Houses that are not the same age
In its land use plan, the City writes that architectural styles in the Duvernay hub are diverse, and it explains this by a wide range of construction periods. It also points to high-value single-family homes there.
The City does not describe the roofs of these houses. For roofing in Duvernay, the starting point remains the roof itself: its shape, its material and its condition, which we assess on site.
The only figures come from the City's architectural heritage inventory, which covers only heritage buildings. Of the 50 main buildings listed in Duvernay, 29 have a gable roof with flared eaves and 8 a mansard roof. Asphalt shingles cover 24 of them and profiled sheet metal 9. These figures do not extend to the rest of the area.
Shingles, sheet metal or something else
Article 379 of the Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) lists the roof coverings allowed in Laval. For a sloped roof, an owner will find, among others:
- asphalt, aluminum, enamelled or textured steel, wood or fibreglass shingles
- factory-painted and pre-baked metal
- galvanized sheet metal, standing seam, batten seam or Canadian-style
- clay, slate or fibreglass tiles
Asphalt shingles and sheet metal come up often in quotes. Asphalt shingles last 15 to 30 years, sheet metal 40 years and more. These are orders of magnitude, which depend on the manufacturer and the quality of installation.
Changing material and the permit
For a residence, the City requires no permit when the covering is replaced with the same material, and requires one when it is new.
The City does not define what same material means. Replacing shingles with sheet metal looks like a change of material, but confirmation is up to the Service de l'urbanisme (the City's urban planning department).
For a building of heritage interest, a change of material may also require approval of a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program). The City makes the call.
If your roof has several slopes
Some roofs are cut up: several slopes, valleys where two slopes meet, dormers, sometimes a chimney in the middle of a slope.
On such a roof, the joints need more care than the surfaces. A serious quote says:
- how the valleys are redone
- whether the flashing at dormers, walls and the chimney is replaced or kept
What you can see from the ground
Do not climb on the roof or up a ladder. From the yard, photograph for our visit the warped shingles, the spots where the covering has lost its granules and the valleys where debris builds up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I replace my shingles with sheet metal in Duvernay?
Laval's Code de l'urbanisme allows several metal coverings, including standing seam or batten seam galvanized sheet metal. For a residence, the City requires a permit when the material is new. Switching from shingles to sheet metal looks like such a change, and confirmation is up to the Service de l'urbanisme. For a building of heritage interest, the change may also require PIIA approval, and the City makes the call.
Are Duvernay roofs mostly shingles?
No City source says so. Its heritage inventory counts 24 buildings covered with asphalt shingles out of 50 in Duvernay, but it describes only heritage buildings.
Why does a roof with several slopes cost more?
The shape of the roof matters, not just its area. Valleys, dormers and flashing take time and materials that the quote should name.
Official sources, consulted on October 8, 2026:
- Ville de Laval, Schéma d'aménagement et de développement révisé
- Ville de Laval, Inventaire du patrimoine architectural (données ouvertes)
- Ville de Laval, Code de l'urbanisme, titre 5, chapitre 3 (article 379)
- Ville de Laval, « Rénovation ou réparation résidentielle extérieure »
- Ville de Laval, Code de l'urbanisme, titre 8, chapitre 1 (PIIA)