This guide is for Markham homeowners considering a roof replacement. Understanding when you need a building permit helps you avoid legal issues, costly delays, and ensures your project meets local safety standards. Whether you’re planning a simple shingle swap or a more complex renovation, knowing the permit rules up front can save you time, money, and headaches.
Note: Building permit requirements can vary by city, province, or state. Always check with your local building authority to confirm the rules for your specific location. Local building codes vary by city, state, or province, and building requirements vary by municipality, affecting permit necessity and rules. Consulting your local building authority is essential to understand permit requirements.
What Counts as a Standard Roof Replacement?
A standard roof replacement means swapping out the old roofing material for the same type of material, without touching the structure underneath. The answer depends on the scope, since building permit requirements for home improvement projects vary by local municipality. The most common version of this is replacing asphalt shingles with new asphalt shingles. The rafters, trusses, and decking stay intact. The roof’s shape and pitch don’t change, so permits are not typically required unless the job does involve structural changes or other construction affecting safety or stability.
Structural changes refer to any modifications that alter the load-bearing elements of your roof, such as rafters, trusses, or the overall shape and pitch. Small patches of roof sheathing are considered maintenance, not structural. Work on roofs without structural changes is often permit-exempt.
This is the kind of work we do constantly across Markham, in Unionville, Berczy Village, Cornell, Cathedraltown, and the older subdivisions around Milner and Markham Village. Ninety percent of those jobs are straightforward re-roofing with no structural work involved, and none of them require a building permit under Markham’s local building codes and local regulations, which ensure compliance with legal requirements and safety standards.
When Does a Roof Replacement Require a Building Permit?
Structural Changes to the Roof
Any work that alters the structure of your roof requires a permit. This is where the line gets drawn. Permits are typically required when roof work involve structural changes that affect structural integrity or the roof’s shape. If you’re replacing shingles, you’re doing maintenance. If you’re changing how the roof is built, you need approval.
Projects that require a building permit include:
Changing the pitch or slope of the roof
Raising the roofline or adding a storey
Adding or enlarging dormers
Replacing or modifying load-bearing rafters or trusses
Converting attic space into living area by altering the roof structure
This kind of construction must meet building codes, local building codes, and legal requirements for existing buildings.
If any of those apply to your project, contact the City of Markham’s Building Services at 905-477-7000 before work starts. The local building department can flag potential issues early and help avoid delays or unexpected delays.
Installing Skylights or Changing Roofing Materials
Switching from asphalt shingles to a metal roof generally does not require a permit in Markham if the weight is similar and no framing changes are involved. That said, it’s worth a quick call to the City’s Building Services to confirm for your specific property, especially if it’s an older home, since heavier materials may trigger review based on your building plans and factors like building height or location, if they affect the structure.
Switching to significantly heavier materials, like clay tile or slate, is a different story. The added weight puts new loads on your rafters and trusses, and that usually triggers a structural review and a permit, with drainage systems and fire safety details sometimes also reviewed if the material change affects code compliance.
Installing a new skylight almost always requires a permit because it involves cutting into the roof framing. If you’re replacing an existing skylight with one of the same size and no framing changes, that may be permit-exempt, but again, confirm with the City first so staff can help double check permit requirements against local regulations before you cut into the framing.
Heritage Properties in Markham
If your home is on Markham’s Heritage Register or within a Heritage Conservation District, exterior changes such as roofing and sometimes siding may require heritage approval in addition to or instead of a standard building permit because of additional legal requirements. Historic Unionville is the most prominent example in Markham, with a number of designated heritage properties along Main Street and the surrounding area.
If you’re not sure whether your home has heritage designation, the City of Markham’s Heritage Services can tell you. It’s a quick check and well worth doing before your contractor tears off the old roof and applies for any necessary permits, so check with your local municipality or local planning office before work starts.
Do Roof Repairs Require a Permit in Markham?
No. Minor roof repairs in Markham do not require a building permit. Replacing a few damaged shingles, patching a small section of decking, re-flashing a chimney or vent stack, these are routine maintenance tasks that fall well below the threshold for permit requirements. In general, minor repairs are permit-exempt as long as they do not affect structural integrity or trigger local building codes.
The line gets blurry when sheathing (the plywood deck under the shingles) needs widespread replacement. Small patches are maintenance. If we’re replacing most of the deck because the plywood is rotted out, that can edge into structural territory. We see this occasionally on Markham homes built in the 1980s and early 1990s, where poor attic ventilation dried out the roof deck over time, and the right roofing repair services in Markham can help you address issues early before they become structural.
At Edmunds, repairs that exceed our $300 minimum are always quoted in advance at no charge. If we find that repairs are going to run more than 25% of the cost of a full replacement, we’ll usually tell you the money is better spent on a new roof.
If you’re ever unsure whether your repair scope crosses the permit threshold, call the City of Markham Building Services at 905-477-5530. A quick call can help property owners avoid potential issues and determine whether the roof work has crossed into permit-required work. Skipping permits when the job goes beyond minor repairs can lead to stop-work orders, legal requirements coming into play, and delays.
Ontario Building Code Rules That Apply Even Without a Permit
Not needing a permit does not mean anything goes. The Ontario Building Code sets minimum standards for every roofing installation in the province, and those standards apply whether or not a permit is pulled. A good roofing company follows building codes as a matter of course to ensure compliance with legal requirements and safety standards. A bad one doesn’t, and that’s your problem to deal with later. Even permit-exempt repairs still need compliance with local building codes.
If you’re ever unsure, check with your municipality before the work starts. If the job is misclassified and actually needs a permit, the City can issue a stop-work order, and that can create legal issues later, complicate a home sale, and delay the project significantly.
Ice and Water Shield Requirements
Ontario Building Code Section 9.26.5.1 requires self-adhered eave protection (what most people call ice and water shield) that extends at least 900mm up the slope from the eave edge and at least 300mm inside the interior wall line. Those building codes exist to ensure compliance with safety standards even when no permit is pulled.
This matters a lot in Markham. We sit between Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe, and that geography drives higher snowfall, lake-effect moisture, and aggressive freeze-thaw cycling through the winter. Ice dams form when heat escapes through the roof, melts the snow, and the melt water refreezes at the cold eave. When it backs up under your shingles, it finds its way inside, so understanding ice dam causes and prevention in Markham is just as important as following code for eave protection.
Ice and water shield is our standard on every Edmunds job, not an upgrade. If a contractor is pricing your job without it in Markham, ask why.
Balanced Attic Ventilation
Balanced attic ventilation, proper intake at the soffits and exhaust at the ridge, is an OBC requirement that supports compliance with local building codes and helps protect the roof system. It also plays a major role in how long a roof lasts in Markham’s lake-influenced climate.
In winter, a well-ventilated attic stays cold. Cold air can’t hold much moisture, the roof stays uniformly cold, and ice dams don’t form. In summer, ventilation prevents heat buildup that degrades shingle adhesive and shortens lifespan. Markham’s climate swings hard in both directions, so ventilation is not something to skip.
A roof replacement is the right time to assess your attic ventilation setup and fix any gaps. Learn more about attic ventilation to know what you’re dealing with, and review roof lifespan factors for Markham homes so you understand how installation quality and climate affect how long your new roof should last.
Underlayment, Flashing, and Fasteners
Beyond ice and water shield, OBC-compliant installations require proper synthetic underlayment on the rest of the roof, correctly installed valley flashing, step flashing at walls and chimneys, flashing details tied into drainage systems, and the right fasteners for the shingle manufacturer’s warranty. These aren’t optional, even on permit-exempt jobs, because building codes still govern this work.
Skipping any of these not only voids your shingle warranty, it can cost you in leak repairs and shortened roof life. We use synthetic underlayment as standard (it outperforms 15lb felt in Markham’s wet winters) and include ice and water shield at 5% of the project cost as a baseline for fire safety and long-term compliance.
Are There Any Permit Costs for Roofing in Markham?
For a standard roof replacement in Markham, there are no permit costs because no permit is required. Structural projects are different, and permit fees vary depending on the scope of work, but re-roofing your home is not one of them.
What you are paying for is materials and labour. As of spring 2026, a typical Markham detached home in the 1,500 to 2,000 square foot range runs around $9,000 for a full asphalt shingle replacement with Edmunds. Our range is $5,500 to $18,000 depending on the home, materials, and roof complexity.
We price by the square (100 square feet), not by the job. Architectural shingles (our Cambridge line) run $360 per square installed. Three-tab shingles are $350. Premium options like IKO Dynasty run $375, and metal roofing runs $850 to $950 per square.
Steep pitches (above 8/12) add 10 to 20%. Removing multiple old layers adds roughly 20% per layer. If we find rotted plywood deck, replacement runs $90 per 4×8 sheet, which is common on Markham’s 1980s and 1990s builds. For more detail on how these variables affect your budget, see our guide to roof replacement costs in Markham for 2026.
What to Look for in a Markham Roofing Contractor
Whether your project needs a permit or not, hire a licensed roofing company that carries WSIB (Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) coverage and general liability insurance. Ask for their WSIB clearance certificate before work starts. If a contractor can’t produce one, you can be held liable for injuries on your property, so choosing an experienced roof installation and roofing contractor in Markham is just as critical as understanding the permit rules.
A reputable contractor should be able to tell you exactly whether your job needs a permit, why, and handle the necessary permits if it does. For property owners, the process can feel overwhelming, so good contractor guidance helps ensure compliance. They can also help with planning, explain permit requirements, and work with the local building department or local municipality to avoid delays. On permit-exempt jobs, they should still be following OBC installation standards for compliance, and they should be willing to walk you through what that means, just as a professional roof installation service in Markham would when quoting your project.
Be cautious of door-to-door contractors offering unusually low prices, especially after a storm. Hail damage jobs attract a lot of out-of-town crews who are gone before the roof fails, so it pays to understand how to manage hail damage roof repair in Markham before you sign anything. Markham’s lake-proximity climate is specific, and it helps to work with someone who knows it well.
Quick Reference: Permit or No Permit?
Here’s a plain-language summary of what requires a permit and what doesn’t in Markham:
No permit required: Replacing asphalt shingles with the same type; minor shingle repairs; reflashing chimneys and vents; patching small sections of decking; replacing eavestroughs and downspouts. If you share a roof with a neighbour in a semi or townhouse, there are also special considerations for replacing a shared roof in Markham that go beyond just permits.
Permit required: Changing roof pitch or shape; adding dormers; modifying rafters or trusses; raising the roofline; adding a storey; installing new skylights; switching to significantly heavier materials; converting attic to living space.
Check first: Heritage properties in Markham; large-scale deck replacement; switching to metal from asphalt. Call City of Markham Building Services at 905-477-5530 (or 905-477-7000 after hours) to double check local regulations before work begins.
Local building codes vary by city, state, or province, and building permit requirements can differ by local municipality, so this Markham checklist reflects local building codes here.
Questions About Your Roof? Give Us a Call.
If you’re trying to figure out whether your roof needs replacing, whether you need a permit, or just want a second opinion on what a contractor told you, I’m happy to take a look. We offer free estimates across Markham and York Region, and you can reach us through our Edmunds Home Improvements contact page or by phone.
After 30 years in this business, I’ve seen most of what can go wrong with a roof in this climate. A quick assessment now is a lot cheaper than chasing leaks next winter.
Reach out to Edmunds Home Improvements to see examples of our exterior renovation work, including roofing, windows, doors, and siding, in our home improvement project gallery for Markham homeowners. We serve Markham, Unionville, Stouffville, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and across York Region.
Steve Gibson
President & CEO, Edmunds Home Improvements
Steve Gibson has over 35 years of hands-on experience in home renovation across
Markham and the Greater Toronto Area. As President and CEO of Edmunds Home
Improvements — a company serving the community since 1947 — Steve specializes in
roofing installation and repair, siding, window replacement and installation, and
door installation. A longtime local resident, he took ownership of Edmunds in 1989
and has built the company into one of the GTA’s most trusted exterior renovation
contractors. Edmunds is fully insured (WSIB and $5 million public liability) and
is a BBB Accredited Business and ENERGY STAR partner.
