Roofer in Laval-des-Rapides: the roof of an older neighbourhood

A city since 1912

In 1965, Laval-des-Rapides was merged with thirteen other municipalities to form Laval. The City now groups it with Pont-Viau in one of its six planning sectors. Its land use plan flags a risk of ice jam flooding on the rivière des Prairies, in the area of the Cheval Blanc rapids.

This history gives Laval-des-Rapides no separate bylaw. Roofing in Laval by area follows the same articles of the Code de l'urbanisme everywhere. What the City describes as particular here is the buildings.

An older neighbourhood, according to the City

In its housing policy, the Politique de l'habitation, the City writes that its rental stock is concentrated in its older neighbourhoods. It names five: Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Pont-Viau, Laval-des-Rapides, Chomedey and Sainte-Rose. These neighbourhoods, it explains, have a larger share of medium-density plexes and mixed-use buildings, most of them built during the 1940s and 1950s.

A draft bylaw amending its land use plan names three neighbourhoods with a high proportion of dwellings in need of major repairs: Laval-des-Rapides, Chomedey and Pont-Viau. The draft bylaw does not say what kind of repairs.

What the heritage inventory counts

The City's inventory of architectural heritage, dated 2018, lists 46 main buildings in Laval-des-Rapides. Three roof profiles come up most often:

• flat or low-slope: 15 buildings
• gable with flared eaves: 8 buildings
• straight gable: 7 buildings

Asphalt shingles cover 17 of these buildings and membrane covers 15. Among the seven areas presented on this site, it is the only one where the flat profile ranks first in the inventory.

These figures describe heritage buildings, not the whole neighbourhood.

Flat roofs: what article 380 requires

For the Code de l'urbanisme, a roof is flat when its slope is 16.7% or less, that is, 2:12. Article 380 requires that main and accessory buildings with such a roof have one of these coverings:

• a green roof
• a white material, a material painted white, or one 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

Three exceptions are provided: buildings and equipment allowed on a roof, residential accessory buildings with a footprint under 40 m², and farm buildings.

The article does not say what applies to an existing flat roof redone exactly as before. Ask the Service de l'urbanisme (the City's planning department) before choosing a covering.

The permit depends on the material

The City's page on exterior residential renovation gives the rule for a residence:

• replacing the roof covering with the same material, added insulation included: no permit
• replacing the roof covering with a new material: permit required

The City does not define what counts as the same material. In a doubtful case, it is up to the City to answer.

For the permit, 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. The announced processing time, which is approximate, is 30 days from a complete file.

The application is filed in Mon Dossier (the City's online portal). Anyone who cannot send it online submits it in person to the Service de l'urbanisme, on the ground floor of 1333, boulevard Chomedey. The City asks you to book an appointment before going.

Buildings of heritage interest

The Code de l'urbanisme adds a step for some roofs: a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program). This step covers a main building located in a territory of heritage interest, and also a building of heritage interest, wherever it stands in the city. Changing the roof materials of such a building may require this approval.

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 original or traditional features. It also exempts renovation work on a flat roof. The City decides.

The City's Info-règlements tool lets you search for an address. When the address is covered, a warning indicates that special provisions apply to the zone.

Before our visit

Stay on the ground. In a plex, ask the top-floor tenants whether they have seen rings on the ceiling, and in which room.

For a roof in Laval-des-Rapides, write to us through the form and we will give you a quote. Always check a contractor's licence in the public register of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ, Quebec's building authority).

Frequently asked questions