Ask for four things before you sign anything: a current WCB Alberta clearance letter, proof of liability insurance, manufacturer certification, and a written scope that names the exact products going on your roof.
Any established Edmonton contractor can produce all four within a day. Stalling on any of them tells you most of what you need to know.
Is Your WCB Alberta Clearance Current?
The Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta issues a clearance letter confirming that a contractor's account is in good standing. Ask for a copy dated within the last 30 days.
This matters more than most homeowners realize. If an uninsured worker falls off your roof, liability can land on you as the property owner.
You can verify a clearance letter yourself through the WCB Alberta online lookup using the company's legal name. Do not accept a screenshot or a verbal assurance.
Are You a Member of the Alberta Roofing Contractors Association?
ARCA membership is voluntary, which is exactly why it works as a filter. Members are held to workmanship standards written for our climate rather than a generic national spec.
It also signals permanence. Crews that follow hail across the prairies rarely bother joining a provincial association.
Ask for the membership number and check it. Some companies advertise an affiliation they let lapse years ago.
Which Manufacturers Have Certified You?
Shingle manufacturers such as IKO, Malarkey, BP and Owens Corning certify contractors who complete training and maintain an installation record. That certification is what unlocks extended system warranties.
Without it you get the basic material warranty and nothing else. The difference surfaces years later, when a defect appears and nobody wants to own it.
Ask which certification level the company holds and what warranty it entitles you to in writing. If you are still comparing options, our overview of asphalt shingle systems built for Alberta weather explains what the warranty tiers actually cover.
Who Pulls the Permit?
The City of Edmonton requires a building permit for structural roof work and for reroofing that changes the roof assembly. A straight shingle replacement often does not need one, but the answer depends on your scope.
The contractor should know the rule and handle the paperwork. If they suggest skipping a permit to save time, that becomes your resale problem, not theirs.
Leduc, Sherwood Park and St. Albert each run their own permit process. Someone working across the metro should be able to tell you which applies to your address without guessing.
What Is Actually in the Quote?
Vague quotes are where change orders come from. Compare bids line by line instead of on the bottom number.
| Line item | What a complete quote specifies |
|---|---|
| Tear off | Number of existing layers removed, with disposal included |
| Decking | Price per sheet for replacing rotten plywood, agreed before work starts |
| Underlayment | Product name plus ice and water shield coverage at eaves and valleys |
| Ventilation | Intake and exhaust vent counts, not the phrase "as needed" |
| Flashing | New flashing at chimneys, walls and valleys rather than reused metal |
| Cleanup | Magnetic nail sweep and a stated bin removal date |
Ice and water membrane coverage deserves a direct question here. Edmonton freeze and thaw cycles push meltwater back up under shingles, and the code minimum is often not enough on a low slope.
Also ask whether eavestrough and fascia work is included or quoted separately. That single gap explains many bids that otherwise look identical.
How Do You Handle Insurance Work?
After a hail event, half the trucks on your street will carry out of province plates. Ask where the company's shop is and how long it has held that address.
Anyone handling storm and hail damage claims should be willing to meet your adjuster on site. Walk away from any offer to cover or waive your deductible, which is fraud under Alberta insurance law.
Warranty and Payment Terms
What does your workmanship warranty cover?
The material warranty comes from the manufacturer. The workmanship warranty comes from the contractor, and it is worth only as much as the company standing behind it.
Five to ten years is normal in this market. Ask how many warranty callbacks they serviced in the past year and what those repairs cost the homeowner.
What is the payment schedule?
A deposit between 10 and 30 percent is standard. Anyone asking for payment in full before materials land on your driveway is a risk.
Hold the final payment until cleanup is finished and you have walked the property yourself.
Answers That Should End the Conversation
- An offer to start tomorrow during peak season in July or August
- A discount that expires unless you sign today
- No physical Edmonton address, only a cell number
- Cash only, or a cheque made out to a person instead of a company
- Refusal to put the scope in writing before taking a deposit
Small jobs deserve the same scrutiny as full replacements. Even a single afternoon leak repair should come with a written scope and a stated warranty term.
If you want a quote you can hold against every question above, get in touch with our team and we will bring the documents with us.