The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · Charleston
Charleston Historic District Gutters: What the BAR Expects
Homes South of Broad, in Ansonborough, Harleston Village and Mazyck-Wraggborough, and in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village can fall under preservation rules that reach the roof edge, so here is what the city and town publish about gutters before you order new ones.
- Veteran Owned
- Seamless Gutters Formed On-Site
- Serving the Peninsula & Old Village
Quick answer
Historic district gutter rules in Charleston, SC: The Brothers That Just Do Gutters Charleston found that, as of October 2026, the City of Charleston’s BAR General Guidelines call for galvanized, aluminum or copper half-round gutters with round downspouts instead of square or vinyl, typically 6 inch half-round, with aluminum and galvanized painted to match the wall behind them. In the historic districts the Board of Architectural Review covers exterior work visible from the street, but Preservation staff can process repairs and in-kind replacements that do not change how the house looks. Call (843) 867-2267 or book online.
Charleston Roofline Rules
On a historic Charleston house, the gutter answers to the BAR as well as the rain
The peninsula holds the country’s oldest historic district, created in 1931 along with the first Board of Architectural Review. The National Park Service describes many of its houses as Charleston single houses: one room wide, gable end to the street, with tiered piazzas down the side. Roofs are mostly standing seam metal, copper, slate or terra-cotta tile, and the city treats roofs and piazzas as character-defining. That puts the gutter and downspout in plain view of the people who review your permit, and it means a careless install can scar exactly the details the city wants kept.
Two governments write the rules here. In downtown Charleston, the BAR General Guidelines (March 2024) ask for half-round gutters and round downspouts in galvanized metal, aluminum or copper rather than square or vinyl, and say gutters are typically required to be 6 inch half-round. The BAR’s January 2024 staff review statement lets Preservation staff process exterior repairs and in-kind replacements that do not change the building’s appearance, even on Category 1 and 2 buildings, and staff may still send any application to the Board. In the Old City District, exterior work only comes under the BAR if the building is at least 100 years old, carries an architectural rating or was reviewed before, and can be seen from the street. Mount Pleasant runs its own Old Village Historic District, where gutters on non-historic buildings need no Certificate of Appropriateness. Back in Charleston, any work needs a city permit, and Historic Charleston Foundation easement properties need the Foundation’s approval first.
Gabe Gomez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, owns The Brothers That Just Do Gutters Charleston out of Mount Pleasant. On older homes we start with what is already there: the gutter, hangers, fascia and downspout runs. We install seamless aluminum formed on site, half-round systems and copper gutters, and we will walk through profile, color and downspout placement with you before the plan goes to Preservation staff.
Book a Free Historic Home EstimateWhat preservation staff look for
- Repair first, replace in kind if you cannot
- Gutters typically 6 inch half-round
- Round downspouts, not square or vinyl
- Aluminum or galvanized painted to match
- Historic metal and slate roofs left intact
Local Data
Charleston historic gutter facts at a glance
Four published facts from city, town and National Park Service documents, checked October 2026.
- Board of Architectural Review
- Since 1931The BAR was set up in 1931 with the first preservation ordinance in the United States, and within the historic districts it reviews alterations visible from the public right-of-way.
- Typical gutter in the guidelines
- 6 in half-roundThe BAR General Guidelines say gutters are typically required to be 6 inch half-round, in galvanized metal, aluminum or copper, with round downspouts.
- BAR staff review statement
- Jan. 2024Adopted by BAR-L on January 10 and BAR-S on January 11, 2024, it lets staff process repairs and in-kind replacements that leave the appearance unchanged.
- Old Village National Register
- Listed 1973Mount Pleasant registered part of the Old Village as a National Historic District in 1973 and added historic district overlay zoning in 1979.
- Our recommendation
- Our recommendation:Photograph what is there, call Preservation staff before ordering, and replace in kind or move toward half-round with round downspouts.
Sources: City of Charleston, Board of Architectural Review General Guidelines (published March 2024); BAR statement on Applications to be Processed by Staff (January 2024); BAR statement on Historic Roofing (December 10, 2014); City of Charleston BAR overview page; Town of Mount Pleasant, Old Village Historic District Guidelines (adopted January 13, 2025); National Park Service, National Register nomination for Old and Historic Charleston (Extended).
Services
Gutter Services for Historic Charleston Homes
Each service below can be fitted to an older roof edge and to what the BAR or the Old Village guidelines ask for.
Seamless aluminum formed on site, plus half-round and copper systems for single houses, piazza roofs and standing seam metal roofs.
Learn more Gutter CleaningHand cleaning around slate, tile and metal roofs, clearing live oak leaves, oak catkins and pine straw before the summer storms.
Learn more Gutter RepairResealing seams, resetting hangers and fixing sagging runs so an existing system keeps working, the repair-first step the city asks for.
Learn more BroGuard Gutter GuardsBroGuard fine metal mesh that sits inside the gutter, keeping live oak litter and spring pine pollen out without changing the profile from the street.
Learn more Maintenance ProgramScheduled cleanings that keep water moving off piazza roofs and away from brick, stucco and wood siding through the wet months.
Learn more Exterior SolutionsDownspout extensions and redirects for tight peninsula side yards, planned so you can clear any visible change with staff first.
Learn moreHow it works
From first call to finished gutters
- 1Call or book online
Tell us about the gutters on your Charleston or Old Village home, and whether the house sits inside a historic district.
- 2On-site walkthrough
A Solutionist checks the roof edge, piazza roofs, downspouts and drainage, then gives you a written estimate.
- 3The work gets done
Once any review is cleared, seamless runs are formed on site and repairs are finished the same visit when possible.
- 4Walkthrough and clean-up
We run water through every downspout, show you the finished work and leave the yard and walks clean.
Why the Brothers
Why Historic Charleston Homeowners Call the Brothers
The city’s guidelines say historic elements should be repaired wherever possible. We tell you straight whether the gutter you have can be saved before we price a new one.
The BAR guidelines point to half-round gutters with round downspouts in metal. We install aluminum and copper, and we size the run for a Charleston downpour.
The BAR’s roofing statement says historic slate, standing seam metal and tile roofs should be preserved. We plan hanger placement around them and go over it with you before any work starts.
Gabe Gomez owns The Brothers That Just Do Gutters Charleston and runs it out of Mount Pleasant. Call (843) 867-2267 for a free, no-pressure written estimate.
Year-round
Your Charleston gutter calendar
How the year plays out on Lowcountry rooflines, and what our crews are doing in each stretch.
- Fall · Sep to NovPine drop clean-outs
Pine straw, oak leaves and sweetgum balls cleared from troughs and outlets while late-season storms are still rolling through.
- Winter · Dec to FebRepair and replacement
The calmer months for rehanging sagging runs, swapping out leaky sectional gutters and fixing fascia before spring.
- Spring · Mar to MayPollen and catkin season
Pine pollen and oak catkins flushed out of the outlets, and BroGuard installed before the summer storms arrive.
- Summer · Jun to AugThunderstorm season
The wettest stretch of the year. Overflow calls, downspout upgrades and new seamless gutters sized for the downpour.
The Work
Real Crews. Real Work on Historic Charleston Homes.
Reviews
What Charleston Homeowners Say
“Big thanks to Justin Jenkins from Brothers Gutters for the fast repair on my hanging gutter. Great price and even better customer service. I’ll definitely be using them again and will recommend them to all of my clients and neighbors!!”
Posted on Google“The Brothers that do Gutters are amazing! It’s been an outstanding experience from the very beginning! The price is great, customer service fantastic and installation crew without peer! I will and have recommended them to friends and family!”
Posted on Google“I asked them to come to my house to quote a gutter repair. While they could not fix it that day, they came back within a couple of days and fixed my gutter free of charge. You can’t ask for better service and nicer people. There is no doubt that the next time I need new gutters, TBTJDG will be who I call.”
Posted on GoogleCharleston Historic Gutter Questions, Answered
In the city’s historic districts, the Board of Architectural Review covers exterior work visible from the street, and any work needs a city permit. Under the BAR’s January 2024 staff review statement, Preservation staff can process repairs and in-kind replacements that keep the original material, profile, size and color. If you are changing material or profile, ask staff how it will be reviewed, because staff may send any application to the Board.
The City of Charleston’s BAR General Guidelines say galvanized metal, aluminum or copper half-round gutters and round downspouts should be used rather than square or vinyl. Aluminum and galvanized systems should be painted to match the surface of the building next to them, and gutters are typically required to be 6 inch half-round. The guidelines also ask owners to repair historic elements before replacing them.
Only in some cases. The city’s review chart says exterior repairs and alterations in the Old City District need BAR approval only when the building is at least 100 years old, carries an architectural rating or was previously reviewed by the BAR, and is visible from a public right-of-way. Preservation staff make the final call on what falls under BAR purview, so check your address before ordering gutters.
They can. The city’s guidelines say Historic Charleston Foundation holds easements or covenants on nearly 380 historic properties in Charleston and the Lowcountry, including homes from its Ansonborough revitalization work. Owners of those properties need the Foundation’s approval before applying to the city, and the Foundation’s restrictions cover the whole parcel whether or not the work is visible from the street.
The Town of Mount Pleasant’s Old Village Historic District Guidelines list installing, adding or removing gutters and downspouts on non-historic structures as work that needs no Certificate of Appropriateness. That exemption does not extend to buildings the town designates Historic, which follow stricter guidelines, and a meeting with town planning staff is required before any COA application. Call the town’s Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Department to confirm your home’s status first.
Service area
Charleston and Lowcountry communities we serve
Every community on this list is inside our service area and gets the same local crew, seamless gutters formed on site and free written estimates. Call (843) 867-2267 or request a free quote and a Solutionist will come out.
- Mount Pleasant
- Charleston
- West Ashley
- James Island
- Daniel Island
- North Charleston
- Hanahan
- Goose Creek
- Ladson
- Summerville
- Johns Island
- Folly Beach
- Isle of Palms
- Sullivan’s Island
- Awendaw
- McClellanville
Free estimates
Ready for gutters that suit your historic Charleston home?
Book a free written estimate and we will look at the gutters, hangers, fascia and downspouts you have now before recommending anything new.
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · Charleston · (843) 867-2267 · Serving Downtown Charleston, the Old Village and the Lowcountry, SC
Veteran Owned & Operated in Mount Pleasant, SC · Serving Charleston, Berkeley & Dorchester Counties