Guide
Drip edge and starter course: the eave lines a lump-sum bid often skips
Written by Ultra Power Construction. The credentials page states that this contractor is licensed and insured in New Jersey and lists GAF and Owens Corning programs. Updated 2026-09-28.
Scotch Plains, Berkeley Heights, and Chatham replacement jobs often fail at the eaves when drip edge and starter course are buried inside a lump-sum shingle price. The decision is whether those pieces appear as counted lines so wind uplift and water at the fascia are actually addressed.
- Drip edge is metal, not a shingle detail
- Starter course sets the first fastening row
- How to read the eave section of the bid
Drip edge is metal, not a shingle detail
Drip edge directs water into the gutter and protects the fascia. Reusing bent, short, or missing metal under new shingles leaves the eave unfinished. The estimate should say new drip edge on eaves and rakes.
Starter course sets the first fastening row
Manufacturer starter or inverted shingles seal the eave against wind-driven rain. Skipping starter to save a line is a common way a low bid underbuilds the edge.
How to read the eave section of the bid
Look for drip edge, starter, and ice-and-water as separate items. A Berkeley Heights or Scotch Plains “shingles only” price that omits them is incomplete at the eave.