Another vote for the PVC. Ask your landscapers for suggestions on how to handle the issues you are concerned about at the drop off. I can think of about three different methods to deal with that, off the top of my head, but one would need to actually see the site to fix on the best method. The best method is probably as Sofaspud mentions, terminate into a dry well. Once you trench, slope and install the PVC you are done. Any other solution presents ongoing maintenance issues of varying degrees. Whatever you do, do install a clean out somewhere close to the house so you can "jet" your hose into it periodically to wash out debris and critter nests.

If your downspouting is riveted together it is most likely "Pop rivets" which are very commonly used by gutter installers. Before they are installed a Pop Rivet has a metal pin extending out through the head which looks like a finishing nail. To install the river they first drill the proper size hole in the metal to be joined, then insert the rivet. At this point the head of the rivet would be flush with the outside of the metal to be joined and the pin would be extending out approximately an inch. You then attach a Pop rivet expander tool which looks like a specialized pair of pliers. The pop rivet expander holds the head of the rivet flush with the exterior of the metal while pulling the pin outwards. As the pin is pulled outwards it expands the interior portion of the rivet until it is tight against the inside of the metal to be joined and when it reaches a preset stress the pip "Pop" or snaps loose and is then pulled out leaving only the rivet in place. If you look at the heads of the rivets closely you will see a small hole through the head where the pin came out. Removing pop rivets is very easy. Begin by selecting a HSS(high speed steel) drill bit with a diameter slightly larger than the hole in the rivet head. Us the hole in the rivet in the same manner as you would a centerpunch to guide the drill bit and drill the rivet out. The drill bit will cut the rivet head away from the rivet body in a few seconds and the rivet is free. In regard to trenching. The best method of trenching close to a structure is an ordinary shovel and a lot of elbow grease. The advantage of hand digging is that you are less likely to damage any pipes, conduits or buried cables that may be present. If you have a lot of trench to dig you may want to consider renting a trenching machine, but normally they are not practical unless you will be digging 50' or more. The law requires that before you begin digging any holes or trenches that will be 12" or more in depth you must first call "One Call" or "Dig Safe" 48 hours in advance to have them come and mark the location of any buried utility lines. If you can't find the phone number in your phone book call any Plumber, Electrician or Excavation contractor and they will be glad to give you the phone number. Do not take this step lightly, If you fail to call and you happen to damage a buried utility line you can and will be held both civil and criminally liable for any and all damage that results. When i worked in Florida we were required to carry our copy of the code book with us at all times and they required that we had a sticker on the cover of the code book with the dig safe phone number on it. Also keep in mind that they only keep records of the placement of the utility mains, they do not plot the actual service taps from the main to a structure. Before you begin check the location where your water lines, gas line or sewer line enters the structure to get a good estimate of where that line may be located. If you do not have overhead wires for electric, phone or cable you should then anticipate they are also underground service and you must make every effort to locate them before digging. Gas lines may be run with either metal or plastic pipe. When running plastic pipe we are required to run a copper wire parallel to the pipe which the gas company can use to inject a signal and use a tracing device to locate the line. It is now also a common practice and in some regions a code requirement to run a strip of plastic marker tape slightly above buried lines in a trench. When digging if you happen to find a red or yellow plastic tape check it out, it should be printed Gas line or Electric line. Also, if you happen to hit any buried concrete that is dyed red, do not disturb it. Red concrete indicates a buried electrical line.

I am confused somewhat by your terminology and then your description. Gutters are the horizontal troughs that run along the roof edge. The down drains take what is collected from the gutters to ground level and then underground lines to the storm drain collector pipe and away from the house underground. I believe you are describing the down drains and they have in-line diverters for rain barrel collection. But u would have to cut the down drain and install the diverter. How about harnessing your grey-water instead of rain water. It is hard without your landlord's permission. GL Aloha

Hi bpathome - just got back from the house to get another look. The gutter guys are going to bring the long downspout over so we can have a look at how it may be against the column before doing any changes. We are leaning towards leaving it as is. To answer your question about where the water would kick out if it goes down the column... it will flow into the driveway and not directly into the walkway although people will have to walk up the driveway to get to the walkway so in theory they would be walking in the water run off but the collection area up there isn't huge so we don't think it will be too much water. Yes, that little gable thing is not ideal as water can and will flow down onto the walkway. The little lip is only about 6 inches deep but the entire gable is about 5 feet. I have been there during storms and fortunately the way the water collects up there, it doesn't flow too hard as to spit out into the middle of the walkway. Again, this was a small casualty of the design but oh well. Thank you about the copper and shutters. We love them too!