Roofing in Thunder Bay

Get at least three quotes from established local firms in Thunder Bay, ask each for recent local references and proof of insurance, and check membership of the national roofing trade body where one exists. Prioritise roofers who inspect from the roof (or with a drone) and show photos, over anyone quoting from the ground or the kerb.

Often worth it: the access equipment is already up, edge details integrate cleanly, and combined pricing beats two separate jobs. If your gutters are under ten years old and sound, keep them — but have the roofer protect them during tear-off and note their condition in writing.

It scales with roof area, pitch, number of storeys, access, and material. Basic asphalt shingle or concrete tile sits at the bottom of the range; metal, slate and clay cost two to four times more. Tear-off of the old covering, disposal, scaffolding or edge protection, and hidden deck repairs are the lines that move a quote most — make sure all four are priced before comparing.

Repair when damage is localised — a few slipped tiles, one flashing leak — and the roof is under about two-thirds of its expected life. Replace when leaks recur in different places, more than roughly 30% of the covering is failing, or repair quotes start approaching a third of replacement cost. A good roofer will show you photos from the roof to justify either answer.

Typical service lives: asphalt shingles 15-30 years, concrete tile 40-60, clay tile and slate 60-100+, metal 40-70, flat membranes (felt, EPDM, TPO) 15-30. Underlayment and flashings usually fail before the covering itself, which is why old roofs leak even with intact tiles.

A typical asphalt shingle replacement runs CAD $8,000-$25,000 with most homes landing around $12,000-$15,000; metal roofs run $18,000-$50,000. Per-square-foot pricing of $5-$13 installed is typical for asphalt.

It's possible but not ideal — shingle adhesive strips need warmth to seal, and snow slows and endangers crews. Most contractors work April-November; winter work is usually limited to emergency repairs and ice-dam mitigation.