Gutter Installation in Corte Madera

Much of Corte Madera sits on low, flat ground near the edge of the bay, where the soil stays wet through the rainy season and heavy storms can leave water standing in yards and streets. That puts extra weight on what happens to roof water. A gutter that works fine in the hills can cause real trouble here if its downspouts empty next to the foundation, since the ground can't absorb any more. The town isn't all flat, though. Christmas Tree Hill and the town's other hillside neighborhoods have their own steep lots, tall rooflines and trees. Between the two, Corte Madera homes cover a lot of ground, and the gutters on each need to fit. Many of the houses on the flats went up in the postwar building boom, so their gutters and downspouts were laid out long before anyone worried much about where the water went.

We start with where the water ends up, then work back up to the roof. On the flats that often means a better downspouts and drainage setup. On homes with worn-out gutters, a full gutter replacement can fix the overflow at the source. Call us and we'll give you a written estimate, free.

Low Ground and High Water

On the flats near the bay, rain doesn't just come from above. Groundwater sits high in winter, and the soil can be saturated for weeks at a time. Roof water that lands right beside the house has nowhere to soak in, so it puddles along the foundation, finds its way into crawl spaces and keeps slabs and walkways wet. The answer is to move it farther out and spread it over ground that can still take some water, or toward an area that drains well. Splitting one overloaded downspout into two, extending outlets well past the foundation and running underground lines to a better spot all help. We also look at grading near the house, since soil that slopes back toward the walls undoes even a good downspout plan. None of this replaces the town's own storm drains and pumps, but it keeps your share of the water away from your house. Flat lots near the creek in Larkspur call for the same approach.

Christmas Tree Hill and the Hillside Streets

Head up Christmas Tree Hill and the job changes completely. Homes here sit on sloped lots with tall downhill walls, mature trees overhead and views that owners don't want blocked by bulky gutters or awkward downspouts. Leaves and needles come down steadily, so gutters need regular clearing or good mesh guards to stay open. Water coming off these roofs also has a slope to run down, which means downspouts have to be placed so they don't send a concentrated stream across the yard or toward the house next door. We size gutters for the larger, steeper roof sections and plan each downspout's path to stable ground. Older homes on the hill often need fascia repair too, after years of overflow from undersized gutters. Similar hillside homes in San Rafael get the same treatment.