Roofer in Vimont: residential and industrial

A former municipality of Laval

Vimont is one of the fourteen municipalities merged in 1965 to form Laval. We present roofing in Laval by area: the buildings change from one neighbourhood to the next. The regulations do not change, and a single Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) covers the whole city.

The eastern portion: single-family homes

In its land use plan, the City writes that the eastern portion of the Vimont station area is dominated by low-density residential uses, where single-family housing dominates. The station is on the Saint-Jérôme train line.

A City planning guide adds a point in time: in 1988, according to the guide, the neighbourhoods of Vimont, Sainte-Rose and Auteuil were in full expansion. The City does not say how many Vimont houses date from those years, or where they are, and none of its documents describes the condition of their roofs.

The western portion: industrial uses

The same passage of the plan describes the western portion as occupied by industrial uses developed mainly in the 2000s. Part of the Centre industrial park is located there.

Article 380 of the Code, described below, concerns the owner of a flat roof.

Saint-Elzéar: a heritage largely gone

The plan also places the Saint-Elzéar core in the station area, and notes that its heritage has largely disappeared. The City's architectural heritage inventory counts only 19 main buildings in Vimont. This inventory lists heritage buildings. It does not describe the rest of the area.

The Code de l'urbanisme nevertheless names Saint-Elzéar/Des Laurentides among its territories of heritage interest, with no objective or evaluation criterion of its own. In such a territory, changing the roofing materials of a main building may require approval of a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program). The Code exempts replacement with the same material of a similar colour, or with a material that preserves or restores the original or traditional features, as well as the renovation of a flat roof. The City makes the call.

The exact boundaries of the territory appear on the Code's maps. The Info-règlements tool, on the City's website, lets you look up an address and flags the special provisions for its zone.

The permit: the City looks at the material

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

• Replacing the roof covering with the same material, including added insulation: no permit.
• Replacing the covering with a new material: permit required.

The City does not define what counts as the same material.

When a permit is needed, the City lists fees of $92 for the first $20,000 of work, plus $2.50 per $1,000 bracket or part of a bracket. The stated processing time is approximately 30 days from a complete file. The application is made online in Mon Dossier (the City's online portal). Otherwise, the application is made in person at the Service de l'urbanisme (the City's urban planning department), 1333 boulevard Chomedey, on the ground floor, after making an appointment.

The flat roof: article 380

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

• a green roof
• a white material, painted white, or covered with a reflective coating or white ballast
• a material with a solar reflectance index of at least 78, confirmed by the manufacturer's specifications or by a professional's specifications
• a combination of these coverings

The article makes exceptions for buildings and equipment authorized on a roof, for residential accessory buildings with a footprint of less than 40 m² and for farm buildings. Its text does not set industry or commerce apart.

The article does not specify what applies to an existing flat roof redone identically. Ask the Service de l'urbanisme this question before choosing the membrane.

Before requesting a quote

Stay on the ground. From the street or the yard, note whether the roof is flat or sloped and what material covers it, then take photos.

A quote for a Vimont roof, house or industrial building, is requested through this site's form. Every construction contractor must hold a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ, Quebec's building authority), and the register of licence holders is public.

The five Vimont pages

Commercial roofing in Vimont. Industrial and commercial buildings: article 380, permits, maintenance.

Shingle roofing in Vimont. The shingle roof: lifespan, permit and signs visible from the ground.

Flat roof in Vimont. The residential flat roof and the case of Saint-Elzéar/Des Laurentides.

Roof replacement in Vimont. Planning the job: season, permit, quotes.

Roof snow removal in Vimont. Large roofs: preparing before winter, the drop zone and the role of the structural engineer.

Frequently asked questions