# Flashing/drip edge on roof - questions & advice



## Westy

We recently built a house and I'm at the point where we need to put on gutters but I need some advice on the drip edge or the flashing. 

We have had a handful of estimates and one was higher than the rest and he said it included flashing. I thought the roofers did the flashing and started asking them and checking into it. The other ones said they were going to use the existing drip edge. (Take it off, install the gutters and put it back up inside the gutters. I got looking online and am wondering if we were shortsided when we built the house. The existing drip edge doesn't appear to be like any of the examples I saw online. It doesn't go underneath the shingles but butts up to the bottom side of the shingle, leave the chipboard exposed if you lift up the shingle. 

Can someone please tell me if this is normal construction or should I have the gutter guys install the flashing. 

Any comments would be sincerely appreciated !

I linked a couple pictures below. The red is the edge of the chipboard. The fuzzy one is the main area of the house where there is a gap between the fascia and the chipboard. Is that normal or did they chinz on the chipboard ?

Thank you !

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...7/P1012074.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...7/P1012073.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...7/P1012076.jpg


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## Westy

My picture links seemms dead ! Let's try these:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/westy57/P1012076-1.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/westy57/P1012074.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/westy57/P1012073.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/westy57/P1012076.jpg


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## inspectorD

Well.....looks like you have been cheated IF you paid for drip edge.
There should be drip edge on all roof installations...that ain't it.
Drip edge goes up the roof under the shingles and down the fascia (where the gutters go)and into the gutter. If it does not go into the gutter it drains behind them...leaves nice streaks. 

The metal you are looking at under your shingles is to hold the metal(aluminum) fascia piece and lock it in so you do not have to see any face nails or wavy metal. This is common for a siding contractor to do..not a roofer. A good roofer knows what drip is, a good one installs the 6 inch up the roof style. 

This could be one of those communication problems we talk about with contractors, I would get them back to find out what you paid for first.

Then...

Call your building inspector and find out what is going on.

Then....it,s off to   lawyurville.

If you don't use drip edge you will end up with issues...especially in your area of the country.


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## Westy

InspectorD-

Thanks for the info. We had a builder put the house up for us so there really wasn't a defined "use this-do that" when it came to sound practices. They are a reputable builder and I assumed that all building standards would be taken care of. We helped the general contractor design the layout of the house and picked different things, but we didn't cover each detail. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have known the difference. 

The GC subbed out all the work to the crews he uses on a regular basis so I think the roofing crew took a short cut on this one. I'm certain the builder will stand behind this and make it right with us. 

One question- can they properly install the right drip edge or flashing after the shingles are on ? I wouldn't want the roofewrs to come back and do a hack job on it to correct the problem. How should they correctly install the drip edge ?

Thanks again for your reply !


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## inspectorD

You may need to remove the first bottom row if it has already settled in. Or you could have it installed by slightly bending the shingles up. Either way is a pain to do afterwards, some shingles will be wasted or broke...but as long as it is fixed ...no problem. 

Good luck.


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