House problems · Roof · Sell or replace
A finished roof is the only defect the buyer sees from the street and that their insurer can refuse. Here is how to judge the years left, what replacing it costs, and when it is worth doing before listing.
An asphalt shingle roof lasts 20 to 25 years in Quebec (15 to 20 for first-generation shingles, 30 and more for architectural shingles and well-maintained flat-roof membranes). The end-of-life signs: granules in the gutters, curled, broken or bare shingles, moss, rusted flashings, stains on the ceiling or in the attic, soft plywood. The buyer's inspector rates it in years remaining and a lender or insurer may require its replacement when it is visibly done. Replacing a bungalow roof costs, on the 2026 market, in the order of $8,000 to $20,000 for shingles, more for a flat membrane roof, a steep pitch or plywood to replace. Before selling, replacing it is justified when it is done and visible: the inspection condition and the credit requested generally exceed the cost of the work, and the buyer's insurer may block. An old but watertight roof sells as is with a price that accounts for it; since it is visible, it is an apparent defect, except a hidden infiltration known to the seller.
Standard 2000s asphalt shingles: 20 to 25 years; architectural shingles: 25 to 35 years; elastomeric membrane on a flat roof: 25 to 30 years; metal: 40 years and more; first-generation shingles (before 2000): often 15 to 20 years. The date of the last roof is on the invoice, the municipal permit or the previous seller's declaration. The signs that matter more than age: granules piled in the gutters and at the foot of downspouts, shingles that curl, crack or lose their corners, bare shiny areas, moss on the north side, rusted or lifted flashings and chimney joints, stains on bedroom ceilings, stained or soft plywood seen from the attic, blocked vents. An 18-year roof without these signs is worth more than a poorly ventilated 12-year one.
| Roof | 2026 order of price (market, installed) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bungalow, asphalt shingles, ordinary pitch | $8,000 to $15,000 | Tear-off, starter membrane, 25-30 year shingles, ventilation |
| Two-storey cottage, steep pitch or dormers | $12,000 to $20,000 and more | Scaffolding, cuts, flashings |
| Flat roof, elastomeric membrane | By area, often more than an equivalent pitched roof | Insulation and drains often redone at the same time |
| Plywood replacement, structural repair | Variable extra | Discovered at tear-off |
No grant targets replacing a roof covering (Rénoclimat expressly excludes it), except attic insulation done at the same time (up to $1,500 with Rénoclimat or LogisVert) and, in Montreal, RénoPlex for the roof of eligible Block 2 buildings. See the 2026 grants.
Replace it if it is done and visible: curled shingles, bare areas, ceiling stains. The inspector will write it, the buyer will ask for a credit often above the real cost, the buyer's insurer may require replacement before insuring, and the house will lose showings from the listing photo. A new roof with the contractor's warranty is generally recovered in the price on the South Shore, because the buyer compares with houses of the same age. Do not replace it if it has five to ten years left: present the date, the invoice and the state of the attic, price on comparables and let the buyer plan. In between, a targeted repair (flashings, a few shingles, ventilation) and gutter cleaning are worth more than they cost. See renovating before selling.
A worn roof seen from the street and noted by the inspector is an apparent defect: the buyer who accepted it has no recourse. An infiltration hidden by fresh ceiling paint, or a makeshift repair known to the seller, is a latent defect. The Declarations by the seller form asks the year of the roof, infiltrations and repairs: answer with the invoices. A roof redone without a permit in a city that requires one is settled before the sale.
In the order of $8,000 to $15,000 for a bungalow in asphalt shingles, $12,000 to $20,000 and more for a steep-pitch cottage, more for a flat membrane roof, depending on quotes in your region.
If it is done and visible, yes: the credit requested, the inspection condition and the buyer's insurer cost more than the work. If it has five years left, no: the price accounts for it.
No, it is apparent; a hidden infiltration known to the seller, yes.
Not for the covering; yes for attic insulation done at the same time (Rénoclimat or LogisVert), and RénoPlex in Montreal for certain buildings.
These problems are easier to settle before listing than after the buyer's inspection: see the pre-purchase inspection in Quebec, latent defects in Quebec and renovating before selling.
The Loaa & Manseur team, led by Lotfi Manseur and Loaa Al Daow, is the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 of large residential teams according to the official RE/MAX ranking, computed on actual transactions. Its Google profile counts 221 reviews with a 4.9 rating. Its offices are at 55 avenue de l'Équinoxe in Brossard, one bridge from the island, and every broker's licence can be checked in the OACIQ public register. Three things to verify yourself before calling us, and to demand of any other broker.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.