Northern Ontario
Flat roof repair in North Bay
We repair, replace and maintain flat roofs in North Bay: 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 North Bay
Much of North Bay'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. North Bay has one of the ten 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.
Railway, air base and lakefront in North Bay
North Bay grew after the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in 1882 and became the southern end of the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway in 1902. The Royal Canadian Air Force base opened in 1951, and NORAD's underground centre followed in 1963. The city amalgamated with West Ferris and Widdifield in 1968. Census data shows about 70% of homes were built before 1981, and only about 8% from 2001 on.
Because so much of the housing was built in the railway and Cold War decades, older bungalows with flat-roofed additions and attached garages are common in neighbourhoods like West Ferris. Downtown Main Street has commercial buildings with parapets. The West Ferris Industrial Park and the airport area have large low-slope industrial roofs, and the base brought hangars and utility buildings. Nipissing University and Canadore College also contribute institutional roofs.
North Bay 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 North Bay has to handle.
- 2.2 kPaGround snow load (about 46 lb per sq ft)
- 0.4 kPaRain load added to snow (Sr)
- 25 mmRain in a 15-minute storm (design value)
- 95 mmRain in one day, 1-in-50-year storm
- -28 °CJanuary design temperature
- 5,150Heating degree-days per year
- 0.34 kPaHourly wind pressure, 1-in-50-year
That snow load is about 2.4 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 312 cm of snowfall a year at the North Bay A station.
Source: Ontario Building Code, Supplementary Standard SB-1, Table 1.2
Homes and buildings in North Bay
The age and type of buildings shape the flat roofs we see. These are the 2021 Census figures for North Bay.
- 70%Homes built before 1981
- 8%Homes built since 2001
- 58%Detached and semi-detached houses
- 9%Row houses and townhouses
- 9%Apartments in buildings of 5+ storeys
- 41%Households that rent
About 70% of homes in North Bay were built before 1981, more than in 34 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.
41% of households in North Bay 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.
Starting prices in North Bay
| 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 North Bay
Nearby cities
Flat roofs in North Bay: questions
How much does flat roof repair cost in North Bay?
A small leak repair starts from $350 per repair and a new house flat roof starts from $8,000 per roof. Prices in North Bay depend on access, layers to remove and the membrane. See pricing.
Why does my flat roof in North Bay leak in late winter?
Melting snow refreezes at drains and edges overnight, then backs up under seams and flashings during the day. See ice and snow damage.
Do I need a permit to replace a flat roof in North Bay?
City exemptions include 'Replacing roofing or shingles'. That wording is about shingles, so ask how it applies to a flat roof membrane. Rules can change, so confirm with the building department before you start. See re-roofing permits in Ontario.
My North Bay 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 North Bay?
Yes, including Sudbury, Orillia, Barrie 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.