Distance between roof tiles and gutter

Hello everyone,

I am renovating an end terraced house from the 60s. Unfortunately, the entire block of houses has a continuous gutter and only the corner houses each have a downpipe. The middle houses do not have their own downpipes.

Because of the insulation, my roof is now about 9cm higher, so the gap between the roof and the gutter no longer fits. I cannot raise the gutter any higher, otherwise the neighbor's water will no longer drain. What is the easiest thing I can do?

The roof has a 35° pitch. I thought you could simply make a longer 60° eaves metal sheet so that the water can land in the gutter. But the roofer says that would not help. The water would just rush over it during heavy rain and not land in the gutter. Unfortunately, his suggestion is no better. He would prefer to put a plug in the neighbor's gutter and raise the gutter. But that would probably only end up in a legal dispute.

Hello, I understand the problem. It is not so easy from a distance and without pictures. It's a pity that the roofer lets you down as an expert. I would have two approaches: there are longer gutter brackets, so you (he) could set the gutter further out. In addition, there are also wider gutters. Maybe the combination of both is the solution, because you can't change the slope.

The most sensible thing would probably be to install a new downpipe at the corner next to the neighbor. Or just close it off... But first of all, talk to the neighbor?

Thank you for your suggestions.

Hello, I understand the problem. It’s not so easy from a distance and without pictures.

Yes, those were missing. Mea culpa.

The most sensible thing would probably be to lay a new downpipe at the corner to the neighbor. Or just seal it off...

Well, an additional downpipe has to be connected somewhere. To my knowledge, my downpipe goes directly to the sewage system. Too expensive and of course the neighbor will insist that I pay for everything. Additionally, there is a shared canopy between us at that spot and no room for a new downpipe.

It’s a pity that the roofer lets you down as an expert like that.

The opposite is the case. He talked me out of all makeshift solutions, because in heavy rain they all lead to the water shooting over the gutter, running to the house, pooling, and similar problems.

There are also wider gutters.

Yes, that idea existed, but then there are problems with the escape route from the dormer window. The distance from the window to the front edge of the gutter must not exceed 1 meter. If the inspector is strict, a step must be placed in front of the dormer. Also uncool.

The pragmatic solution now is that the rafters are doubled downwards instead of upwards. The situation in the roof with the large dormers allows this. The loss of living space is minimal. On one side of the house is the stairwell: Here, the lower ceiling does not matter. On the other side, there is only a roughly 1 meter wide strip with a sloping roof that comes a bit lower. This doesn’t bother here particularly.

The pragmatic solution now is that the rafters are doubled not upwards, but downwards. The situation in the roof with the large dormers allows for this. The living space loss is minimal. On one side of the house is the staircase: here the lower ceiling doesn’t matter. On the other side there is only a strip about 1m wide with a sloping roof that comes down a bit more. This doesn’t bother here particularly.

Oh God, say hi to Greta! Be glad if that is the solution!