Northern Ontario
Flat roof repair in Sudbury
We repair, replace and maintain flat roofs in Sudbury: houses, garages and additions, condo and apartment buildings, plazas, offices and warehouses. Send photos and a few details for a written quote.
Flat roof services in Sudbury
Much of Sudbury's housing is older, and older houses often have flat roofs over rear additions, porches and garages. Typical signs are a stain on the kitchen ceiling, water at a skylight or a roof with several worn layers. Sudbury has one of the five heaviest design snow loads of the 40 cities on this site, so drains and parapet flashings get extra attention. 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.
Mining towns that became Greater Sudbury
Sudbury began in 1883 when the Canadian Pacific Railway crew found nickel-copper ore, and Inco and Falconbridge shaped the 20th century. Greater Sudbury was formed in 2001 by merging the former region's towns. Communities include Copper Cliff, Coniston, Falconbridge and the Franco-Ontarian Moulin-à-Fleur. Retail grew at New Sudbury Centre and along the Kingsway. Census data shows about 67% of homes were built before 1981.
The older mining communities have small houses where flat roofs over additions and entrance porches are common, and winter freeze-thaw is hard on seams and flashings. Downtown holds commercial blocks of the early twentieth century. The Kingsway power centres and New Sudbury Centre are low-slope retail roofs, while Health Sciences North and the university add institutional ones. Mining supply shops and industrial buildings across the city have large low-slope or low-pitched roofs.
Sudbury 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 Sudbury has to handle.
- 2.5 kPaGround snow load (about 52 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
- -28 °CJanuary design temperature
- 5,180Heating degree-days per year
- 0.46 kPaHourly wind pressure, 1-in-50-year
That snow load is about 2.8 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.
Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals (1991–2020) record about 263 cm of snowfall a year at the Sudbury A station.
Source: Ontario Building Code, Supplementary Standard SB-1, Table 1.2
Homes and buildings in Sudbury
The age and type of buildings shape the flat roofs we see. These are the 2021 Census figures for Sudbury.
- 67%Homes built before 1981
- 12%Homes built since 2001
- 65%Detached and semi-detached houses
- 4%Row houses and townhouses
- 7%Apartments in buildings of 5+ storeys
- 36%Households that rent
About 67% of homes in Sudbury were built before 1981, more than in 32 of the 40 Ontario cities on this site. Older houses often have flat roofs over rear additions, kitchens and porches, sometimes with two or three layers of old roofing on top of each other. Replacing one usually starts with a full tear-off and a look at the wood deck underneath.
36% of households in Sudbury rent. Landlords and property managers can send photos and the tenant's description of the leak, and we reply with the scope and a quote by email. See apartment buildings.
Sudbury: facts for property owners
- Population of Sudbury: 166,004 (2021 Census). Source
Rules and programs change. Confirm current details with the municipality before you start work.
Starting prices in Sudbury
| Item | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Small leak repair (patch, seam or puncture) | from $350 per repair |
| Small flat roof replacement (garage, porch or addition) | from $4,000 per roof |
| House flat roof replacement (about 1,000 sq ft) | from $8,000 per roof |
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.
Roofs we work on in Sudbury
Nearby cities
Flat roofs in Sudbury: questions
How much does flat roof repair cost in Sudbury?
A small leak repair starts from $350 per repair and a new house flat roof starts from $8,000 per roof. Prices in Sudbury depend on access, layers to remove and the membrane. See pricing.
Should I clear snow off a flat roof in Sudbury?
Only if the snow is deep and wet, drifts are building against walls or units, or the building shows signs of stress. Use a plastic shovel, leave a layer on the membrane and never use picks or salt. If in doubt, ask a professional.
Do I need a permit to replace a flat roof in Sudbury?
Check with the Sudbury building department. Replacing the membrane alone is often treated differently from structural work, a new rooftop deck or added weight. See re-roofing permits in Ontario.
My Sudbury house is older. Can the flat roof go on over the old one?
Sometimes one new layer can go over one old layer, but on older houses we often find two or three layers already, wet insulation or soft deck boards. Then a full tear-off is the safer choice. See repair or replace.
Do you also work near Sudbury?
Yes, including North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Orillia and the rest of northern Ontario. See Northern Ontario.
Leak, damage or an old flat roof?
Send a few details and photos. We reply by email with next steps and a written quote.