Questions covered in this guide
Identify the actual edge arrangement
PNNL notes that edge flashing can be separate or integrated with a gutter and discusses protection at the roof edge. A reroofing proposal that says gutters remain should still explain how the new roof connects to them.
Inspect the scope boundary together
Ask the roofer to review the existing gutter and edge arrangement and explain what their crew will disturb. If a gutter contractor is involved, request agreement on who removes, reinstalls, or replaces affected pieces. Tell both trades which exterior finishes you want preserved. Do not assume an existing gutter can stay untouched simply because its replacement is absent from the roofing price; ask the installer to confirm the actual plan.
Create an edge handoff worksheet
List each side of the house with the existing gutter status, proposed edge treatment, responsible trade, and finish-restoration responsibility. Add rows for corners, additions, and any section with a different roof material. Mark uncertain conditions for on-site assessment. Include the sequence of visits and who protects an incomplete connection if weather interrupts the work. This sheet records the professionals’ plan without turning the homeowner into the designer of a flashing detail.
Check the completed handoff
Request a final walk-through from the ground and any close-up photographs the contractors can safely provide. Confirm that each trade completed the items assigned to it and ask who will respond to a later concern at the shared connection. Keep the roof and gutter scope records together. The national roof calculator does not automatically include gutter alteration or finishing work. A separate line item for an identified edge change is more useful than assuming it is absorbed into a roof surface allowance.
Putting it into practice
The guide addresses a two-trade boundary at retained gutters. A side-by-side edge schedule identifies removal, reconnection, and finish responsibilities before reroofing begins, rather than making a generic recommendation to replace all gutters.
Sources and supported claims
PNNL advises checking whether roof-edge metal is separate or integrated into a gutter.
Source ↗ · national · Checked 2026-10-12
PNNL identifies drip-edge protection of the roof edge as part of its gutter guidance.
Source ↗ · national · Checked 2026-10-12