How to hire a roofer in Ontario

To hire a roofer in Ontario, get at least three itemized quotes by the same date and call three references. Confirm the crew is trained to work at heights and wears fall protection, check the business on Ontario's Consumer Beware List, and sign a written contract that names the work, the price with taxes, the cleanup and who pays for any damage. Roofing contractors aren't licensed by the government, so these checks are the only ones available to you.

Shortlist and read the reviews

Start with roofers who work in your town and do your kind of roof (asphalt shingles, metal, a flat roof). A local business is easier to check, and easier to find again if the roof leaks next spring.

When you read reviews:

• Look for recent reviews that name the job, the price range and how the site was left. "Great service" tells you little.
• Read the low ratings. If the business answered a complaint fairly, that's a good sign. Watch for the same problem coming up again and again: leaks after the job, nails left in the driveway, a warranty that wasn't honoured.
• Check the count and the dates. A handful of recent reviews says more than many from years ago.
• On Zulma Atlas, each business's page shows the services they publish and the towns they serve, and has reviews from homeowners.

Call their references

Ask for at least three references: a job in progress, one finished recently and one from a few years ago. The province says that if a contractor won't give references, you shouldn't hire them.

When you call, ask:

• Would you hire this roofer again?
• Did the job come in on budget, and if not, why not?
• Was your home or garden damaged, or were the workers careless?
• Did the workers wear safety equipment when they were up on the roof?

iSource: Government of Ontario, "Hiring a roofer" (updated 25 September 2024).

What to check, when there's no licence

Roofer is a non-compulsory trade in Ontario, and roofing contractors aren't licensed by the government. A roofer may still hold a Certificate of Qualification, which is worth asking about, but it isn't required. What you can check:

• The Consumer Beware List. Search the business name on Ontario's Consumer Beware List for complaints and charges.
• Safety training. Workers on a construction project who use fall protection must have working at heights training from a provider the province approved, and it is valid for three years. Don't hire a contractor who can't confirm their workers are trained and equipped. Every worker more than 3 metres (10 feet) up must be protected at all times.
• Liability insurance. Ask for proof, so damage to your home or a neighbour's is covered.
• WSIB. You don't need a WSIB clearance certificate when you hire a contractor for your own home. If the roofer brings in a subcontractor, the roofer must get one from them.

iSources: Skilled Trades Ontario, "Roofer"; Government of Ontario, "Hiring a roofer" and "Training for working at heights"; WSIB, "Questions and answers: Clearances" (updated 20 July 2026).

Ask the right questions

• Who will be on the roof, and is each of them trained to work at heights?
• Do you carry liability insurance? Can I see proof?
• Will you tear off the old shingles or roof over them? Will you replace damaged roof boards, and at what price per sheet?
• What's included: underlayment, flashing, vents, the eavestrough, disposal, cleanup?
• Who backs the shingle warranty, and do I need a certified installer to keep it?
• What warranty do you give on your own work?
• How will you protect the garden, the driveway and the siding?
• When can you start, and what happens if it rains?

Compare quotes on the same job

• Ask at least three roofers to quote the same work, in writing, by a set date.
• Each quote should describe the work clearly and list the cost of materials and labour separately.
• Compare the total, including HST.
• A quote far below the others can leave out new flashing, roof boards, disposal or cleanup. Ask what's missing.
• If a roofer says your roof is damaged, ask for photos of the shingles or holes.

iSource: Government of Ontario, "Hiring a roofer".

Permits

In Toronto, replacing the roofing on a house needs no building permit as long as no structural work is needed, and zoning rules still apply. Structural changes to the roof do need one. Other cities set their own rules, so ask your roofer or your city's building department.

iSource: City of Toronto, "When Do I Need a Building Permit?" (modified 21 July 2026).

The contract and your rights on price

A written contract should name the contractor, describe the work in detail, and set out the quote, the schedule, the total with taxes, the payment terms and the deposit. It should also say how the garden will be protected, who cleans up, and who pays for damage to the driveway, eaves, siding, screens or a neighbour's property.

• Any home renovation or repair contract worth more than $50 must be in writing.
• If a written estimate is part of the contract, the final price can't be more than 10% over it unless you agree to new work or a new price.
• Keep the deposit to no more than 10%, and never pay the full amount before the work is done.
• If you sign at home, you have 10 days to cancel for any reason.
• Be wary of a tax-free deal: without a receipt, you have no proof you paid. If you pay cash, get a detailed, signed receipt.

iSources: Government of Ontario, "Hiring a roofer" and "Your rights when starting home renovations or repairs" (updated 6 August 2026).

Warranties

There are usually two: the maker's warranty on the shingles, and the roofer's own warranty on the work. The maker often has nothing to do with the roofer, and some makers' warranties only hold if a certified or specially trained installer puts the roof on. Ask who backs each one, and get copies of both.

iSource: Government of Ontario, "Hiring a roofer".

After you hire: keep track of the job

• Before work starts: photograph the roof, the attic, the garden and the driveway, and keep the signed contract and quote.
• During the job: if the roofer finds rotten roof boards, get the count and the new price in writing before they go on.
• At the end: walk the property for nails, ask for photos of the finished roof, and check the attic after the next rain. Ask for an itemized invoice and both warranties.
• Keep it all together: the invoice, warranties and photos are what you'll need for a warranty claim, an insurance claim or a future sale.
• Set a reminder to look at the roof and clean the eavestroughs each spring and fall. See our eavestrough cleaning guide.

Red flags

• They won't give references.
• They can't confirm their crew is trained to work at heights, or they work on the roof with no fall protection.
• They knock on your door saying your roof is damaged, and can't show you photos.
• They want a large deposit, cash only, or full payment up front.
• They offer a tax-free price with no receipt.
• They won't put the price, the cleanup and the damage terms in writing.