Roof Replacement and New Roof Installation in Burlington, ON
Roof replacement in Burlington is the largest exterior project most homeowners ever take on, and Fixall Roofing treats it as a rebuild of the whole roof system. Our Burlington crews strip the old roof to the wood, fix the deck, and install every layer new rather than a fresh layer of shingles over old problems.
Most homeowners start looking for a new roof in Burlington when shingles are curling and shedding granules, when leaks keep returning in different spots, after wind or hail damage, or when a buyer's inspector has flagged the roof before a sale.
We build roofs for what this city actually throws at them: gusts off Lake Ontario, repeated freeze-thaw cycles and heavy wet snow. Your scope, deck photos and material choices are set out in writing before the first shingle comes off.
- 15+ years experience
- 700+ jobs completed
- Fully insured + WSIB
- Working at Heights certified
- 1-year labour warranty
- Open 24/7
What a Fixall Roof Replacement Includes
A Fixall roof replacement covers the whole assembly from the deck up. The scope includes complete tear-off, inspection and repair of the sheathing, new eave and valley membrane, synthetic underlayment, shingles, all new flashing and ventilation, then cleanup and warranty registration.
Most Burlington homes we re-roof are covered in architectural asphalt shingle roofs from GAF, IKO, CertainTeed, BP Canada or Owens Corning. We use the same manufacturer's starter strip and hip and ridge caps, because several shingle makers require matched components before they will extend their material warranty.
Replacement makes sense when the shingles are near the end of their service life, when repairs keep failing, or when you plan to stay in the home and want one contractor accountable for every layer. If only one slope or one flashing detail is failing, a targeted repair is usually the better spend, and we will tell you so.
The most common shortcuts we find on failed roofs are reused step flashing and no membrane at the eaves. Neither is visible from the driveway, and both are standard items in every Fixall scope.
Every Layer of a Properly Installed Roof
Shingles are only the visible top layer. The table below runs from the deck up and shows what each component does and what we see on roofs where it was skipped or done poorly.
| Layer | What it does | What goes wrong without it |
|---|---|---|
| Roof deck (plywood or OSB) | Solid nailing base that carries the roof load | Soft spots, nail pops and shingles that buckle over rotten boards |
| Drip edge | Metal edge that steers water into the eavestrough | Water wicks behind the fascia and rots the deck edge |
| Ice and water shield | Self-sealing membrane at eaves, valleys and penetrations | Ice dam backup leaks into walls and ceilings |
| Synthetic underlayment | Secondary water barrier across the field of the roof | Wind-driven rain reaches the deck when a shingle lifts |
| Starter strip | Sealed first course along eaves and rakes | Edge shingles lift and peel in lake wind |
| Architectural shingles | Primary weather surface, nailed to manufacturer pattern | Blow-offs when nails are high, too few or overdriven |
| Valleys, step and counter flashing | Directs water past walls, chimneys and roof intersections | Leaks at dormers, chimneys and sidewalls that stain interior walls |
| Ridge vent and cap | Exhaust for attic heat and moisture, sealed ridge | Attic frost, mould, ice dams and shortened shingle life |
Ontario Building Code Section 9.26 requires eave protection on shingled roofs, carried up the slope to a line at least 300 mm inside the inner face of the exterior wall. On Burlington homes with low-slope porches or deep overhangs we run membrane such as Grace Ice & Water Shield further up than the minimum, because that is where ice dams form.
Tear-Off or Overlay? What Burlington Allows
Burlington exempts like-for-like shingle replacement from building permits, as long as the roof carries fewer than three layers of roofing. A switch to a different material, a new skylight opening or any structural change usually needs a permit, so check your plans with the City before work starts.
That rule means laying a second layer over one existing layer is possible on paper. We still recommend a full tear-off on almost every home, for the reasons below.
- Hidden rot stays hidden. An overlay covers soft decking and failed flashing that only a tear-off exposes.
- No new eave membrane. Ice and water shield has to bond to the deck, so it cannot be added under an existing layer.
- Added weight. A second layer of architectural shingles adds roughly 250 to 400 pounds per 100 square feet of roof.
- Warranty limits. Shingle makers call for a flat, sound deck, and some enhanced warranty programs require a full tear-off.
- Uneven finish. Old curled shingles telegraph through the new layer and shorten its life.
How Your Roof Replacement Unfolds
Assessment and Written Scope
We go onto the roof and into the attic before pricing anything. Up top we measure every plane, count layers at the eaves and feel for soft decking; in the attic we look for daylight, staining, frost marks on nails and blocked soffit vents.
You get a line-item written quote with photos of what we found. Replacement deck sheathing is priced per sheet on that quote, so the cost of any rot is known before the old roof comes off.
Delivery, Bins and Property Protection
Shingles usually arrive a day or two ahead, often boom-loaded straight onto the roof so they never sit on your lawn. The disposal bin goes on the driveway over plywood runners to protect asphalt or interlock.
Before tear-off we tarp gardens and foundation plantings and lean plywood over air conditioning units, window wells and anything fragile below the eaves.
Tear-Off and Deck Repairs
The crew strips one section at a time down to the deck and removes every old nail. Delaminated, cracked or water-stained boards are replaced, and spaced plank decks on older homes are covered with new sheathing so nails have solid wood to grip.
We photograph the bare deck before it is covered, so you see exactly what was repaired. Our dry-in rule is simple: any area opened during the day is covered with membrane or underlayment before the crew leaves. Larger rot problems are handled through our roof deck replacement service.
Installing the Full Roof System
Drip edge and ice and water membrane go on first at the eaves, valleys and around chimneys and skylights, then synthetic underlayment across the rest of the deck. Starter strip follows on the eaves and rakes, then shingles nailed to the manufacturer's pattern, using the high-wind pattern where the roof faces open lake exposure.
Every wall gets new step flashing, every pipe gets a new boot, and chimneys get new counter flashing cut into the mortar joint. We balance intake at the soffits with exhaust at the ridge so the roof ventilation meets the Ontario Building Code's 1 in 300 ratio of vent area to insulated ceiling area.
Magnetic Sweep, Cleanup and Final Walkthrough
We roll magnetic sweepers across the lawn, driveway and garden beds and clear nails and granules out of the eavestroughs and downspouts. The bin leaves once the final load is in.
During the walkthrough we show you the finished roof and the photo record of the deck and flashing work. We then register the manufacturer's material warranty and hand you Fixall's written labour warranty.
Choosing a Material for Your New Roof
Most replacements in Burlington stay with asphalt, but it is worth weighing the alternatives before you commit for the next few decades. Lifespans below are realistic service lives in southern Ontario, not the length of the manufacturer's warranty.
| Material | Realistic lifespan | Cost tier | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt | 20 to 30 years | Lowest | Most detached homes and townhouses |
| Steel (standing seam or metal shingle) | 40 to 60 years | Moderate to high | Owners staying long-term, snow shedding |
| Cedar shake | 25 to 35 years with upkeep | High | Heritage and character homes |
| Natural slate | 75 years or more | Highest | Older masonry homes built to carry the weight |
Steel is the alternative we are asked about most. Our metal roof vs shingles comparison covers noise, cost over time and installation over existing shingles in detail. Slate and cedar need a structural check first, since slate can weigh several times more than asphalt.
When to Replace a Roof in Burlington
Asphalt shingles rely on warmth from the sun to activate their sealant strips and bond each course to the one below. Late spring through early fall gives the most reliable seal and the longest working days.
September and October are the busiest months for roofing in Burlington, with local searches for roofers running at two to seven times a normal month. Getting your assessment done by midsummer lets you pick an install date before the fall calendar fills.
Winter replacement is possible with limits. In cold weather we hand-seal shingles with compatible roofing cement, clear frost and snow from the deck before any membrane goes down, and only open as much roof as we can dry in that day.
What Drives Roof Replacement Cost
For a detached Burlington or Halton home with asphalt shingles, a full replacement typically lands somewhere between roughly $9,000 and $20,000 as a general market estimate. Steep, cut-up roofs and premium materials push past that, and a steel roof typically costs well above asphalt for the same area.
- Roof area and the number of separate planes, hips and valleys
- Pitch, since steep roofs need extra staging and slow the crew down
- Number of old layers to remove and dispose of
- Sheets of deck replaced once the old roof is off
- Chimneys, skylights, dormers and walls that need new flashing
- Shingle line and material chosen
- Access for the bin and delivery truck
Your actual price comes as a written quote after an on-site assessment, with deck boards listed as a per-sheet rate rather than a lump sum.
Warranty on a New Roof from Fixall
Every Fixall roof replacement carries our 1-year labour warranty on workmanship, provided in writing. If a workmanship issue shows up within that first year, we come back and correct it.
The shingles and components are covered separately by the manufacturer's material warranty, which covers product defects under the manufacturer's own terms. Those warranties are often prorated after an initial period and generally do not cover installation errors, which is why the labour warranty matters.
We register the material warranty with the manufacturer once the job is complete and give you copies of everything for your home records and any future sale.
Roof Replacement FAQs
How long does a roof replacement take?
Most Burlington homes are stripped and re-roofed in one to two days. Extra layers, widespread deck repairs, steep pitches, several chimneys or skylights and rain delays can stretch that to three days or more.
Can a roof be replaced in winter?
Yes, on dry days when the deck can be cleared of frost and snow. Shingles may not self-seal until spring, so we hand-seal them and only open as much roof as we can fully dry in before dark.
Will you replace rotted plywood, and how is it priced?
Yes, we replace any soft, delaminated or water-damaged sheathing we find during tear-off. The per-sheet rate is written on your quote before work starts, and we photograph the damaged boards so you can see what was replaced.
Do I need to be home during the replacement?
No, but we need access to the driveway and occasionally the attic or an exterior outlet. Tear-off is loud and shakes ceilings, so many owners keep pets elsewhere for the day and move fragile items off walls below the roof.
Get a Written Roof Replacement Estimate
Call us or request a quote, and we will arrange a visit to look over the roof and attic. You receive a written, line-item estimate with photos and a clear per-sheet deck rate, with no pressure to sign on the spot.
If you are planning around a sale or the fall rush, tell us your timeline when you call so we can schedule the work to fit it.
Phones answered 24/7, including emergencies.
- 1We call you back to confirm the details.
- 2We inspect the roof and attic and take photos.
- 3You get a written scope and price. No pressure.