Flat roof repair in Markham

Flat roof services in Markham

Markham 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.

Heritage villages and technology campuses in Markham

Markham has a long settlement history. German families arrived at German Mills in 1794, Mennonites founded Reesorville around 1803, and by 1851 Markham Village had mills, a foundry and a brewery. A rail line reached Markham Village and Unionville in 1871. Light industry and offices moved in during the 1980s, and today more than 1,100 technology and life-science companies are based in the city. Census figures show about 19% of homes were built before 1981 and 47% in 2001 or later.

The old centres of Markham Village and Unionville have brick storefronts and older houses where flat roofs over additions and rear sections are common. Cornell, Berczy Village and South Unionville (largely from the 1990s onward) are later subdivisions, with townhouse blocks and stacked units that typically use membrane roofs. Business parks and former corporate offices along Highway 7 and Markham Road have large low-slope roofs, and shopping centres such as Pacific Mall and First Markham Place add big flat commercial roofs. Each of these areas has a different roof age and a different kind of exposure.

Markham 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 Markham has to handle.

• 1.3 kPaGround snow load (about 27 lb per sq ft)
• 0.4 kPaRain load added to snow (Sr)
• 25 mmRain in a 15-minute storm (design value)
• 86 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 1.4 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 146 cm of snowfall a year at the Markham station.

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

Homes and buildings in Markham

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

• 19%Homes built before 1981
• 47%Homes built since 2001
• 62%Detached and semi-detached houses
• 14%Row houses and townhouses
• 16%Apartments in buildings of 5+ storeys
• 18%Households that rent

47% of homes in Markham 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.

16% of homes in Markham 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

Markham: facts for property owners

• Population of Markham: 338,503 (2021 Census). Source
• Markham is part of the Regional Municipality of York.
• City of Markham: general maintenance, including installing new roof shingles on your home, does not require a building permit. Source
• Private Plumbing Protection Rebate Program: Rebates for backwater valve, weeping tile disconnection / sump pump and related devices; page also has downspout disconnection guidance. Source

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

Starting prices in Markham

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.