Shingle roofing in Sainte-Dorothée

What the inventory says about older roofs

The City publishes a survey only for its heritage buildings. In Sainte-Dorothée, this inventory counts 54 principal buildings: 18 have a gable roof with flared eaves, 8 a straight gable roof and 7 a mansard roof. Asphalt shingles cover 31 of these buildings.

These figures apply only to the buildings in the inventory, not to every instance of roofing in Sainte-Dorothée.

The permit: the material decides

For a residence, the City does not require a permit when the covering is replaced with the same material, and it requires one when the material is new. The fees and processing time are on the area page.

The City does not define what same material means. For a shingle of another family, such as steel or wood, ask the Service de l'urbanisme (urban planning department).

In the heritage territory: a possible approval

The Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) lists Sainte-Dorothée among its territories of heritage interest. Its own criteria aim at the landscape and the village atmosphere along rue Principale. In such a territory, changing the roofing materials of a principal building may require a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program).

The Code exempts three cases:

• replacing a material with the same material of a similar colour
• replacing it with a material that preserves or restores the original or traditional characteristics
• renovation work on a flat roof

The same rule covers a building of heritage interest, wherever it is.

Another colour or another material may bring the project under the PIIA. The City decides, not us.

According to the Code, maintenance work subject to a PIIA must have a permit or a certificate of authorization.

What the PIIA looks at on a roof

No criterion specific to Sainte-Dorothée names a roofing material. Two general criteria for heritage territories apply.

• The roofing materials respect the significant dominant characteristics of the territory, including type, dimensions and installation pattern.
• The eaves blend with the main roof.

Batten seam metal, an allowed material

The list of coverings allowed by the Code includes galvanized sheet metal: standing seam, batten seam or Canadian style.

In Sainte-Dorothée, the City cites a Victorian house from around 1895 whose roof was redone in batten seam metal. Going from shingles to metal looks like a change of material, and a new material requires a permit for a residence. The Service de l'urbanisme confirms whether that is the case. In the heritage territory, the project may also require a PIIA, unless the City recognizes that the metal gives the building back its original or traditional roof.

What you can see from the ground

Stay on the ground, without a ladder. Look for curled or missing shingles and patches where the granules are gone. Photograph each slope ahead of our visit.

Frequently asked questions