The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · Tacoma
Pierce County Rain Gardens: Grants, Sizing and Downspout Rules
What Tacoma, Pierce Conservation District and King County programs pay toward rain gardens and cisterns as of October 2026, how to size a garden from a downspout, and where downspouts may discharge.
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Tacoma
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Quick answer
Rain gardens in Pierce County: The Brothers That Just Do Gutters Tacoma checked the programs in our territory, and as of October 2026 the money for rain gardens and large cisterns comes as cost-share grants, not rebates: Tacoma’s Make a Splash grant and Pierce Conservation District’s Green Stormwater Mini Grant each cover 75 percent of project costs up to $4,000, and both require a district site visit first. The City of Tacoma itself offers no rain barrel rebate, but a permitted low-impact development can lower a property’s stormwater rate by one category. Call (253) 777-1572 or book online.
South Sound Rain Garden Guide
Rain gardens, cisterns and downspouts around Tacoma
Tacoma averages about 40 inches of rain a year, and the city says 90 percent of its stormwater reaches lakes, streams and Puget Sound untreated. A rain garden is a shallow, planted bowl that soaks up roof runoff before it gets there. Tacoma does not hand out rain barrels or rebates, but it funds rain gardens and rain tanks through the Make a Splash grant, run with Pierce Conservation District, and the district’s own Green Stormwater Mini Grant covers the Chambers Creek, Commencement Bay and Lower Puyallup River watersheds. In Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, Des Moines, Burien and Normandy Park, King County’s RainWise rebate covers only eligible Seattle sewer basins, so the option there is Stewardship Partners’ mini grant, checked by address.
Every one of these projects starts at the gutter. The Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington, written by WSU Extension and linked by Tacoma, sizes the garden as a percentage of the roof and paving that drain to it, based on your soil’s drainage rate and rainfall region. With soil that drains half an inch to an inch an hour in the 40 to 50 inch region, 1,000 square feet of roof needs about 80 square feet of ponding area for the Good level or 120 for Better. The handbook keeps gardens at least 10 feet from the foundation, and Tacoma’s standard detail feeds them with at least a 3-inch pipe sloped half a percent, plus a removable elbow for cleaning. A gutter full of fir needles and moss sends that pipe nothing but sludge, which is why we pair rain garden work with downspout drainage planning.
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters Tacoma is owned by Jamie and Zeke Edwards, a husband-and-wife team raised in the South Sound. Our local crew cleans and flush-tests gutters, forms seamless runs, adds or moves downspouts to reach a garden or tank, and extends downspouts when water has to travel. BroGuard micro-mesh keeps cedar and fir needles out of the water you are routing, and every estimate is free and written.
Book a Free Gutter CheckWhat this guide covers
- Grants for rain gardens and rain tanks
- Sizing a rain garden from your roof
- Where Tacoma lets downspouts discharge
- Stormwater rate and fee reductions
- Gutter setup that keeps inlets clear
Local Data
South Sound rain garden facts at a glance
Four numbers to know before you dig, checked on city, district and handbook pages in October 2026.
- Tacoma average rainfall
- 40 inchesCity of Tacoma figure for average annual rain, most of which runs off roofs and streets untreated.
- Make a Splash grant
- Up to $4,000Tacoma pays 75 percent of costs for projects inside city limits; applications run July 15 to October 15 each year.
- PCD mini grant rain garden
- 500 sq ft of roofGardens must take at least 500 square feet or half of a building’s roof runoff; rain tanks must hold over 200 gallons.
- Tacoma splash block
- 700 sq ft per spoutOne downspout serves up to 700 square feet of roof, with a 50-foot vegetated flowpath and a discharge point 10 feet from buildings.
- Our recommendation
- Clean, then routeClean gutters before the needle drop, size the garden with the WSU chart, and keep every inlet or splash point 10 feet off the foundation.
Sources: City of Tacoma Environmental Services Stormwater, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Make a Splash (current as of 09/01/26) and Rates pages; City of Tacoma GSI Typical Details, Figures 005, 006 and 013; Pierce Conservation District Green Stormwater Mini Grants and Rain Gardens pages; Pierce County Surface Water Management Utility Service Charge page; WSU Extension Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington (Ecology publication 13-10-027); King County RainWise; Stewardship Partners GSI Mini Grants; Washington Department of Ecology Rainwater Collection. Checked October 2026.
Services
Gutter Services for Pierce County Homes
The gutter and downspout work that decides whether a rain garden or rain tank actually gets the roof water.
Seamless aluminum, copper or bonderized steel formed on-site and pitched toward the downspout that feeds your garden or tank, with no mid-run seams to drip.
Learn more Gutter CleaningFir and cedar needles, maple leaves and moss scooped out by hand and each downspout flushed, so the pipe to your rain garden carries water, not sludge.
Learn more Gutter RepairSagging runs, loose hangers and leaking corners fixed so roof water reaches the downspout you picked instead of overflowing above the beds.
Learn more BroGuard Gutter GuardsStainless micro-mesh stops needles and moss debris at the roof edge while atmospheric river rain drops through to the trough and downspout.
Learn more Maintenance ProgramVisits booked before the fall needle drop and after the wettest months, so garden inlets and tank screens stay clear.
Learn more Exterior SolutionsDownspout extensions, new outlets and redirects that carry roof water to a rain garden, tank or approved discharge point.
Learn moreHow it works
From first call to clean rooflines
- 1Call or book online
Tell us what is happening with the gutters on your Pierce County house. The same local team picks up every call.
- 2On-site walkthrough
A Solutionist checks the roofline, downspouts and drainage and gives you a written estimate.
- 3The work gets done
Seamless runs formed in your driveway, cleaning and repairs finished the same visit when possible.
- 4Walkthrough and clean-up
We flush-test the system, show you the results and leave the property cleaner than we found it.
Why the Brothers
Why Pierce County Homeowners Call the Brothers
We place outlets with Tacoma’s 10-foot building and 5-foot property line setbacks in mind, so gutter work fits the plan your grant reviewer sees.
Fir and cedar needles clog rain garden pipes as fast as gutters. Guards and timed cleanings keep both moving.
Every garden and tank overflows in an atmospheric river. We route the extra to a safe spot instead of back toward the foundation.
Jamie and Zeke Edwards run the Tacoma team. Call (253) 777-1572 for a free written estimate on your gutters and downspouts.
Year-round
Your Pierce County gutter calendar
Grant windows, soil tests and the wet season share a calendar, so plan gutter work alongside them.
- Fall · Sep to NovApply and clean
Make a Splash applications close October 15. Clean gutters after the needle and maple drop, and plant gardens once the rains return.
- Winter · Dec to MarTest and watch
The handbook recommends drainage tests in the wet season, December to April. Watch where each downspout floods or ponds during big storms.
- Spring · Apr to JunBuild and visit
Request a Pierce Conservation District site visit, which both grants require, and fix gutters or add downspouts before you dig.
- Summer · Jul to AugGet ready to apply
The district’s mini grant window opens July 1 and Make a Splash opens July 15. Have your site plan, budget and photos ready.
The Work
Real Crews. Real Work in the South Sound.
Reviews
What Homeowners Across the Region Say
“I had a great experience with The Brothers That Just Do Gutters on my Tacoma home. The crew were professional, communicative, and did outstanding work. The new gutters and gutter guards look great, everything was installed with attention to detail, and they left the job site spotless. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality work and great service.”
Posted on Google“I had the Brothers Gutters put new gutters on my 26×108 ft building. They not only gave me the best price but their customer service was outstanding. They were on time with the appointment and finished in 2 hours. I would highly recommend them when doing your gutter repair or primary install.”
Posted on Google“At the start, Zeke was willing to work with my schedule, and they were prompt and on time. They worked with me, giving me options on the locations and directions of the downspouts, explaining the pros and cons of each option. Their pricing was very competitive… I highly recommend their services, even if it is not the lowest price. You won’t regret it.”
Posted on GooglePierce County Gutter Questions, Answered
Not as straight rebates. Tacoma’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure page says the city does not provide rain barrels or rebates. Rain gardens and rain tanks inside city limits can instead win a Make a Splash grant covering 75 percent of costs up to $4,000, with applications July 15 to October 15 and a Pierce Conservation District site visit first. This guide lists the district’s own mini grant as the second option.
The WSU Extension Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington multiplies the roof and paving draining to the garden by a sizing factor from its chart, based on soil drainage and rainfall region. For 1,000 square feet of roof on soil draining 0.50 to 0.99 inches an hour in the 40 to 50 inch region, that is about 80 square feet of ponding area at the Good level and 120 at Better, with 6 or 12 inches of ponding depth.
Tacoma’s typical details allow a splash block serving up to 700 square feet of roof, set on a 2 by 3 foot pad, with a 50-foot vegetated flowpath before any property line, stream, wetland or hard surface. The discharge point must be at least 10 feet from buildings and 5 feet from other structures or property lines unless Environmental Services approves otherwise. This guide suggests confirming with the city before regrading.
Possibly. Tacoma’s rates page says single-family homes fall in the moderate development category, and a property that uses and maintains low-impact development meeting the city’s Stormwater Management Manual, permitted and approved by the city, can qualify for a one-category rate reduction. Call Site Development at (253) 591-5760 first. Elsewhere in Pierce County, the surface water fee on a city parcel goes to that city, so ask your city.
No, under the Department of Ecology’s current policy, with conditions: the water must be used on the property where it is collected and must come from an existing roof or structure built for another purpose. In-home use needs local building department approval. Pierce Conservation District mini grants fund rain tanks over 200 gallons with overflow infiltrated on site. This guide recommends screened gutters above any tank.
Moss and Needle Season Map
When do gutters fill up in Pierce County?
See rain, tree cover and the best gutter cleaning windows for your part of the South Sound.
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Free estimates
Ready for gutters that feed your South Sound rain garden?
Our local crew will clean and test your gutters, place each downspout where your plan needs it and quote new runs in writing.
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · Tacoma · (253) 777-1572 · Serving Tacoma, Puyallup, Federal Way and the South Sound, WA
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