The 8 line items adjusters "forget" on every roof estimate (and how to get them back)

If you've filed a roof insurance claim, your adjuster sent you an Xactimate-formatted estimate. It's a tidy line-item list and it looks comprehensive. It almost never is.

After auditing thousands of residential roof estimates, the same omissions appear over and over. Each one is either required by code, required by the shingle manufacturer's warranty, or so universally needed that leaving it out is functionally an underpayment. Most homeowners never notice. The ones who do — or who use a tool like our free Claim Detective — typically recover an additional $2,000 to $5,000 on the same claim.

1. Drip edge at eaves and rakes

Required by IRC R905.2.8.5 for all new asphalt shingle installations. Adjusters routinely omit this on the theory that the original roof "didn't have it." The 2018 International Residential Code disagrees — the moment a new roof is installed, drip edge is required. Typical reimbursement: $400–$700 depending on roof size.

2. Starter course

Every shingle manufacturer — GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed, IKO, Atlas — requires a dedicated starter course at the eaves and rakes for the warranty to be valid. Some adjusters bill shingles only and quietly skip the starter. Typical reimbursement: $150–$300.

3. Ice & water shield

In any jurisdiction where the average January temperature is below 25°F (most of the Northeast, Midwest, and high-elevation West), IRC R905.1.2 requires ice and water shield at eaves to a point at least 24 inches inside the warm-wall line. In warm climates, it's required at valleys for manufacturer warranty compliance. Typical reimbursement: $300–$1,000.

4. Step flashing and counter flashing at walls

Where the roof meets a vertical wall (chimney, dormer, second-story wall) there must be step flashing under the shingles and counter flashing on the wall. Adjusters often pay only for the visible counter flashing. Typical reimbursement: $200–$500.

5. Pipe jacks, ridge vents, and accessory metals as R&R, not D&R

Pipe jack flashings, ridge vents, drip edge, and valley metal are disposable during a re-roof. Their salvage value is zero. Yet adjusters routinely mark them as "detach and reset" (D&R), paying labor to remove and reinstall what should simply be replaced (R&R). The difference is typically 50–80% per item.

6. Code-required synthetic underlayment

Modern manufacturer warranties require either synthetic underlayment or a minimum 30# felt. If your adjuster billed 15# felt at $0.40 per square foot, that's not just cheap — it likely voids your warranty. Demand the synthetic.

7. Building permit fee

Most jurisdictions require a permit for a full re-roof. Permit fees are a hard cost that should appear as a separate line item on your supplement. Range: $150–$400 depending on city.

8. Dumpster, disposal, and haul

The cost of dumpster rental and dump fees is sometimes bundled into "tear-off labor" and sometimes simply missing. Either way, it should be itemized to capture the full scope of work. Range: $75–$200 per day.

What to do next

Two paths. The fast one: upload your adjuster's estimate to our free Claim Detective — it'll parse every line, flag every missing item with the appropriate IRC or manufacturer citation, and write you a supplement letter you can email to your adjuster the same day.

The slow one: manually check your estimate against this list. If you find three or more missing items, your adjuster owes you a supplement. The magic words in your email back: "Please reissue the estimate to include the following code-required and manufacturer-required line items..."

Either way: don't accept the first estimate. Adjusters expect supplements. The ones who never get them aren't being treated fairly — they're being undercut.