Gutter Installation & Repair in Laval
In Laval, what determines a gutter installation is not the look of the trough—it is where the water ends up. A gutter carries roof water to the ground away from the foundation, or lets it collect against the wall. The City has set out a specific rule on this—it governs the number of downspouts, their location, and what goes on the ground beneath each one. That is where to start.
Bylaw L-11870: Where Your Downspout May Discharge
Laval enforces Bylaw L-11870. For a house with a sloped roof, it settles three points homeowners should verify before having gutters installed.
| What the Bylaw Requires | What It Means On The Job Site |
|---|---|
| Stormwater from a sloped roof must be discharged through a system of exterior gutters and downspouts. | The downspout remains visible and terminates in the open air. Nothing runs underground. |
| Water must discharge onto a permeable surface, at least 1 m from the building. | A permeable surface absorbs water rather than allowing it to run off. The discharge point must be planned, including the elbow and extension. |
| It is prohibited to connect a gutter downspout to a foundation drain. | Any downspout that is still connected must be cut off, the opening properly capped, and the water redirected to the surface. |
The full text is published by the City. We report only what it states: no deadline, no amount, and no distance imported from a neighbouring city. Confirm your situation with the municipality before work begins—it interprets its own bylaw, and its answer is what counts, not what a neighbour did last year.
Two Building Types, Two Ways to Install
The same municipal rule does not translate the same way for every building. Between a detached single-family home and a small apartment building, gutter runs, access, and the ground-level discharge point are all handled differently. They are two distinct realities for an installer.
On a detached bungalow, the fascia is low and extends along long elevations without shared walls: all four sides drain, and gutter sections run long and uninterrupted. A long section does not forgive an imprecise slope—water lingers, debris remains, and ice forms at the low point. The number and location of downspouts are determined by the roof area drained by each section, not by habit. Where the water load warrants it, a 6-inch profile avoids multiplying outlets across the front elevation.
On a small apartment building, everything changes: greater height, more gutter length, access restricted by entrances and driveways, and landscaping that is often already in place. Yet it is this ground surface that determines where a downspout can discharge, since the bylaw requires a permeable surface at least 1 m away. This must be resolved before installation, not afterward.
Finally, the building’s age changes what is found behind the gutter. Warped fascia, screws that no longer hold, water-soaked boards behind a poorly sloped trough—these issues are visible from a ladder, not from the ground. We inspect them before fastening anything.
Our Services in Laval
Installation
Seamless gutters formed on site, with slope and outlets calculated elevation by elevation.
Protection
Leaf guards and ice-dam prevention systems selected for the roof’s slope and exposure.
Maintenance and Repair
Cleaning, repair of a joint or section, and inspections before a purchase or after a major storm.
Building Envelope
Fascia, soffit, exterior cladding, capping: the roof edge is addressed at the same time as the gutter system.
Weatherproofing and Comfort
Sealing exposed joints and adding exterior insulation when the cladding is already removed.
Before You Decide
What affects the price per linear foot, and completed projects you can review.
What We Check On Site
The Fascia
The condition of the board and its ability to hold screws. A new gutter fastened to rotted fascia will come down with it. If it needs to be replaced or covered, we say so beforehand, not midway through the job.
The Slope
The trough must slope toward its outlet over its full length. On the long elevations of a bungalow, this is the detail that separates a gutter that drains from one that holds water.
The Outlets
The number and placement of downspouts are based on the roof area drained by each section, while avoiding discharge above an entrance, stairway, or sidewalk.
Ground Clearance
Where the water actually ends up: whether the surface is permeable, its distance from the wall, and above all whether an old connection to the foundation drain remains—prohibited under L-11870.
Contact Us
Gouttières et Revêtements Synergy is based at 580 Chem. de Lavaltrie, local 103, Lavaltrie QC J5T 0H1. We hold RBQ licence 5723-4940-01, are Alu-Rex ÉLITE Installer, CAA-Québec Recommended and APCHQ Certified.