Flat roof in Sainte-Rose

Flat roofs among the heritage buildings

The City's architectural heritage inventory counts 27 flat roofs among the 171 principal buildings it lists in Sainte-Rose. This count covers heritage buildings only, and it does not tell how many flat roofs the area has.

If your roofing in Sainte-Rose is a flat roof and the address is in the heritage territory, two rules overlap.

First, is your roof flat under the Code?

The Code classifies as flat any roof whose slope does not exceed 16.7%, which is 2:12. Above that, the roof is called sloped. A roof that looks slightly tilted from the street can count as flat.

Do not climb up to check. Ask us to measure the slope and write it in our quote.

The PIIA exemption

In a territory of heritage interest, changing the roofing materials of a principal building may require a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program). The Code provides three exemptions: replacement with the same material of a similar colour, replacement with a material that preserves or restores the original or traditional characteristics, and renovation work on a flat roof.

The third exemption is the one that concerns you. This exemption covers the PIIA and nothing else. It settles neither the permit question nor article 380. Have the Service de l'urbanisme (urban planning department) confirm that your work falls within this exemption, especially if it involves more than the covering.

Article 380 and its caveat

For a flat roof, article 380 requires a green roof, a white covering or a material with a solar reflectance index of at least 78. The full list is on the area page.

The Code does not say what applies to an existing flat roof redone identically. On an older building with a dark membrane, the question comes up before anything is ordered. Ask the Service de l'urbanisme for a written answer.

What about the permit?

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 City does not define what same material means. Switching from one covering to another type of membrane is a case to submit to the City.

What you can observe without climbing

From the top floor, note where the stains on the ceiling are and the date they appeared. Photograph them. These clues help us find where the water gets in.

Frequently asked questions