Gutters are the unsung heroes of real estate. They don’t earn the compliments that a property’s landscaping or tile selection will. But without them, a home’s structural integrity is at risk.
Every day, 14,000 homeowners face water emergencies, while one in every 60 insured homeowners have filed claims due to water issues. Meanwhile, homeowners insurance companies pay out $2.5 billion in water damage losses every year. Gutters serve the critical role of pushing water where it needs to be: away from the home to avoid foundation erosion and roof leaks.
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“When I go out to appraise a property for a lender, they will almost never lend on a property that doesn’t have gutters and downspouts that are functional,” said Jerin Harper, a home appraiser in Oregon with a decade of experience.
“In this instance, I would be required to provide a ‘cost-to-cure,’ which is an estimate to install or repair gutters and downspouts. The cost-to-cure figure can then be subtracted from the overall home value.”
So, do gutters increase home value? Not exactly, because they’re like the tires of a car: buyers expect a property to have them in good working condition, or they’ll pay less for it.
We’ll help you get your gutters up to speed with insights from top appraisers around the country who will demystify:
- How gutters help shield the house from ice dams and foundation problems
- Dirty or damaged gutters and how they detract from your home’s value
- Protips on gutter material selection, installation, and add-ons to maximize the return on your investment
Good gutters will attract buyers but don’t necessarily add value
All that being said, gutters themselves typically won’t increase the value of your home. They’re standard, especially in areas with a lot of rain, and having them isn’t anything special.
“People don’t just normally install gutters for the aesthetics of the gutters,” said Edmond (Buddy) Eslava, a nationally renowned appraiser with the Appraisal Consultant Group in Mobile, Alabama.
“If you needed them and didn’t have them, it would detract value. But having them won’t add value.”
You can, though, add overall perceived value to your home based on the gutters themselves, ensuring they are properly installed.
There are two important pieces to this equation. Proper gutter installation means making sure the water is being diverted far away enough from the house so no damage is sustained around the foundation or on the siding.
But you also have to make sure they are level—meaning no water is left to pool up in them with nowhere to drain. If that happens, they can draw an accumulation of mosquitos and other nasty bugs or cause ice damming.
Match your gutters to your home.
Just like any other part of your property, including outbuildings, shutters, garages, and even gazebos, you’ll want to make sure the color and size of your gutters are appropriate for your home.
For the color, typically the gutters will be the same color as the outdoor trim. As far as sizing, Young notes that the standard size used to be four inches, but now it’s up to six inches—so get the larger ones.
Eslava agrees, noting that eight-inch gutters are available too, and you should opt for those ones instead of the six-inch. But, if your house is a bit smaller and the large gutters would look out of place, then stay with a smaller size.
It’s also critical to have enough downspouts. The general rule is one downspout for every 35 or so feet of gutter.
Stick with the standard gutter materials.
Seams are out. If you want gutters that will bring value to your home, skip them and go for a seamless option. It looks tidier and more professional. Typically, gutters are metal or aluminum; the actual material doesn’t matter much as long as the gutters are sturdy, functional, and match your house. Each material does have pluses and minuses, though.
Aluminum:
These resist corrosion and are relatively inexpensive, plus they’re lightweight and the standard material. But they can have strength problems and may break under pressure.
Metal, like copper or steel:
These types of gutters are heavy, expensive, and difficult to install. But they’re stronger than aluminum and work well for matching a certain aesthetic on the outside of your home.
Vinyl or plastic:
These are generally the cheapest type of gutter and they’re easily installed, but they come with several drawbacks. They can discolor easily, and they’re the weakest of the top three options.
Get gutter guards:
Gutter guards are covers that go over your gutters to stop junk from building up inside them. These are your first line of defense if you live in a heavily wooded area or have a lot of trees near your house.
They’ll stop leaves and sticks from getting in, and will keep squirrels and their seeds out—so you don’t have to worry about looking up one day to see a patch of sunflowers sprouting from the edge of your roof. As a plus, Young says having gutter guards could add value to a home appraisal.
