What a Roofer Actually Costs in Ontario: Read Your Quote

A full asphalt shingle roof on an average Ontario home runs $6,500–$18,000 installed; metal roofing typically lands between $15,000–$35,000. What separates the low end from the high end — on the same street, for the same size house — is a short list of factors every homeowner can learn to read in a written quote.

What Roofing Actually Costs in Ontario

These are the figures ProScore publishes in the Ontario roofer cost guide. They reflect real Ontario project data and are expressed in Canadian dollars.

Roofing is almost always quoted per project, not per hour. If a contractor quotes you an hourly rate for a full re-roof, that is unusual enough to ask about.

This post goes deeper than the table: what pushes a quote toward $18,000 instead of $6,500, what a fair written quote must contain, and which cheap quotes are cheap for a reason you do not want to discover mid-project.

What Moves a Roofing Quote Inside the Range

Roof size and pitch. Contractors measure in "squares" — one square equals 100 square feet of roof surface. A steeper pitch means more material per square foot of floor plan, slower installation, and more safety equipment. A steep Victorian in Hamilton costs more per square than a low-slope bungalow in Brampton of identical footprint.

Material choice. Asphalt shingles dominate Ontario because they balance cost, performance, and availability of skilled installers. Architectural (laminate) shingles cost more than three-tab but last longer and handle Ontario's freeze-thaw cycles better. Metal roofing — standing seam or steel panels — carries a higher upfront cost but a lifespan measured in decades and better performance under ice and snow load. Flat roofs are typically priced per square foot because material and labour vary significantly between TPO, EPDM, and modified bitumen systems.

Tear-off and deck condition. If your existing shingles are coming off (rather than being overlaid), that labour and disposal cost is in the quote — or it should be. Worse, if the sheathing underneath is rotted or delaminated from years of ice damming, deck replacement adds cost that no contractor can fully predict before the old shingles are off. A transparent quote will name the deck inspection as a step and explain how change orders are handled if problems appear.

Number of existing layers. Ontario's Building Code generally treats re-roofing with the same material type over existing sheathing as maintenance, meaning no permit is required. But many municipalities and most manufacturers cap the number of shingle layers at two. If your house already has two layers, full tear-off is mandatory — that cost belongs in the quote.

Permit requirements. Full deck replacement, structural changes, or switching material types (for example, asphalt to metal) typically require a municipal building permit. Individual municipalities can set stricter requirements than the provincial minimum, so your roofer should confirm what applies to your address. The permit fee itself is usually modest, but the process adds time.

Flashing, valleys, and penetrations. Every chimney, skylight, vent pipe, and valley is a potential leak point. Replacing or re-flashing all of them at the time of a re-roof is best practice and adds cost. A quote that does not mention flashing at all is a quote that may leave your biggest leak risks untouched.

Season and scheduling. Ontario winters shut down most roofing for good reason — adhesives and shingles don't seal properly in sustained cold. Fall is peak demand. A contractor who can start in October may charge a slight premium over one who can't start until spring. That premium is often worth it if your roof is actively leaking.

Warranty terms. Material warranties come from the manufacturer; workmanship warranties come from the contractor. A 10-year workmanship warranty costs the contractor more to stand behind than a 1-year one, and that difference shows up in the quote.

How to Read a Roofing Quote

A professional roofing estimate should be written, itemized, and specific. Here is what to look for:

Scope of work, in plain language. The quote should describe what is being removed, what is being installed, and what is being left in place. "Full re-roof" is not enough. You want: number of layers being removed, material and grade of new shingles (brand and product line), underlayment type, ice-and-water shield coverage (critical in Ontario — most codes require it at eaves and in valleys), and what happens to flashing.

Material specifications. The brand and product name of the shingles matter because they determine the manufacturer's warranty. A quote that says "architectural shingles" without a product name leaves you unable to verify what you're getting.

Labour, disposal, and HST — listed separately. Bundling everything into one number makes it impossible to compare quotes. You want to see disposal fees (dumpster or haul-away), HST, and any permit fees called out clearly.

Payment schedule. A reasonable deposit for a large job is typically in the range of 10–25% upfront; the balance on completion. A contractor who demands full payment before starting is a red flag. A contractor who asks for nothing upfront may be cash-flow stressed in a way that affects your project.

Change-order process. What happens if the deck is rotted? The quote should explain how surprises are priced and require your written approval before work proceeds.

Start date and estimated duration. Weather affects roofing more than almost any other trade. A professional will give you a realistic window, not a guarantee, and explain what delays look like.

The Credentials Gap: Why Some Quotes Are Cheap for a Bad Reason

Ontario does not require a specific provincial roofing licence — roofing is classified as a non-compulsory trade. That means almost anyone can legally offer roofing services. The credential floor is low, and the gap between a careful professional and an unqualified operator can be invisible in a quote — until it isn't.

WSIB coverage is not optional. Under Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, WSIB coverage is mandatory for all construction businesses, including sole proprietors and independent operators with no employees — a rule in effect since January 1, 2013. If you hire a roofer who is not registered with WSIB and a worker is injured on your property, you can be held liable for the costs. That is not a technicality — it is a real financial exposure.

You can verify a roofer's WSIB standing for free at wsib.ca by requesting a WSIB Clearance Certificate. This confirms the contractor is registered and that premiums are current. Ask for it before you sign anything.

Liability insurance. A roofer working on your home should carry general liability insurance — typically at least $2 million in coverage. There is no public register for insurance the way there is for WSIB, so ask for the certificate of insurance directly and confirm the policy is current. A contractor who hesitates to provide it is telling you something.

Toronto note. If your home is in the City of Toronto, the contractor must also hold a municipal building renovator licence for roofing work. This is a local requirement on top of the provincial baseline. Ask to see the licence number.

A quote that comes in $3,000 below every other estimate is worth scrutinizing. Sometimes it reflects a leaner operation with lower overhead. More often it reflects missing WSIB coverage, no liability insurance, cheaper materials than specified, or a scope that quietly excludes the tear-off and flashing work the other quotes include.

Rebates That Can Offset Roofing Costs

Roofing itself rarely qualifies for rebates — but work done at the same time often does.

Attic insulation. If your roofer is opening up the deck, it is the ideal moment to upgrade attic insulation. Ontario's Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP), offered through Enbridge Gas and Save On Energy, provides a standalone attic-insulation rebate of up to $1,250 with no energy assessment required. The program is currently scheduled to end November 30, 2026 and can close early if funding runs out — so timing matters.

Canada Greener Homes Loan. The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant closed permanently to new applications at the end of 2025. The Canada Greener Homes Loan continues in 2026: 0% interest, up to $40,000, repayable over up to 10 years, and it requires an EnerGuide assessment. Insulation and energy-efficient upgrades bundled with a roofing project may qualify.

Ask your roofer whether they have experience with rebate-eligible work, and confirm eligibility directly with the program before counting on it.

How to Compare Two Roofing Quotes

When you have two or more written quotes in front of you, compare them on these dimensions before looking at the bottom line:

If two quotes are genuinely apples-to-apples on all five dimensions and one is meaningfully cheaper, ask the cheaper contractor what accounts for the difference. A good contractor will have a clear answer.

You can also look up scored Ontario roofers on ProScore, where the Trust Index blends reputation, credentials, customer sentiment, and business transparency into a single public score — giving you a starting point for the conversation before you even request a quote. ProScore has scored 14,800+ contractors across Ontario, drawing on 30,000+ reviews and 10+ data sources.

FAQ

What does a new roof cost in Ontario?

An asphalt shingle roof on an average Ontario home typically costs $6,500–$18,000 installed. Metal roofing runs $15,000–$35,000. Flat roofs are generally priced at $8–$15 per square foot. Repairs for a single leak or patch run $300–$1,000. The wide ranges reflect differences in roof size, pitch, material grade, tear-off requirements, and the contractor's warranty terms.

Do I need a permit for a new roof in Ontario?

Re-roofing with the same material type over existing sheathing is generally treated as maintenance under Ontario's Building Code and does not require a permit. Full deck replacement, structural changes, or switching material types — for example, from asphalt to metal — typically do require a municipal building permit. Individual municipalities can set stricter rules, and the City of Toronto also requires contractors to hold a municipal building renovator licence for roofing work. Your roofer should confirm what applies to your address before work begins.

How do I check if a roofer has WSIB coverage in Ontario?

Ask the contractor for a WSIB Clearance Certificate before signing any contract. You can also verify their standing directly and for free at wsib.ca by entering the contractor's WSIB account number. The certificate confirms they are registered and that their premiums are current. If a roofer is not registered with WSIB and a worker is injured on your property, you as the homeowner can be held liable for the costs — so this check is not optional.

Ready to compare roofers in your part of Ontario? Browse scored roofers across the province or go straight to results for Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, or Mississauga. For the full breakdown of what's in each price range, see the Ontario roofer cost guide.