Before anything else in this trade: fall protection is the job. Falls from height are the leading cause of serious injury and death in roofing, and your provincial occupational health and safety regulator requires fall-protection systems (anchors, harnesses, rope grabs) whenever you work above a set height. Get that right, because no rate, review or licence matters if you or your crew come off a roof. Roofer is a Red Seal designated trade, but unlike electricians or plumbers there is no provincial contractor licence for roofing in most of Canada, which makes the safety and insurance discipline you bring the real mark of a professional.
Fall protection first
Every province sets a height above which fall protection becomes mandatory, and roofing crosses it on almost every job. The kit, an anchor system, a full-body harness, lanyards and rope grabs, is not optional and is enforced on inspection. Build the cost of proper anchors and harnesses into every quote, train anyone who works for you, and treat a missing tie-off as a stop-work issue. Your provincial WCB or WSIB will investigate any fall, and an uninsured or unsafe site can end the business as fast as it ends a career.
A licensing gap, filled by insurance and permits
There is no specific provincial contractor licence for roofing in most Canadian provinces, which is a known consumer-protection gap. Roofer is nonetheless a Red Seal designated trade, so the C of Q plus a Red Seal endorsement is a real and transferable credential, recognised across Canada except in Quebec. In practice, three things function as the gate to legitimate work:
- Municipal permits: most municipalities require a roofing permit for full replacements and re-decking, and BC and Ontario are moving toward requiring proof of insurance before they issue one.
- Insurance as de facto licensing: for commercial work, "$2,000,000 CGL before you step on site" is the norm, and most general contractors and property managers require $5,000,000.
- Quebec: Quebec is the exception. The Regie du batiment du Quebec (RBQ) requires a contractor licence for any renovation work, including roofing, and the trade runs through the CCQ system.
Compulsory-versus-voluntary status varies by province, so check your provincial authority.
The torch-on insurance trap
If you do torch-on or modified-bitumen flat roofing, the single most important thing you do off the roof is declare the hot work to your insurer. Standard CGL policies often exclude or sub-limit torch-on roofing. If you do not specifically declare it at application and a fire follows, the claim can be denied. Torch-on roofers typically need CGL with a hot-work endorsement, often pollution liability for fumes and asphalt, and completed-operations cover, because roofs fail months after installation. This is the underwriting issue that ends torch-on businesses.
Code you work to
You work to the prescriptive roofing requirements of the National and provincial building codes: underlayment, ice-and-water shield (at least 600 mm past the interior wall plane), ventilation ratios (1:300 net free area) and snow loads by region. Low-slope and flat roofs add drainage and membrane requirements on top.
Kit and start-up costs (estimates)
Roofing is capital-heavy once you add safety gear and disposal. Approximate ranges, so confirm current prices:
- CGL insurance, torch-on endorsed where relevant: roughly $5,000 to $15,000 a year.
- A roofing nailer and compressor: roughly $1,000 to $2,500.
- Fall-protection kit (anchors, harnesses, rope grabs): roughly $2,000 to $5,000.
- A dump trailer, critical for tear-off: roughly $5,000 to $15,000.
- A work truck: roughly $20,000 to $45,000.
A realistic first-year estimate, including the insurance premium for torch work, lands around $40,000 to $80,000.
What you can charge (estimates)
Roofing is priced per square foot and varies heavily by material and region, so treat these as indicative ranges, not fixed prices:
- An asphalt shingle re-roof: roughly $4 to $9 per square foot supplied and installed (Ontario commonly $5 to $6).
- A 1,500-square-foot tear-off and replace: roughly $9,000 to $16,500 all-in, varying with material.
- A torch-on or flat roof: roughly $9 to $18 per square foot on a typical 1,000 to 2,000 square-foot flat roof.
- Permits: roughly $150 to $500, depending on the municipality.
Confirm your own numbers against the local market before you quote.
Common mistakes
- Skimping on fall protection. It is the leading killer in the trade and the first thing an inspector checks.
- Not declaring torch-on work to your insurer. Undeclared hot work can void the claim after a fire.
- Carrying too little CGL for commercial sites. Many sites require $5,000,000 before you step on the roof.
- Skipping the permit. Most municipalities require one for a full replacement, and some now tie it to proof of insurance.
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