Would you cut these siding shingles? How?

The roofer put on a new roof last year. He said he was going to cut back the wall shingles so there'd be a gap between them and the roof - I think the roof shingles get wet and the siding just soaks it up. Can't be good for the siding or the house, right? He never did that / he didn't do a bunch of things he said he was going to do... I don't want him back.

Would you cut those siding shingles back? How would you do it without hurting the flashing behind it?

I envision a dremel type tool. Or is there something like a circular saw that you can control how far the blade sticks out? I'll get a measure of the thickness of the siding and then cut a fraction if an inch less than that, and hopefully the shingle will snap on that cut line?

THANKS!

 

He is right that the siding is too tight, but no I would not cut them... can't tell for sure what the siding is. (Kind of looks like Masonite / fiberboard). But there is no way to cut it without damaging the flashing behind. Someday down the road those pieces should be removed if possible and replaced.

 

Correct me if Im wrong, but shouldn't the flashing from under the siding be on top of the shingles?

 

Yeah, your wrong. It's only on top of the shingles on the top row if that top row buts up to a wall. And even then it's sometimes covered up with a row as a beauty cap.

 

The siding was installed wrong, not the shingles.
It never should have been that close to the shingles.
I agree that looks like the old Masonite that long ago there was a recall on because of all the rotting issue with it.
This is more like what it should have looked like if done right.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...f&action=click

 

I thought it is a more natural product - 'cedar shakes' ? but much smoother surface than a house I was growing up at with unpainted cedar shakes that were much more grainy.

Here's a close up of another part of the house. I can see a faint grain under the paint.

And previous owners had an addition put on the house. That builder cut back the existing shingles correctly / like joe's picture.

With the potential change in what you thought the siding was made from - still woudln't cut them back with a dremel tool or similar? Just deal with it / spray to kill mold and deal with it when replacing roof in 15 - 20 years? That picture with the vent / worse of the 2 pics, of course, is on the north side of the house so it's in shade all the time... perfect conditions for siding too close to the damp roof.