What Xactimate line items do adjusters commonly leave off a roof estimate?
By Tom Kovack Jr., CEO · July 2, 2026 · Contractor guide
Across 556 documented roof claims, DumbRoof-built packages won 197 and recovered $7.25M.
Short answer
The line items adjusters most often omit are: starter course, hip/ridge cap (billed at its own rate — not shingle SF), ice & water barrier, drip edge at eaves and rakes, step and headwall flashing, steep-slope charges, high-roof (two-story) charges, detach-and-reset of vents and gutters, permit fees, and debris haul-off.
The omissions and what each is worth
These are not gray areas — most are code-mandated and each carries a real dollar. Representative Xactimate values from the DumbRoof registry (market- and price-list-dependent):
- 01Asphalt starter course — ~$2.44/LF around the perimeter (eaves + rakes). Almost always dropped even though shingle manufacturers require it.
- 02Hip/Ridge cap — laminated ~$11.97/LF, cut-from-3-tab ~$10.76/LF. A separate line — never included in field shingle SF.
- 03Ice & water barrier — ~$2.24/SF. Required full eave/valley coverage per RCNYS R905.1.2.
- 04Drip edge — ~$4.21/LF, mandatory at both eaves and rakes (R905.2.8.5).
- 05Step flashing — ~$14.65/LF at sidewalls (R905.2.8.3).
- 06Steep charges — 7/12–9/12 install ~$64.07/SQ; 10/12–12/12 ~$100.73/SQ, plus removal charges.
- 07High-roof charge — 2+ stories ~$30.44/SQ install.
- 08Dumpster/haul-off — ~$850/load.
Miss five and you leave four figures on the roof
Miss five of these on a 30-square roof and you have left four figures on the table. The fix is a comparison that lists exactly what the carrier's scope omitted against a code-and-measurement baseline. DumbRoof's scope-comparison engine surfaces these omissions automatically.
Code callouts
RCNYS R905.1.2
Ice barrier required at full eave/valley coverage
Forces: Ice & water barrier · Typical value: ~$2.24/SF
RCNYS R905.2.8.5
Drip edge required at eaves and rakes
Forces: Drip edge — full perimeter · Typical value: ~$4.21/LF
RCNYS R905.2.8.3
Step flashing required at sidewalls
Forces: Step flashing · Typical value: ~$14.65/LF
Code sections are RCNYS 2020 (New York); other states cite their adopted IRC edition. Xactimate values are representative and move by market and price-list date.
People also ask
Is ridge cap included in the shingle price?
No. Hip/ridge cap is a separate Xactimate line at its own rate (laminated ~$11.97/LF) — never folded into field shingle square footage. Adjusters frequently omit it entirely.
Is a starter course required on a roof?
Yes — shingle manufacturers require a starter course, and in NY R905.1 makes manufacturer installation instructions codified law, so starter is a code argument, not a preference. It is billed by the perimeter LF.
What is a steep charge on a roof estimate?
A labor-and-safety surcharge applied per square to facets at 7/12 pitch or greater (with tiers for 10/12+ and >12/12). Adjusters default it to zero because the base estimate does not auto-populate pitch.
Keep going
Educational information, not legal advice. Coverage depends on your specific policy and state law. Read your policy or consult a licensed professional. DumbRoof is documentation software you use on your own claim — it is not a public adjuster or law firm and does not act on your behalf.
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