Restoration Register

Heritage roofing contractors in Ontario

Slate outlives its own nails and flashings by decades. That is why a slate roof losing slates is usually a repair job, and why almost every roofer who looks at it will quote a tear-off and asphalt instead. The two answers differ by a factor of ten in what the building loses.

Heritage roofing in Ontario means slate, cedar shingle, standing seam and pressed metal, clay tile on institutional buildings, and the copper work that makes any of them last: soldered valleys, step and counter flashing, built-in eavestroughs and snow guards. The single most useful screening question is whether the contractor solders their own copper. Sealant at a valley is a five-year repair on a hundred-year assembly. Coverage is thin province-wide, with fourteen contractors for the whole of Ontario, six of them in the GTA and three in Hamilton and Niagara. Expect a wait, and expect an asphalt alternative from everyone who is not on this list.

What to ask before you hire

  1. Can this roof be repaired rather than replaced? Ask for a condition assessment of the existing material before accepting any tear-off quote.
  2. Do you solder your own copper valleys and flashings? If the valley detail involves caulk or membrane, keep calling.
  3. Where is the replacement slate or shingle coming from? Quarry, colour and thickness all show, and salvaged matching stock is the best answer.
Grant funding

Roofing on designated property is eligible under every active municipal program, but several will fund slate or cedar and refuse asphalt. Take the material specification to heritage staff before ordering. Hamilton funds to $150,000 and Ottawa to $35,000 on large projects.

Across Ontario

Region pages

Get quotes for your project

Tell us about the job and we will pass it to up to three listed heritage trades who work in your area. It is free and there is no obligation.

All heritage service pages · Grants by municipality