Costs, Price Factors and 2026 Rules
Roof replacement cost in Canada: price by area, material and pitch
How Canadian roofers price a new roof by roofing square, what material, pitch, tear-off and access add, and how to build an illustrative range for your home.
A roof replacement in Canada is priced mainly by roof surface area, counted in roofing squares of 100 square feet, multiplied by an installed price per square for the material you choose, and then adjusted for pitch, the number of old layers to strip, decking repairs, access and the number of details (valleys, chimneys, skylights, dormers). For a common asphalt shingle re-roof, a quick way to estimate is: footprint including overhangs × pitch factor × 1.10–1.15 for waste ÷ 100 = squares, then squares × an installed price per square from your quotes. As an illustrative example, 20 squares at $450–$750 a square is $9,000–$15,000 before extras and sales tax. Metal, cedar and slate cost several times more per square, while flat-roof membranes are priced differently again.
This page is the overview for the costs and rules section and links to every guide in it. Every dollar figure here is illustrative, not a quote or survey average: real prices vary by city, season, contractor workload and the condition of your roof.
How a roofing quote is built
Most Canadian roofing quotes, whether from a small crew or a larger firm, are built from the same blocks:
| Block | What it covers | How it is usually priced |
|---|---|---|
| Roof area | The sloped surface to be covered | Per square (100 sq ft) |
| Tear-off | Removing one or more existing layers down to the deck | Per square, often more for each extra layer |
| Underlayment and eave protection | Synthetic underlayment, ice and water membrane at eaves, valleys and penetrations | Included per square or as separate lines |
| Decking repairs | Replacing rotten or delaminated plywood or OSB | Per sheet (4 × 8 ft), usually an allowance |
| Flashing and details | Drip edge, step and counter flashing, chimney and skylight flashing, valleys | Included, or per item for chimneys and skylights |
| Ventilation | Ridge vents, roof vents, intake at soffits | Per vent or per linear foot of ridge |
| Disposal and site | Bin rental, tipping fees, magnetic nail sweep, landscape protection | Lump sum |
| Permit | Where your municipality requires one | Fee set by the city |
| Sales tax | GST/HST, or GST plus PST or QST | Percentage of the taxable total |
Two quotes can show the same total and very different scopes, so compare line by line. The quote comparison checklist walks through this.
The four biggest price factors
1. Area. Area is the multiplier for everything else. A low bungalow with a simple gable roof might be 15–20 squares; a larger two-storey house with a hip roof, garage and porch roofs can easily pass 30. Measuring is covered in how to measure your roof in squares.
2. Material. Architectural asphalt shingles are the baseline in most Canadian quotes. Steel and aluminium products, cedar shakes, synthetic slate and natural slate climb in price, mostly because of material cost and the skill and time needed for installation. The roofing material cost comparison sets out the trade-offs.
3. Pitch and complexity. A steeper roof has more surface for the same footprint and is slower and riskier to work on. Above roughly 8/12, many contractors add a steep-roof charge for safety equipment and slower work. Each valley, hip, dormer and penetration adds cutting and flashing time. See how roof pitch changes the price.
4. What is under the old roof. Two or three layers of old shingles take longer to strip and fill more bins. Soft or rotten decking must be replaced before anything new goes on. Because nobody can see the deck before tear-off, good quotes include a unit price per sheet rather than a vague promise.
Illustrative ranges by roof size
The table below applies an illustrative architectural asphalt price of $450–$750 per square, plus $1,200 for a single-layer tear-off bin and site protection. It is a teaching example, not market data.
| Roof size | Squares | Material and labour (illustrative) | Plus extras | Range before tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small bungalow | 15 | $6,750–$11,250 | $1,200 | $7,950–$12,450 |
| Typical one-and-a-half or small two-storey | 22 | $9,900–$16,500 | $1,200 | $11,100–$17,700 |
| Larger two-storey with garage | 32 | $14,400–$24,000 | $1,200 | $15,600–$25,200 |
Arithmetic for the middle row: 22 × $450 = $9,900 and 22 × $750 = $16,500; adding $1,200 gives $11,100 and $17,700. Then add sales tax: in Ontario, 13% HST on $14,000 would be $1,820, for a total of $15,820. See GST/HST and PST on roofing.
Regional and seasonal differences
Canadian roofing prices are not uniform. Crews in large metro areas usually charge more than in smaller centres, though rural jobs can include travel. Demand also spikes after hail and windstorms, which are frequent in parts of Alberta, and late-season work in colder provinces is slower because shingles need warmth to seal and crews lose daylight. Some contractors price winter work higher; others discount quiet months.
Local rules shape the job too. Some cities require a permit to replace a roof covering and others do not; Montreal boroughs, for example, set material and reflectance rules for flat roofs. In wildfire-prone areas, non-combustible roofing and cladding are encouraged by FireSmart guidance. See roofing permits by municipality and flat roof replacement costs.
Roof and siding together
Many homeowners replace siding in the same season as the roof, or the reverse. Doing both together can share scaffolding, a disposal bin and some flashing and trim work at the roof-to-wall junctions, but it also doubles the size of the contract and the deposit at risk. Siding is priced by wall area and cladding type; see siding replacement costs and the siding cost estimator.
Rules that change the total
- Sales tax: renovations are generally taxable. HST applies in Ontario and Atlantic Canada; GST plus QST in Quebec; GST plus provincial rules for PST in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba; GST only in Alberta and the territories.
- Rebates: replacing a roof covering is generally not an eligible energy upgrade, and the Canada Greener Homes Grant and Loan have closed to new applicants. Attic insulation added during the job may still qualify for a provincial or utility program. See rebates and tax credits in 2026.
- Holdbacks: in provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia, owners must keep back a portion of the price until the lien period has expired. See holdbacks under provincial lien acts.
- Licensing: Quebec contractors need an RBQ licence; Alberta has a prepaid contracting licence. See contractor licensing by province.
FAQ
How long does an asphalt roof last in Canada?
It varies with the product, ventilation, sun exposure and climate. Many homeowners plan for replacement somewhere around two decades for architectural shingles, but poor attic ventilation or installation can shorten that a lot. Watch for curling, granule loss and leaks rather than relying on age alone.
Can I put new shingles over the old ones?
Some codes and manufacturers allow one overlay in limited circumstances, but it hides the deck, adds weight and can affect the warranty. Many contractors and manufacturers recommend a full tear-off. Check the manufacturer's installation instructions and local rules.
Why do roofing quotes differ so much?
Different scope (tear-off layers, decking allowance, underlayment, ventilation, flashing), different products and different overhead and warranty terms. Line-by-line comparison usually explains most of the gap.
Is a deposit normal?
Many contractors ask for one to order materials. Keep it modest, get a written contract first and pay later amounts as work is completed. See what a roofing contract should include.
Sources
- Canada Revenue Agency — GST/HST rates and rules on renovation services
- Natural Resources Canada — status of the Canada Greener Homes programs
- National Research Council Canada — National Building Code of Canada, the model for provincial codes
- FireSmart Canada — guidance on roofing and siding in wildfire-prone areas
- City of Toronto — example of a municipality's permit rules for re-roofing
