Gutter Installation in Tennessee

Local know-how

Gutters and gutter guards in Tennessee

Tennessee gets plenty of rain, often around 50 inches a year, with strong storms. Clogged or undersized gutters overflow and send water toward crawl spaces and basements.

Chattanooga’s hills and the wooded Tri-Cities region make guards and downspout placement important.

In Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol, many homes sit on hillsides where downspouts must carry water downhill and away from basements. Guards are popular under the region’s hardwoods.

Key facts: gutters in Tennessee

• Typical cost: HomeGuide puts seamless aluminum gutters at about $6 to $12 per linear foot installed nationally; local prices vary.
• Do gutter installers need a license in Tennessee? In counties that adopted the home improvement law, projects from $3,000 to under $25,000 require a home improvement license; larger jobs need a contractor license.
• How much rain does Tennessee get? Nashville about 50, Knoxville about 47 and Memphis just under 55 inches a year under the 1991–2020 normals.
• Common choice: seamless aluminum K-style gutters in 5- or 6-inch sizes; 6-inch with 3x4-inch downspouts for large roofs and heavy rain.
• How to get connected: call the number on this page and you are connected with an independent local installer who serves your ZIP code. The call is free and there is no obligation.

Updated November 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

One of the wetter states

Tennessee’s cities are wet: Nashville’s normal annual rainfall is about 50 inches, Knoxville about 47 and Memphis just under 55 under the 1991–2020 normals. Heavy downpours can come in any season, and slow-moving storms bring flooding: on May 1–2, 2010, Nashville received 13.57 inches of rain in two days, more than doubling its previous two-day record, according to the National Weather Service.

Gutters in Tennessee have to handle intense rain on large roofs. Many newer homes in Middle Tennessee have builder-grade gutters that are undersized, and owners upgrade to 6-inch gutters and larger downspouts. See 5-inch vs. 6-inch gutters.

Ground that matters

• East Tennessee karst: much of Knox County sits on limestone and dolomite where sinkholes are a documented hazard. Spread downspout discharge out and never drain into depressions. See gutters in sinkhole country.
• Memphis loess: wind-blown silt that erodes easily and loses strength when soaked, over clay that swells and shrinks, according to the USGS. Carry water well away from foundations.
• Middle Tennessee hills and clay: sloped lots with crawl spaces and basements on the downhill side.

Ice storms

Much of Tennessee sits where winter storms bring freezing rain. Winter Storm Landon in February 2022 left up to half an inch of ice across the Memphis area and was among the largest outage events in MLGW’s history. Ice adds weight to gutters and brings down limbs. Hidden hangers at close spacing into sound fascia and trimmed branches reduce damage. See ice dams and gutters.

Trees and crawl spaces

Oaks, maples, tulip poplars, magnolias and pines shade most Tennessee neighborhoods. Leaves fall for months, and pollen and seeds clog gutters in spring. Many homes have crawl spaces that stay damp when roof water is dumped at the foundation. See gutter guards for pine needles vs. leaves and gutters and pests.

Chattanooga and the plateau

Chattanooga and Hamilton County, where the home improvement license also applies, combine heavy rain with steep ridges and limestone valleys. Homes on Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain and Missionary Ridge sit on slopes where roof water should be piped to safe outlets, while valley neighborhoods may sit on karst. The Cumberland Plateau gets more snow and ice than the river valleys. Plan downspout discharge carefully on every sloped lot. See underground downspout drainage.

Tennessee home improvement license

Tennessee requires a Home Improvement license from the Board for Licensing Contractors for residential remodeling projects from $3,000 to less than $25,000 in counties that have adopted the home improvement law, including Davidson, Rutherford, Knox, Shelby, Hamilton and a few others. Larger projects require a full contractor license. Many full gutter replacements fall into that range, so ask for the license number and verify it with the Board.

Tennessee areas we cover

• Nashville and Middle Tennessee: the 2010 flood, new subdivisions.
• Knoxville and East Tennessee: karst, hillsides, ice.
• Memphis and the Mid-South: loess, ice storms, old neighborhoods.

Costs

HomeGuide puts seamless aluminum gutters at about $6 to $12 per linear foot installed nationally. 6-inch systems, guards and work on hillside homes cost more. We did not find reliable published averages for Tennessee metros. See our cost guide.

Choosing gutters in Tennessee

Size gutters and downspouts for heavy rain, carry water away from crawl spaces and basements, and spread discharge in karst areas. Under trees, fine-mesh guards reduce clogs; close hanger spacing helps with ice. Fall is the busiest season for guards; late winter and early spring are good times for replacement. See downspout size and placement.

Storm season and tornadoes

Tennessee sees severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in spring and late fall. Strapped downspouts, guards that fasten down and trimmed limbs reduce storm damage to gutters. After storms, document damage with photos, get written estimates, and verify the installer’s license if the job falls in the licensing range. See gutters and high winds and gutter damage and homeowners insurance.

Sources

• WPLN: Nashville’s new climate normals
• National Weather Service Nashville: The May 2010 flood
• Climate-Zone: Knoxville climate (NOAA 1991–2020)
• Memphis Weather Blog: Meet the new normal in Memphis weather (NWS 1991–2020)
• Knox County Stormwater: Sinkholes
• U.S. Geological Survey: Geology and loess of the Memphis area
• MLGW: February 2022 winter storm restoration update
• Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Home improvement license
• Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Bidding and contractor license requirements, counties with the home improvement law (2026 webinar slides)
• HomeGuide: Seamless gutters cost