New inspector here and recently reported a lack of drip edge on a new build shingle roof. When the client brought this up to the project manager, the project manager claims it is not a requirement per South Carolina residential code that states:
Drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of asphalt shingle roofs where regulated by manufacturer.
The client is asking for my input on this. Anybody else ran into a similar situation or any advice when dealing with clients in a similar situation?
If the documentation can be found they might be made to fix it but it will depend on the builder. With instructions from the manufacturer it’s really hard for the builder to say take it or leave it with a reasonably determined client. All that said I wouldn’t be shocked if a big builder got a “custom” shingle product with “custom” install instructions just for them. Just like all the crap house wrap that is covered in builder branding.
personally I would not want them pulling back all of the shingles to install drip edge after the fact, can You imagine how well that will go when You try to explain to the roofer in english what you want them to do…
It does not matter if it is required or not required, code or not code. The drip edge protects the soft end of the fascia board. Period - end of thought. Lack of drip edge and your fascia will rot.
I don’t give instructions to the roofer how they can meet requirements. I simply identify defects and they can figure out how to fix it.
I have installed drip edge on a home that did not have it. It is slow work, with lots of trips up and down the ladder, working a short section at a time around the roof perimeter.
Here’s part of my narration relative to missing roof edge flashing/drip edge:
Prior to 2015, roof edge flashing was not a required roofing component. There are many roofs still in existence that do not have roof edge flashing in place, this appears to be one of them.
This falls into that gray area that your local AHJ decides what is allowed. Sometimes, they go beyond code, but most relax code requirements. As home inspectors, are you inspecting based on the code requirements enforced by your AHJ or what you think your AHJ should enforce? (For this point, I am overlooking the discussion point that we don’t do code inspections. Obviously, everything we inspect is covered by some code of some year)
Over the years here on the forum, some HIs will waive international code books in the nose of any AHJ who thinks they know better than the code writers. Ok, good luck with that. For me, I have enough things to consume my time without banging my head against that of my AHJ.
I don’t think we do our clients any service by telling them that this or that is wrong and must be fixed even though the AHJ said it is ok. If you like having confused clients calling you at 9:00 at night asking if they should demand that a seller fix something that is not code compliant but allowed by your local AHJ,…then you can find plenty of things to trigger those calls. I like to be asleep by 9:00.
