Gutter Installation in Evanston, IL

Local know-how

Evanston and the combined sewer

Evanston has a combined sewer system, so roof water that enters a sewer lateral competes with wastewater during storms. The City of Evanston’s Utilities Department says private sewer backups often happen when the lateral is overwhelmed by stormwater from roof gutters and downspouts, and it highly recommends that all downspouts discharge to the ground rather than connect to the sewer.

The city’s Stormwater Management Guide adds that in certain zoning districts disconnection is required under City Code. A building code ordinance for the R1, R2 and R3 districts directs that roof stormwater on one- and two-family homes drain by gutters and downspouts to the front and rear of the property and not to the combined or sanitary sewer. Residents with questions are directed to 311.

What disconnection looks like on a narrow lot

Evanston’s older neighborhoods have brick two-flats, bungalows and frame houses on 30- to 50-foot lots, often with basements and gangways between homes. A disconnected downspout needs room to discharge without flooding the neighbor’s gangway or your own basement window well. Common solutions are extensions toward the front or rear yard, splash blocks on a graded strip and, where there is space, a rain barrel or small rain garden. See downspout disconnection programs and gutters and window wells.

What the city is planning

Evanston’s 2023 Stormwater Master Plan lists options such as requiring downspout and sump pump disconnection for building additions or improvements, and at point of sale for homes. These are recommendations rather than adopted rules, but they show the direction: new gutters in Evanston should be planned to drain to the ground from the start.

Weather and older homes

Chicago O’Hare’s 1991–2020 normals show about 37 inches of precipitation and nearly 37 inches of snow a year. Lake-effect snow, ice dams on older uninsulated roofs and intense summer storms all test gutters here. Many Evanston homes have built-in or half-round gutters and historic district rules. See ice dams and gutters and gutters on historic homes.

Costs and contracts

Angi puts the average gutter installation project in Chicago at about $1,600, with most projects between about $851 and $2,424; there is no separate Evanston figure. Illinois has no statewide home improvement license, but contracts over $1,000 must be in writing and include the state’s consumer rights pamphlet. See our cost guide and how to choose a gutter contractor.

Before you book in Evanston

• Sewer connection: if your downspouts still run into the sewer, plan the disconnection with the new gutters.
• Discharge: toward the front or rear yard, not into the gangway or a window well.
• Historic districts: check whether visible changes need review.
• Questions: the city directs residents to 311 for disconnection guidance.

Sources

• City of Evanston: Sewer systems and private sewer backups
• City of Evanston: Stormwater Management Guide (December 2019)
• City of Evanston: Stormwater Master Plan (2023)
• Illinois State Climatologist: Chicago O’Hare climate normals
• Angi: How much does gutter installation cost in Chicago, IL?
• Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act (815 ILCS 513)