusion. Relative tiers for a typical Southern home with 150–250 linear feet of gutter: 5" K-style aluminum is the lower-cost option; 6" K-style aluminum (Gulf-rain spec) sits in the mid-tier; half-round copper is at the top of the residential gutter market. Two-story access adds 15–25%. We provide a written, itemized estimate after a free site visit.
- Brown's Roofing gutter installations come with two warranties: the manufacturer's 20-year baked-enamel finish warranty (against fade, peel, and chalk) and our 10-year workmanship warranty (against leaks, separation, and hanger failure caused by installation issues). Half-round copper carries the manufacturer's lifetime durability rating. Damage from clogs, ice dams, or storm events is excluded from workmanship coverage but typically covered by homeowners insurance.
Gutters in Your Market
Free Assessment
Get a Gutter Quote
Free site visit, written estimate, and an honest assessment of fascia condition. We'll size for your actual rainfall climate, not the standard residential default.