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Roofing Toronto
Your roof is the only thing between your home and everything Toronto’s climate can throw at it. It deserves a roofing contractor who shows up on time, does the job completely, and doesn’t cut corners on the parts you can’t see. At The HandyForce, roofing is one of our highest-volume exterior services – full replacements, storm repairs, flat roof installations, and the kind of detail work most roofers won’t bother with.
Full Roof Replacements
A full roof replacement is the most common roofing job we do. When a roof has reached the end of its life – typically 20 to 25 years for asphalt shingles, longer for premium materials – a replacement is more cost-effective than repeated repairs. We remove the existing shingles, inspect the decking beneath, replace any damaged plywood and rafters before the new roof goes on, and install Ice and Water Shield membrane before the shingles. The membrane is what protects your home if water ever gets under the shingles – it’s not optional, and any roofer who skips it is cutting a corner you’ll pay for later.
Roofing Materials We Install
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material in Toronto – cost-effective, durable, and available in a wide range of colours and profiles. Standard three-tab shingles have largely been replaced by architectural (laminated) shingles, which offer better wind resistance and a more dimensional appearance. We install both and can advise on the right product for your home, budget, and exposure.
Flat Roofing – Modified Bitumen
Flat roofs are extremely common on Toronto rowhouses, additions, and garage roofs. Modified bitumen is our most common flat roofing material – a torch-applied membrane that creates a seamless, waterproof surface. Properly installed, a modified bitumen flat roof performs reliably for 15 to 20 years. We do full flat roof replacements and repairs, including drainage assessment to ensure water is actually leaving the roof rather than ponding.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is the premium end of the market – significantly more expensive than asphalt but with a lifespan of 40 to 70 years and exceptional performance in Toronto’s freeze-thaw climate. Standing seam metal roofing is the most common residential application. We install metal roofing on homes where the client wants a lifetime solution.
Composite Slate and Specialty Shingles
Composite slate shingles are an increasingly popular option for older homes where the aesthetic of traditional slate is important but the cost and weight of real slate are prohibitive. Composite products look virtually identical to natural slate, weigh a fraction of the amount, and are rated to last 50 years or more.
Real project: A client in Cabbagetown had an original slate roof dating to the early 1900s that had finally reached the end of its life. The home’s heritage character meant the replacement had to look right – a standard asphalt shingle roof simply wasn’t appropriate. We installed composite slate shingles that replicate the look of the original roof precisely, at a fraction of the weight and cost of real slate. The project also included replacing wood detailing beneath the dormers that had rotted over decades – we hand-built new pieces to match the original profiles and installed them as part of the same project. The finished roof is indistinguishable from the original and will outlast it.
Natural Slate and Tile
For heritage homes where only the original material will do, or where a heritage designation requires it, we install and repair natural slate and clay tile. This is specialist work – heavy materials, specific fastening requirements, and a need to source matching pieces for repairs. We’ve done it.
Roofing Repairs
Not every roofing problem requires a full replacement. We do a significant volume of repairs – and we take them as seriously as a full job.
Storm Damage and Missing Shingles
Toronto gets its share of windstorms, and individual shingles blow off more often than most homeowners realise. A missing shingle creates an immediate vulnerability – water gets under the surrounding shingles, and within a season or two a small repair becomes a much larger one. We repair storm damage quickly and match existing shingles as closely as possible.
Leak Repairs – Vents, Chimneys, and Flashings
The most common source of roof leaks isn’t failed shingles – it’s failed flashings around chimneys, roof vents, skylights, and where rooflines meet walls. Sometimes the fix is as simple as new caulking around a vent collar. Sometimes the flashing itself needs to be replaced. We diagnose the actual source of the leak rather than patching symptoms.
Rotten Decking and Rafters
A roof that has been leaking for a long time doesn’t just need new shingles – the plywood decking beneath may be soft, black, or structurally compromised. In severe cases, rafters can be affected. We open up the damaged area, replace the plywood, add new Ice and Water Shield, and replace shingles over the repaired section. We also replace rotten rafters where needed. A new roof installed over compromised decking is a problem waiting to happen – we don’t do it.
Raccoon and Pest Damage
Raccoons are a fact of life in Toronto, and they cause more roofing damage than most homeowners expect. A raccoon that finds a weak point – typically at a soffit or a roof-wall junction – will make it significantly worse very quickly. We repair pest entry points, replace damaged decking and shingles, and advise on deterrent measures.
Flat Roof Specific Services
- Full flat roof replacement – modified bitumen, TPO
- Flat roof repairs and patch work
- Drainage assessment and drain clearing
- Ponding water solutions – tapered insulation and drain repositioning
- Roof deck inspections
Eavestroughs, Flashing, and the Full Roofing System
A roof is only as good as the system around it. When we replace a roof, we assess the eavestroughs, downspouts, fascia, and flashing at the same time – because a new roof draining into failed eavestroughs is still a water problem. See our eavestroughs page for the full scope of what we do on the drainage side.
Frequently Asked Questions
No – a roof replacement does not require a building permit in Toronto. The work is considered maintenance rather than new construction. This means we can schedule and complete your roof replacement without any permit delays.
Most residential roof replacements take one to two days. A straightforward asphalt shingle replacement on a standard semi-detached can often be completed in a single day. Larger homes, complex rooflines, or specialty materials take longer. Your quote will include a timeline.
The honest answer is that it depends on the age and condition of the existing roof. If shingles are curling, granules are washing into the eavestroughs, or you’re having recurring leaks in multiple locations, the roof is likely at the end of its life. If the damage is isolated – storm damage, a single failed flashing – a repair is almost always the better value. We assess honestly and tell you which situation you’re in.
Flat roofs can often be repaired if the damage is localised. We assess the extent of the membrane failure and advise on repair vs. replacement based on the age of the existing roof and the scope of the damage. A flat roof that’s near the end of its life is often better replaced than repeatedly patched.
The National Roofing Contractors Association provides guidance on flat roofing best practices and material selection.
Ice dams form when heat escaping through your roof melts snow, which then refreezes at the cold eaves and backs up under shingles. The root cause is usually inadequate attic insulation or ventilation. We’ve written about this in detail – see our guide to ice dams in Toronto. Prevention is always better than repair, and our Homecare Plan clients benefit from seasonal roof checks that catch these issues before they become damage.
Roofing Toronto: The Neighbourhoods We Serve
We serve East York, North York, Leaside, the Beaches, Leslieville, Cabbagetown, Rosedale, Forest Hill, and the surrounding Toronto neighbourhoods. Office at 1352C Woodbine Ave, East York.
Ready to Talk About Your Roof?
Call us at 647-427-7366, toll-free at 1-888-910-7366, or click Request a Quote.