Small repair on a wash visit
Downspout extensions
This is a small exterior fix on a cleaning visit, not a licensed trade, and it is refused when it is plumbing, electrical, or structural.
A short extension so roof water does not dump against the foundation.
A lot of stained foundations start as a downspout that ends against the wall. I reattach an elbow that came off, add a short extension, and set a splash block so roof water does not dump at the footing.
An extension is not a French drain and not waterproofing. If the yard slopes water back at the house, moving the spout does not regrade it.
What I check
- Whether the gutter above is overflowing onto the same wall. If it is, it gets cleaned first.
- Where the water goes once it leaves the extension. It should run away from the house, not back toward it.
- Whether the elbow just fell off, or the downspout itself is crushed or split.
When it is worth it
A spout that dumps against the wall leaves a stain, splashes clay up the siding and keeps the ground at the footing wet. A short extension and a splash block are a small fix for that. It is worth doing before the stain gets washed, so the stain does not come right back.
What I won't touch
Buried drain lines, French drains, regrading the yard, and waterproofing a crawl space or a basement. Those are a drainage or foundation company.
What to have ready
A photo of where the downspout ends, and a wider one showing how the yard slopes on that side. Send them here.
The price is agreed before anything comes off the house. If opening it up shows more than the quote covered, I stop and we talk.
Call (706) 415-7564Send a photo of it
Longer answer: Getting a downspout off the foundation · Every small repair I do, and what I won't