Commercial roofing in Duvernay

A 1960s commercial core

In a hub that the City describes as dominated by detached single-family housing, the land use plan points to a 1960s commercial core on boulevard de la Concorde Est. It adds that the built environment has a relatively low density outside the areas along boulevard de la Concorde, which have larger housing forms. The City says nothing about the roofs of these buildings.

A manager planning a roofing in Duvernay project does not need to look for a rule specific to this boulevard. The Code de l'urbanisme names none: its articles apply to the whole city.

What the City publishes, and what it does not

The rule homeowners know, that keeping the same material means no permit, appears on the City's page devoted to exterior residential renovation. This rule is written for a residence, and the City does not say, on its pages, whether it applies to a business.

On the commercial side, the City publishes a page on renovating and fitting out a commercial space. It requires a construction and improvement permit there before altering or fitting out a unit. The fees listed are $172 for the first $5,000 of work, plus $6.10 per $1,000 bracket or part of a bracket. This page does not mention roofing.

Ask the Service de l'urbanisme (the City's urban planning department) whether replacing your roof covering requires a permit, and at what rate. Give the building's address and the planned material.

The covering: two articles to know

Article 379 of the Code lists the roof coverings allowed in Laval.

If the roof is flat, article 380 also applies: it requires a green roof, a white covering or a solar reflectance index of at least 78, without specifying what applies to an existing roof redone identically. It covers main and accessory buildings, and its text does not set businesses apart. The buildings and equipment the Code authorizes on a roof are among its exceptions.

The index is shown by the manufacturer's specifications or by a professional's specifications: ask for the technical data sheet to come with each quote.

Redoing the roof without closing the business

A business has opening hours, deliveries and customers who come in through the door under the work. Before signing, ask us for a written answer to four questions:

• On which days will the roof be open, and on which section?
• Where do the dumpster and materials go, without blocking deliveries?
• How are the customer door, the sign and the storefront protected?
• At what times is the tear-off done, the noisiest stage?

If the building has several units, notify each tenant in writing. For what your leases provide in case of work, see a legal advisor.

The file to give the roofers

Do not climb on the roof to prepare it. What you already know is enough: when the roof was last redone, what has been repaired since, and where occupants have seen water. Give the same file to each contractor, then check the contractor's licence in the public register of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ, Quebec's building authority).

Frequently asked questions