Write it down first
Capture location, timing, weather relationship, how it's changed, and any prior work done on the roofline. Photos plus basic measurements give a provider a real head start before visiting.
Read the Local Context
The Grand River has flooded the city repeatedly -- 1904, 1905, 1947, 1948, and most recently April 2013 -- and the city's own stormwater ordinance now promotes Low Impact Development and requires many projects to retain runoff for the 2-year, 24-hour storm, a standard that makes roof drainage and gutter capacity part of the same conversation as the river's own flood history.
Ask what will be hidden
What decides long-term performance is roof area, valleys, tree debris, fascia condition, and discharge routing, not color -- especially with lake-effect snow loads and a Grand River setting with a mature tree canopy. Ask for a written scope that explains the prep and verification hidden from view once complete.
Compare full scopes carefully
Look for details on protection, access, materials, permits, testing, cleanup, restoration, exclusions, and warranties.
What official local sources add
This is the trade the stormwater half was written for. The city promotes Low Impact Development as its preferred strategy, and the 2021 MS4 permit added a retention requirement for most development and redevelopment — meaning the direction of travel is keeping roof water on site rather than shedding it to the street. For a gutter project that reframes the discharge question entirely: extensions, dry wells and rain gardens are aligned with where the city is heading, and a downspout dumping at the foundation is aligned with neither the ordinance nor the building.
Sources were reviewed 2026-07-26. Check current flood-zone, historic-district, and permit requirements for the specific parcel with local Kent County officials.