The roofing contract and the deposit

What a handshake does not remember

As long as the job runs smoothly, a verbal agreement holds. At the first snag over the price, the dates or the scope of the work, each side remembers it differently.

The written contract is the last check once you have finished choosing a roofer: everything promised during the visit must appear on paper.

Seven questions the contract answers

• Who is committing? The company's legal name, address and RBQ (Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Quebec's building authority) licence number, then your contact details.
• What, and where? The building's address, the part of the roof involved, the choice between tearing off the old roofing or overlaying it, and the list of flashing, vents and drains to be replaced.
• With what? The exact name of each product, its colour, the number of layers.
• For how much? The total, the taxes, and what the price does not include.
• When? The period in which the job must start, its approximate duration and the rule that applies if the weather delays it.
• Paid how? The deposit, the following payments and when the balance is due.
• Warranted by whom? The manufacturer's warranty and the roofer's, each one named.

The surprises clause

Nobody knows the condition of the deck before the old roofing is removed. The contract should set a unit price in advance for wood to be replaced. It should also state that no extra will be billed to you without your written approval.

The deposit

A deposit is a common practice. It holds your spot in the roofer's schedule and lets them order materials.

A reasonable deposit stays modest compared with the total price, in line with what the company must spend before starting. The larger the amount paid up front, the more you lose if nobody shows up. Take three precautions before paying.

1. Wait until the contract has both signatures before paying a cent.
2. Check the RBQ register one last time before paying.
3. Use a traceable payment method, and get a receipt.

What the law provides on deposits and on your rights as a customer can be checked with the Office de la protection du consommateur (Quebec's consumer protection office).

Payments that follow the job

When the work lasts several days, payments are usually spread out, each one tied to a stage you can see.

• At signing: the deposit.
• When the materials arrive or the crew gets to work: a second payment.
• When everything is finished: the balance.

Before paying the balance

First check four points.

• The roof is finished. The person in charge has shown you photos or walked around the building with you, on the ground.
• The yard is clean, and the dumpster is gone or its departure date is set.
• The extras billed are the ones you approved.
• The detailed invoice and the warranty papers are in your hands.

Frequently asked questions