A. We live on opposites sides of the country, but the climate difference is probably not that great. Things are pretty mild in Seattle with the Pacific currents doing a lot to moderate things. I believe that you have much colder winters in the Northeast, and despite Seattle’s reputation, you may get more rain than we do. If you look around Seattle, you will be hard-pressed to find many houses that do not have gutters and downspouts. Those that do not are generally run-down, and the owner (probably a cheap landlord) pulled off the old wooden gutters after they rotted away and did not want to replace them.

Having gutters and downspouts provides several advantages. Rain water and melting snow from the roof are collected and can (and should) be diverted away from the house. You can collect the water for landscape gardening if you like. If you just want to be rid of the water, you should pipe it to a gravel sump (just a big whole filled with gravel and covered with drainage filter cloth and soil) that is away from the house. This allows the water to slowly dissipate into the ground and not overwhelm storm sewers or open streams.

When you do not have gutters and downspouts, the rain and snow-melt are dumped next to the foundation of the house. Depending on soil conditions, this can lead to settling problems. A basement or crawl space can become flooded during periods of heavy rainfall. When the water hits the ground, it splashes up against the house, throwing water against the wall in the area where the framed walls meet the foundation. This can lead to rot over time and will also be unsightly as dirt is splashed onto the walls.

Keep in mind that gutters do require maintenance. They like to collect leaves and become clogged. You must keep them clear with annual cleaning. If you do not, they will allow water to back up against the roof framing, and fascia boards, rafter tails, and roof sheathing will rot. In your part of the country, you also may have to be concerned about ice dams in the gutters forcing melting and freezing snow back up against the roof. This should be dealt with using proper materials under the roofing.

I do not know about construction costs in your area, or the size of your house, but the cost you mention does not seem too terrible. I would recommend continuous aluminum gutters, and there are probably several companies that you could call for an estimate. If you give them the total lineal feet of gutter needed, the number of downspouts, and height (2 stories) of the house, they might even be able to give you a rough estimate over the phone. You should also consider where the water will go, and if you will need to have the contractor provide sumps.