Hamilton lower city brick home with new shingle roof

Serving Hamilton, ON

Roofing in Hamilton, ON from Century Homes to the Mountain

Burlington roofing contractor Fixall Roofing handles roofing in Hamilton for homeowners, landlords and building owners on the other side of the harbour. We work here all year, from brick streets in the lower city to bungalows along the Mountain brow.

Hamilton's roofs are some of the oldest in the region. Lower city streets are lined with brick homes built before the First World War, many still hiding two or three layers of shingles, while Mountain neighbourhoods near the escarpment brow face wind that lakeside Burlington rarely sees.

As Hamilton roofers, we focus on the problems this housing stock produces: board decking, sagging rafters, leaking flat-roofed additions and wind damage along the brow. Heritage districts and City permits add their own steps, and this page explains both.

Get a Quote Call 289-816-1772

15+ years experience
700+ jobs completed
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Hamilton Roofing Services from Our Burlington Base

Highway 403 drops us into the west end and downtown, the QEW and Burlington Street reach the east end, and the Linc gets us across the Mountain. That short run lets us inspect a roof in Durand in the morning and be back on a job in Burlington by noon.

A Hamilton roof replacement with us always means stripping to the deck, not roofing over old layers. We then install ice and water membrane at the eaves and valleys, synthetic underlayment and architectural shingles from GAF, CertainTeed, IKO, BP Canada or Owens Corning, covered by our 1-year labour warranty and the manufacturer's material warranty.

Roof repair in Hamilton covers chimney and wall flashing, valleys, pipe boots, storm damage and leaks on low-slope additions. Commercial owners get inspections, membrane repairs, coatings and full replacements.

Lower City Century Homes

Durand and Kirkendall hold Victorian and Edwardian brick homes, many with tall front gables and ornate trim. Westdale was laid out in the 1920s as a planned community, and its Tudor Revival and Craftsman houses carry steep, cut-up rooflines.

Crown Point, Gibson and Strathcona grew in the early twentieth century as housing for workers at the city's mills and factories. Their brick semis and narrow two-storeys sit close together, so ladder access, bin placement and protecting the neighbour's roof all need planning before the crew arrives.

Steep Gables, Plank Decking and Multiple Shingle Layers

Tear-offs on these houses often uncover two or three shingle layers, sometimes with cedar underneath. Below that is usually board decking with gaps, split boards and old nail holes that will not hold a modern shingle nail.

Because nobody can count rotten boards from the ground, our written quotes carry a per-sheet price for new plywood. After tear-off we photograph the deck, agree on the sheet count with you and bill only what was installed.

Some century roofs also sag at the ridge or between rafters spaced wider than today's standard. In those cases we recommend structural reinforcement, such as sistering rafters or adding collar ties, before new shingles go on.

Flat-Roofed Rear Additions and Porches

Many lower city homes have a kitchen or mudroom addition at the back with a nearly flat roof, often tied into the main wall with nothing more than tar. These sections are one of the most frequent reasons for flat roof repair in Hamilton.

We remove the old roll roofing or tar and gravel, correct the slope toward the eavestrough where the framing allows, and install a two-ply modified bitumen membrane with a proper upturn and counter flashing at the brick wall.

On the Mountain: Wind Along the Escarpment Brow

West Mountain neighbourhoods such as Westcliffe, Rolston and Buchanan sit on the plateau above the lower city, with homes along Scenic Drive right on the brow. Wind that climbs the escarpment face hits these roofs with nothing to slow it down.

Most homes here are mid-century bungalows and two-storeys on their second or third roof. When we replace them, we use six nails per shingle, a sealed starter strip at every eave and rake, and a ridge cap product rated for high winds.

Lifted tabs that never resealed are the early warning sign on the Mountain. Catching them during an inspection costs far less than chasing the leak that follows the next spring storm.

Shingle roof on Hamilton Mountain home near escarpment

Hamilton Heritage Conservation Districts

The City of Hamilton has seven Heritage Conservation Districts, five of them in the old city: Durand-Markland, MacNab-Charles, Hamilton Beach, St. Clair Avenue and St. Clair Boulevard.

MacNab-Charles is known for pre-Confederation stone buildings, while Hamilton Beach sits on the narrow strip between the harbour and Lake Ontario, exposed to wind from both sides.

Inside any district, a City heritage permit is needed for exterior alterations, and roofing materials, eavestroughs and downspouts are among the items the City considers. Heritage staff encourage owners to call early, so we recommend that conversation before you choose a shingle or colour.

Building Permits Through the City of Hamilton

Permits are issued by the City of Hamilton Building Division, based at City Hall, 71 Main Street West. The City lists re-shingling a roof with the same material among projects that do not need a building permit.

Structural work is different. Replacing or sistering rafters, re-framing a sagging roof, cutting a new skylight or dormer opening, or changing the roof type generally needs a permit, so we confirm the requirements with the Building Division before quoting that scope.

These rules apply across the whole amalgamated city, including Waterdown, Dundas, Ancaster and Stoney Creek.

Commercial and Industrial Roofing in Hamilton

Hamilton's commercial roofs range from older masonry warehouses in the North End and along the bayfront industrial lands to newer distribution buildings in the Airport Employment Growth District near John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. Retail plazas on the Mountain round out the mix.

Older industrial roofs often carry built-up tar and gravel over wet insulation, so we core-test before recommending a recover or a full tear-off. Our commercial roofing team works with TPO, EPDM, PVC, modified bitumen and metal, and provides written condition reports for owners and property managers.

The industrial corridor continues east along the QEW into Stoney Creek, which we cover from the same crew and schedule.

Recent Hamilton Roofing Projects

These are the Hamilton job types we see most often and what they involve.

Three-Layer Tear-Off in the Lower City

Removing every layer down to the boards, replacing damaged planks or overlaying with plywood, and new chimney flashing on a brick two-storey. The extra weight off the rafters is a bonus.

Rear Addition Flat Roof Rebuild

Stripping a leaking low-slope addition, adding tapered fill for drainage, and installing modified bitumen tied into the main wall with counter flashing.

Wind Repair on a Brow Bungalow

Replacing blown-off shingles and ridge cap on a Mountain bungalow, then hand-sealing surrounding tabs that lifted but stayed attached.

Reviews from Hamilton Customers

Every review we have is on our Google Business Profile, unedited. Search the reviews there for Hamilton, Westdale or the Mountain to read what local customers wrote.

For a century home, look for reviews that mention multi-layer tear-offs, deck replacement and how extra costs were explained. Those are the moments that separate careful Hamilton roofers from the rest.

Hamilton Roofing FAQs

Do you remove every old layer on Hamilton century homes?

Yes, every time. Extra layers add weight to old rafters, hide rotten boards and leave new shingles lying on an uneven surface, and most manufacturers want a clean deck for their warranty to apply.

Can you match roof details on a heritage home in Durand?

We can source shingles, flashing metals and trim profiles that suit the house, and we provide product details for a heritage permit application. If the property is in the Durand-Markland district or individually designated, the City's heritage staff decide what is acceptable, so we start there before ordering material.

Do you work both in the lower city and on the Mountain?

Yes, we cover all of Hamilton. Downtown and the west end are about 15 to 20 minutes from our Burlington base by Highway 403, and most Mountain neighbourhoods are about 25 to 30 minutes via the Linc outside rush hour.

Request a quote

Book a Hamilton Roof Assessment

Send us your address and a short note on the problem, and we will arrange an on-site look at the roof, attic and any flat sections. Your written quote lists layers to remove, a per-sheet deck price and any permit or heritage steps.

Water coming through the ceiling right now? Call any time, day or night, and we will get a tarp on first.

Get a Quote Call 289-816-1772

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.