# Drip Edge on new roof. Poor job?



## bill219 (Sep 29, 2016)

This sure looks unattractive to me, but I'm no roofer. This job was just completed and I did not see this until I got up on the ladder. I would appreciate a professional opinion. Is this typical to cut the drip edge out around the rain gutter supports, or is this install an afterthought?

Thanks all.


----------



## bud16415 (Sep 29, 2016)

Doesn&#8217;t look right to me. We have some pro roofing people on the forum that will comment. 

Welcome to the forum.


----------



## Snoonyb (Sep 29, 2016)

It's typical, but a really crappy job.


----------



## Sparky617 (Sep 29, 2016)

Without removing the gutters I'm not sure what choice they had.  If it were me doing the work, I would have consulted the homeowner and offered a choice, albeit at a cost.


----------



## bud16415 (Sep 29, 2016)

It looks like it interfered by about a 1/16&#8221; and they hacked a notch in it a good half inch. I&#8217;m not a roofer but if I saw that little interference I would have taken a pair of duck bills and marked the hangers and then crimped the edge up at those spots just a little. Would have taken less time and looked a lot better.


----------



## doechsli (Sep 29, 2016)

Wait till you try to clean out your gutters and slice open about three fingers.


----------



## Sparky617 (Sep 29, 2016)

They could have probably just put the drip edge in without cutting it and just letting the hangers bend the drip edge up a bit.  It is a sloppy job.


----------



## bill219 (Sep 29, 2016)

Thanks for all of your responses and for making me welcome here. I have emailed the roofer who did the job, and I'm awaiting his response and what if anything he proposes to do to fix this. I suspect replacement of the edge will require the removal of some shingles too. 

I have had some really good luck on many of these type of forums getting honest answers. Nice to have good folks willing to lend a hand.

Thank you,

Bill


----------



## kok328 (Sep 29, 2016)

Don't know which way the pitch is going but, I would expect that wasn't really necessary towards the downspout ends.
The brackets appear to be made to accept the water from the notched tab though.
I have to remember to avoid those type of brackets and go with the good ole' aluminum nail.


----------



## havasu (Sep 29, 2016)

A shorter drip edge is what was needed.


----------



## kok328 (Sep 29, 2016)

havasu said:


> A shorter drip edge is what was needed.




Bracket is attached to top of gutter and drip edge must over lap the gutter. Something had to give.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Sep 29, 2016)

havasu said:


> A shorter drip edge is what was needed.



I disagree, that is the proper drip edge and looks like the correct extension past the drip edge of the shingles. The problem is the gutter elevation, it should have been lowered to accommodate the drip edge.


----------



## Snoonyb (Sep 29, 2016)

So, the OP should lower the gutters to accommodate the roofers crappy trade practices?

When you hire a professional business, what on earth would lead you to believe you should expect anything less than professional workmanship?

Instead of the crap he received.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Sep 29, 2016)

Snoonyb said:


> So, the OP should lower the gutters to accommodate the roofers crappy trade practices?
> 
> When you hire a professional business, what on earth would lead you to believe you should expect anything less than professional workmanship?
> 
> Instead of the crap he received.



Yes, the gutters should have been re-elevated to the proper height. There is nothing crappy about using drip edge, it is a specification from most shingle MFG's to install it on all horizontal runs. The roofer was correct in using it.

He was not correct in telling the homeowner before the installation started that the gutters should be removed, drip edge installed, then the gutters re-installed properly or new gutters. The whole purpose of drip edge is compromised by notching the bottom to accommodate the hangers.


----------



## Snoonyb (Sep 29, 2016)

oldognewtrick said:


> Yes, the gutters should have been re-elevated to the proper height.



What a load of crap! It'll be a cold day in hell before I'd tell a homeowner that he need to further encumber himself because I cannot preform in a professional  manner consistent with my trade.

Let alone risk loosing a project



oldognewtrick said:


> There is nothing crappy about using drip edge, it is a specification from most shingle MFG's to install it on all horizontal runs. The roofer was correct in using it.



Notching in an irregular and inconsistent manner 1-1/2", when it wasn't required and not cutting those tabs, is crappy, low grade, jack-leg laborer workmanship. 



oldognewtrick said:


> He was not correct in telling the homeowner before the installation started that the gutters should be removed, drip edge installed, then the gutters re-installed properly or new gutters.



Never should have happened and there is no excuse for crappy workmanship.



oldognewtrick said:


> The whole purpose of drip edge is compromised by notching the bottom to accommodate the hangers.



Actually, because the drip edge overlaps the gutter, it does not, no would it.

But your solution of further encumbering the OP, might.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Sep 29, 2016)

Sir, I'd rather not do a job than do it incorrectly. Yes, I'd risk loosing a job than do things against the instruction specifications of the MFG. If you don't do a job correctly the first time, when are you going to find time later to correct it?

We agree, cutting the drip edge is hack work.

Instead of pointing fingers, offer some constructive comments on how the homeowner can better his position.


----------



## Snoonyb (Sep 29, 2016)

oldognewtrick said:


> Sir, I'd rather not do a job than do it incorrectly. Yes, I'd risk loosing a job than do things against the instruction specifications of the MFG. If you don't do a job correctly the first time, when are you going to find time later to correct it?



I'll say it again; I've been doing this for over 40yrs and have yet to do ANY warranty work from my actions.

I'm hired because I'm smart enough to find a way.



oldognewtrick said:


> Instead of pointing fingers, offer some constructive comments on how the homeowner can better his position.



he cant better his position, the project is complete and long since paid for, so the OP's solution is to cut the folds off and not refer the roofer.


----------



## nealtw (Oct 3, 2016)

It would have been fine if he had just cut enough to clear the brackets or bend the bottom just a little as the top of the gutter is well above the brackets, but now he needs top come back and stand behind his work.
He could also have explained the problem to the homeowner and given him a choice of paying for a re and re of the gutter.

It's good enough to say good enough, unless you are the customer. And then a smart contractor gets the good enough in writing to protect himself.


----------



## beachguy005 (Oct 3, 2016)

When they installed the seamless aluminum on my house they also slipped the gutter behind the drip edge, but rather than notching the DE they screwed the bracket through the DE, into the gutter and then into the fascia. I was washing the outside minor mildew off the other and now they look as new as the day they were installed 4 years ago.
I do have 2" drip edge on this house and doing any other way, especially given how heavy our rains can get, might have left some leaks.


----------



## bill219 (Oct 4, 2016)

Hi All:

The roofer has finally returned my calls and said he apologized for the poor job. He agreed that the cuts were made too deep and stated his crew often gets "a little out of control" at times. The crews that did this job were all young guys. BTW, the shingle work looks very nice.

He is offering to fix the drip edge, however he can't do it till spring because they are far to busy right now. I live in the NW US where we have snow in winter, and it's already getting quite cold. 

I have asked him to send me his promise in writing, but I doubt he will. 

He says he will have to loosen up all the hanger screws and then tuck the new drip edge back behind it. So that's his fix.

So, I'm stuck with the job until spring and hope he keeps his promise. 

I don't want to get nasty with the guy. I'm just trying to be diplomatic at this point and work it out. I've checked his state contractor license and all is current. I should also add, I found this roofer through the recommendation of the BBB and read a few reviews on him which were all good.

Thanks everybody who commented and Happy Holidays.


----------



## nealtw (Oct 5, 2016)

bill219 said:


> Hi All:
> 
> The roofer has finally returned my calls and said he apologized for the poor job. He agreed that the cuts were made too deep and stated his crew often gets "a little out of control" at times. The crews that did this job were all young guys. BTW, the shingle work looks very nice.
> 
> ...



The quick fix for a year or two would be to bend the end up so the tab can be put back in place, red tuck tape over it, it will hold it in place and keep water out.


----------



## bud16415 (Oct 5, 2016)

If I was looking for a temporary fix till spring I would ask him to come out and tap the tabs they cut back down to close up the hole and then caulk the area with a white RTV. 

It wouldn&#8217;t take a guy over an hour to do that and they wont be catching ice and snow or letting water run back behind the gutter. 

Then he can come back and redo it in the spring. My guess is if he has to come out and do that he will just do it right now and be done with it. Word of mouth is very important in that kind of a business. Come spring he will be busy with new work and some of these guys like to put things off hoping people will just forget. What he said to you that his crew gets a little out of control sometimes I would never say to a customer. It is his job to keep them under control and to look the job over before they leave the site. It is attention to details that you don&#8217;t see that makes the job.


----------

