Flat roof repair in Richmond Hill

Flat roof services in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill has a lot of newer housing, and on newer flat roofs leaks usually start at details rather than the whole membrane: a terrace door, a rooftop unit or a drain on a roof that is otherwise sound. We find where the water gets in, fix that spot and tell you how much life the rest of the roof has.

When a roof is past repair, we replace it with EPDM, TPO, PVC or modified bitumen, and fix the drainage so water does not sit on the new membrane. Owners and property managers also book inspections and maintenance visits.

Yonge Street, Highway 7 and Elgin Mills: Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill was incorporated as a village in 1873 and became a town in 1957. Annexations in 1971 grew its area from 1,700 to 27,000 acres, and GO train service began in 1978. The 1982 official plan placed industry in the southeast and commercial centres along Yonge Street. Rose-growing greenhouses were once a local business, though the last one closed in 1982. Census data show about 15% of homes were built before 1981 and about 44% in 2001 or later.

The old downtown on Yonge Street, between Major Mackenzie and Richmond Heights, has older brick buildings where flat roofs over rear sections are common. Richvale has Hillcrest Mall as its commercial hub, and malls and plazas are typical low-slope buildings. Jefferson, occupied from 2007, is typical of newer townhouse and detached construction with membrane roofing on porches and flat sections. Business areas such as Headford, the Elgin Mills Business Park and the Highway 7 and Leslie Street commercial hub add wide low-slope roofs on offices and light industrial units.

Richmond Hill weather and your flat roof

Ontario's Building Code sets the climate values used to design roofs in each municipality. They show what a flat roof in Richmond Hill has to handle.

• 1.5 kPaGround snow load (about 31 lb per sq ft)
• 0.4 kPaRain load added to snow (Sr)
• 25 mmRain in a 15-minute storm (design value)
• 97 mmRain in one day, 1-in-50-year storm
• -21 °CJanuary design temperature
• 4,000Heating degree-days per year
• 0.44 kPaHourly wind pressure, 1-in-50-year

That snow load is about 1.7 times the Toronto figure. Snow drifts against parapets, walls and rooftop units, and the weight sits on the roof for weeks. Drains that freeze shut leave meltwater nowhere to go.

A design storm can drop 25 mm of rain in 15 minutes. On a flat roof that water has to reach a drain or scupper quickly, so clear drains and sound drain flashings matter as much as the membrane.

Source: Ontario Building Code, Supplementary Standard SB-1, Table 1.2

Homes and buildings in Richmond Hill

The age and type of buildings shape the flat roofs we see. These are the 2021 Census figures for Richmond Hill.

• 15%Homes built before 1981
• 44%Homes built since 2001
• 61%Detached and semi-detached houses
• 15%Row houses and townhouses
• 19%Apartments in buildings of 5+ storeys
• 22%Households that rent

44% of homes in Richmond Hill were built since 2001, one of the higher shares among the cities we cover. Newer flat roofs rarely fail across the whole membrane; they leak at details first: flashings at rooftop units and terraces, drains and dried-out sealants. A maintenance visit catches those early.

19% of homes in Richmond Hill are apartments in buildings of five or more storeys. Those roofs are looked after by condo boards and property managers, who need a written scope, photos and a plan that fits the reserve fund. See condo buildings and apartment buildings.

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile

Richmond Hill: facts for property owners

• Population of Richmond Hill: 202,022 (2021 Census). Source
• Richmond Hill is part of the Regional Municipality of York.
• City of Richmond Hill FAQ: roof shingling does not need a permit unless it is a clay tile roof. Source
• Backwater Valve Subsidy Program: Up to $1,500 towards backwater valve installation; subject to available funding, first come first served. Source
• Stormwater Management (SWM) Rate: Rate applies to all property owners; calculator available. Source

Rules and programs change. Confirm current details with the municipality before you start work.

Starting prices in Richmond Hill

Starting prices in CAD before 13% HST, based on typical Ontario contractor rates (mostly Toronto and the GTA). The final price depends on roof size, access, the layers to remove, the membrane, drains and flashings, and is confirmed in your written quote.

See all prices.