[Tom&JenC]

A strange thing to me anyway is the lack of rain gutters on the new homes we are looking st. They might be on the front of the house but nowhere else.
Is this a Florida thing or a Villages thing? IN the northeast we have a constant battle with directing water away from the house. Rain will destroy a house built on a slab if not kept in check. whats the deal?

[photo1902]

Originally Posted by Tom&JenC

A strange thing to me anyway is the lack of rain gutters on the new homes we are looking st. They might be on the front of the house but nowhere else.
Is this a Florida thing or a Villages thing? IN the northeast we have a constant battle with directing water away from the house. Rain will destroy a house built on a slab if not kept in check. whats the deal?

That's the way homes are built here, and why so many of us have full gutters and downspouts installed after the fact. They are reasonably priced.

[GpaVader]

I think it's just one of those things the elect not to include to keep the cost of the house down. While looking at existing homes in TV I noticed troughs in the yards of the homes without gutters. It was one of the first things we did when we got here. We went with the 6" gutters instead of the 5" the builder had on the front of the house. FWIW we used the Guru Gutter Guys, part of the same company that is the Solar Guys and the Roof Guys. The did good work and many of our neighbors did the same. Some used other companies.

[davem4616]

it's a cost savings for the builder...they'll install them around the front entryway

it's short money to have the whole house fit up with gutters with one of the after market guys

[villagetinker]

No basements, no need for gutters. We have a stretched Designer about 9 years old, we added gutters in the front due to staining on the driveway (before it was finished). Gutters (aka super gutter) was added with the birdcage. We have found that gutters are not necessary and actually become an additional maintenance item (staining and or leaves). Also if you install gutters you have now concentrated the rain runoff into a much smaller area, or you need to install an underground drainage system, which will become another maintenance headache. These get clogged with grass and weed roots and can then backup causing other problems.
IMHO, gutters are not necessary and may cause future problems (been there done that). I am seriously considering the removal of the ones we installed in the front as they are no longer needed for stain prevention.

[Michael G.]

Originally Posted by Tom&JenC

IN the northeast we have a constant battle with directing water away from the house.

You have to remember there's no basements down here to flood, and soil here is very
sandy water soaks in fast.

[MartinSE]

Well, ours came with gutters, and if it didn't we would have added some. Everyone is focused on the cost and what they do. We just don't like having water pouring off the roof onto us if we walk outside in the rain, or after the rain.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

No basements, no need for gutters. We have a stretched Designer about 9 years old, we added gutters in the front due to staining on the driveway (before it was finished). Gutters (aka super gutter) was added with the birdcage. We have found that gutters are not necessary and actually become an additional maintenance item (staining and or leaves). Also if you install gutters you have now concentrated the rain runoff into a much smaller area, or you need to install an underground drainage system, which will become another maintenance headache. These get clogged with grass and weed roots and can then backup causing other problems.
IMHO, gutters are not necessary and may cause future problems (been there done that). I am seriously considering the removal of the ones we installed in the front as they are no longer needed for stain prevention.

We have curbing and stone all the way around our home and the gutters are needed to keep the water from washing out the stones, and they look good too, well worth the $700.00 investment at the time.

[Luggage]

With downpours get the wider gutters and extra downspout on long runs.

[HoosierPa]

Are people still buying the homes ? The answer is yes. If not a code, it won’t be given on new homes.

[richardc1947]

Actually there will be no damage to a slab on grade from rain where there is sandy soil that promotes drainage. The danger is when you have foundations or basements. Therefore the only reason to have gutters is for entrances and walkways.

[skippy05]

This is FL with very porous sandy soil and therefore you only need gutters in portions of the roof that you might walk or drive under but only in places where the water sheeting off the roof would cover you like a waterfall. Also, consider adding them in portions overhanging a porch in order to prevent the wind from blowing the waterfall into the area.

[Villages Kahuna]

Like a lot of things in The Villages, rain gutters or no gutters are a good choice already made by the Developer.

If the Developer didn’t put gutters on your house, don’t think he was just trying to save a few bucks. Your lot was carefully graded for rainwater runoff. And the use of gutters were part of that design. They’ve built thousands of houses, they know where rainwater runoff will go. I’d suggest saving a few bucks and leaving the roof rainwater runoff design just as the Developer designed it.

I had gutters installed where they seemed to be “missing” on our new house. Of course, gutters mean the need for downspouts. Then, where does the rainwater from the downspouts go? On the surface or underground? I fought puddles where they shouldn’t be and clogged downspouts for over ten years. Don’t do it!

[crash]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

You have to remember there's no basements down here to flood, and soil here is very
sandy water soaks in fast.

And we have sink holes caused by erosion of the lime stone substrate by acid rain. Without gutters this water will be concentrated right at your foundation.

[GmaLisaG]

Born in Florida always had gutters. Lived in Georgia 28 years (where my job was) had a basement and also had gutters. I guess like anything else it's a preference but I prefer not to have rushing water into any part of my yard. The downspouts guide it elsewhere.