Gutter Installation in Arlington, VA

Local know-how

Arlington County’s downspout guidance

Arlington County publishes practical guidance on downspout redirection. It recommends that a downspout extension end at least 3 feet from the basement foundation and point toward a downward slope.

The county’s conservation landscaping guidance goes further for downspouts that discharge onto the ground: extend them 5 feet from foundations, and 10 feet where a basement is present.

The stormwater utility credit

Arlington charges a stormwater utility fee and offers voluntary credits. Single-family homeowners can earn a 5% credit for a rainwater redirection system, such as a French drain or dry well, with at least one downspout connected. Pop-up drains that simply release downspout water without storage do not qualify. A rain barrel system of at least 100 gallons is an alternative, but the 5% credit is given only once per property. Applications need a site drawing and photos, and credits must be recertified every two years; check the county’s credit manual and application window before you build. See underground downspout drainage and rainwater harvesting from gutters.

Older homes and basements

Arlington has many older homes with basements, from brick colonials to bungalows, often on lots that slope toward the house in places. Downspouts that dump at the foundation are a common cause of damp basements. Combine new gutters with extensions or a buried line to a dry well where soils allow. See downspouts and your foundation and wet basement? check gutters first.

Weather

The Washington region gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year (1991–2020 normals at Reagan National), spread fairly evenly across the seasons, with summer thunderstorms, tropical remnants and occasional snow. Mature oaks and tulip poplars fill gutters in fall. See are gutter guards worth it?

Costs

Angi puts seamless gutter projects in Washington, D.C., at about $980 to $1,525, with an average of about $1,252; there is no separate Arlington figure. HomeGuide puts seamless aluminum at about $6 to $12 per foot installed nationally. See our cost guide.

Virginia licensing

In Virginia, contractors need a license from the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) for jobs over $1,000, including labor and materials. Ask for the license number and verify it on DPOR’s website, along with insurance and a written contract. See how to choose a gutter contractor.

Sources

• Arlington County: Downspout redirection
• Arlington County: Single family residential stormwater credit, rainwater collection and/or redirection
• Arlington County: Conservation landscaping guidance (2023)
• Capital Weather Gang: DC’s climate by the numbers
• Angi: How much do seamless gutters cost in Washington, DC?
• HomeGuide: Seamless gutters cost
• Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation: Board for Contractors