Matthew Daldalian
The North Shore News – LJI
Homeowners across the Greater Montreal area are being urged to exercise caution before signing roofing contracts after complaints against multiple roofing contractors rapidly increased in recent weeks.
The Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC) says complaints linked to the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu-based company rose from eight to 22 within days following media coverage. The allegations involve unsolicited roofing quotes with major price increases during construction.
These also follow vulnerable homeowners who were pressured into accepting expensive additional work.
Charles Tanguay, spokesperson for the OPC, said one of the first warning signs is receiving detailed unsolicited estimates directly in a mailbox.
“Usually, good contractor[s] don’t chase customers like that,” Tanguay said in an interview with The North Shore News. “It’s always preferable to choose your own contractors than to be chosen by one.”
According to the OPC, homeowners should be cautious of contractors who pressure them into signing quickly, refuse to provide documents or licences, or dramatically increase prices once work begins.
The warnings come as renovation season begins throughout Quebec and as more residents begin booking roofing work following winter weather damage.
Laval homeowner targeted
One of the cases reported by the involved a 72-year-old resident of Laval-Ouest who allegedly received unsolicited roofing estimates in his mailbox.
After agreeing to a $5,000 repair, workers reportedly removed shingles from his roof before another individual arrived demanding roughly $25,000 for additional repairs.
Tanguay said roofing projects create especially vulnerable situations because homeowners can feel trapped once work begins.
“Consumers report that all the exterior shielding of their roof have been teared off,” he said. “So the roof is at the mercy of the rain and temperature or weather, bad weather. And that makes the situation very uncomfortable and urgent.”
The OPC issued a province-wide warning on April 30 regarding itinerant sales practices connected to roofing and other home renovation sectors. The agency warned that some contractors use weather exposure and urgency to pressure consumers into accepting costly changes mid-project.
Mortgage allegations raise concerns
The situation intensified this week after a second media report detailed allegations involving a 73-year-old Longueuil homeowner who says a $9,000 roofing contract ultimately turned into a $129,000 debt tied to a mortgage signed at a Laval office.
According to the report, the homeowner allegedly signed documents before notary Adama Coulibaly without fully understanding they created a mortgage carrying a 24 per cent annual interest rate through a private lending company.
The homeowner later hired a lawyer in an attempt to revoke the mortgage.
The OPC confirmed checks are underway regarding the lending company involved.
Tanguay said homeowners facing these situations should seek legal advice quickly, particularly if large sums of money or financing agreements are involved.
“One of them is to consult a lawyer very quickly to see what are their options,” he said.
He added that recovering money can be difficult depending on how payments were made.
Industry checks still important
Despite the complaints, certain roofing contractors still hold a valid licence with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ).
Tanguay noted that even homeowners who verify licences and online reviews can still encounter problems.
“You still could be trapped into something you don’t like,” he said. “Like discovering that there’s more work to be done and that the final bill will be much higher than what expected.”
Still, he said consumers should continue checking whether contractors hold valid RBQ licences and OPC permits before agreeing to work.
The OPC also recommends homeowners seek multiple quotes and independently research contractors rather than accepting unsolicited offers.
Under Quebec rules introduced in November 2024, itinerant sales involving certain home-related goods and services, including insulation and decontamination work, became prohibited. Roofing work itself is not included in those bans.
