Roofer in Chomedey: repairing or replacing your roof

An area born of a merger

The city of Chomedey was created in 1961 by merging L'Abord-à-Plouffe, Renaud and Saint-Martin, four years before Laval was born. The rules for roofing in Laval by area are the same here as elsewhere on the island. A single Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) covers the whole city. What sets Chomedey apart is what was built there.

Chomedey's buildings

In its land use plan, the City describes the Chomedey neighbourhood hub, around the intersection of boulevard Notre-Dame and boulevard Curé-Labelle. It says the hub is mainly characterized by commercial buildings set at the back of their lots, with parking in front, and by multi-family housing of various sizes. According to the City, this housing gives the hub a higher average density than the other neighbourhood hubs.

The same plan describes the Val-Martin residential complex, between boulevard Chomedey and boulevard Curé-Labelle: a group of 586 units in two-storey duplexes and fourplexes, built in 1954 and 1955.

The City also lists Chomedey among its older neighbourhoods, where plexes and mixed-use buildings are more common than elsewhere, most of them built in the 1940s and 1950s.

In a draft amendment to this plan, the City also writes that Chomedey, Laval-des-Rapides and Pont-Viau show a high proportion of dwellings in need of major repairs. The document does not say which repairs.

Flat roofs: the Laval rule

The Code de l'urbanisme counts as flat any roof with a slope of 2:12 or less, that is, 16.7%. For these roofs, its article 380 requires one of the following coverings:

• a green roof
• a material that is white, painted white or covered with a reflective coating or white ballast
• a material with a solar reflectance index of at least 78, as shown by the manufacturer's specifications or a professional's specifications
• a combination of these coverings

The article covers main and accessory buildings. It makes exceptions, among others, for a small accessory building of a dwelling when its footprint is under 40 m².

The text does not say what applies to an existing flat roof redone with the same material. Before signing for a dark membrane, ask the Service de l'urbanisme (the City's planning department).

The permit: same material or new material

For the permit, the City's page on exterior residential renovation does not distinguish flat roofs from sloped roofs. It distinguishes the material.

• Replacing the roof covering with the same material, including adding insulation: no permit.
• Replacing the covering with a new material: permit required.

When the permit applies, the City posts a fee of $92 for the first $20,000 of work, plus $2.50 per $1,000 or part of $1,000. It announces a processing time of about 30 days, counted from the moment all documents are received.

The counter on boulevard Chomedey

The application is made online, in Mon Dossier (the City's online portal). If you cannot send it online, the City asks you to submit it in person to the Service de l'urbanisme, at 1333, boulevard Chomedey, on the ground floor. It asks you to book an appointment before going.

The former village of Saint-Martin

The village of Saint-Martin is one of the territories of heritage interest in the Code de l'urbanisme. In its land use plan, the City describes a former village core where some buildings of high heritage value remain, with a mix of single-family homes, plexes and larger buildings.

In such a territory, changing the roof materials of a main building requires the approval of a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program). The Code exempts from the PIIA a replacement with the same material in a similar colour, or with a material that preserves or restores the building's original or traditional features. It also exempts the renovation of a flat roof. The exact limits of the territory appear on the Code's maps.

To find out whether your address is covered, look it up in the City's Info-règlements tool. A notice there flags any special provisions.

Before our visit

Look at your roof from below, without climbing up. Is it flat or sloped? What material covers it? We will need this for the quote, and the material matters for the permit.

If you own an apartment building, note which unit the water appeared in and let your tenants know about the visit.

You can request a quote from us for a roof located in Chomedey. Always check that a contractor holds a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ, Quebec's building authority), whose register is public.

The five Chomedey pages

Flat roof in Chomedey. Article 380 in detail, the permitted membranes and proof of the reflectance index.

Shingle roof in Chomedey. The sloped roof: when the permit applies, and the case of Saint-Martin.

Commercial roofing in Chomedey. For commercial buildings and multi-storey buildings.

Roof replacement in Chomedey. Redoing the whole roof: permit, processing time and financial assistance.

Roof snow removal in Chomedey. Apartment buildings and plexes: the signs of overload, who calls and what to plan for the occupants.

Frequently asked questions