Roof replacement in Laval-des-Rapides

A neighbourhood where rental housing is concentrated

The City writes that its rental stock is concentrated in its older neighbourhoods, and it names Laval-des-Rapides among them. In a draft amendment to its land use plan, it also notes that the neighbourhood shows a high proportion of dwellings in need of major repairs.

These findings are about dwellings, not roofs. They only show that replacing a roof as part of roofing in Laval-des-Rapides is often a landlord's job.

Notifying tenants

A roof replacement makes noise and dust, and it takes up the yard or the entrance. Before the work, give each tenant a written notice stating:

• the planned dates and working hours
• the location of the container and the closed access points
• what is best moved, such as a car or balcony furniture
• the person to contact if water gets in during the work

For your obligations as a landlord during work, including notice periods, consult a legal advisor.

The permit and the flat roof, as a reminder

For a residence, the City requires no permit when the covering is replaced with the same material, added insulation included. A new material requires one. The City does not define what same material means. The fees are on the area page.

When a permit applies, the City asks you to wait until you have received it before starting, then to post it for the whole duration of the work, visible from the street. It announces an approximate processing time of 30 days, counted from a complete file. Factor that into the dates you give your tenants.

If the roof is flat, article 380 of the Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) calls for a green or white covering, or one with a solar reflectance index of at least 78, without addressing an existing roof redone exactly as before. Have the Service de l'urbanisme (the City's planning department) confirm your case before choosing a material.

Comparing quotes

Two prices can only be compared if the work described is the same. Check that each quote states:

• the exact name of the current covering and of the one replacing it
• whether there is a full tear-off or not
• the planned price if decking or insulation has to be replaced
• whether flashing, drains or gutters are included or extra
• the length of each warranty, the manufacturer's and the contractor's
• the name of whoever files the permit application, if one is needed

Also look the contractor up in the public register of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ, Quebec's building authority): the contractor must hold a licence.

Financial assistance

The City of Laval's list of programs and grants has nothing for the roof of an ordinary residence, nothing for white or green roofs, nothing for gutters. One City program targets heritage buildings. The conditions of this program must be checked with the City.

On the side of the Government of Quebec and Hydro-Québec, the assistance that touches the roof is for its insulation, not its covering. Their conditions change, so read them on the official websites before counting on any help.

Frequently asked questions