Steel & Shingle Roofing in Markdale
Steel and shingle roofs on new homes, garages and cottages, installed by our own crew and built for Grey County snow.
Roofs built for the snow belt
CKThompson Contracting installs steel and asphalt shingle roofs in and around Markdale, Ontario. We roof the houses, garages and shops we build, and we re-roof existing homes and cottages across Grey County. Our carpenters do the work, so the roof is framed, sheathed, flashed and finished by people who understand the whole structure under it.
This page is for homeowners whose shingles are at the end of their life, cottage owners who want a steel roof that sheds snow and never needs replacing again, and anyone building new who has to pick between the two. Grey County sits in one of the heaviest snow belts in southern Ontario, and the roof is the part of the house that carries it.
How a roofing job runs
- 01
Look at the roof
We come out, get on the roof where it is safe to, check the decking, flashing, vents and valleys, and tell you what you actually need. Sometimes it is a repair, not a replacement.
- 02
Choose steel or shingle
We walk through the trade offs below and quote both if you want to compare. The quote lists material, underlayment, flashing, vents and disposal.
- 03
Strip and repair
On a re-roof the old material comes off and goes into a bin. Soft or rotten decking is replaced, and ice and water shield goes on at the eaves and valleys where the snow and ice sit.
- 04
Install
Steel panels or shingles go on with the proper underlayment, drip edge, valleys, ridge and flashing at every wall, chimney and vent. Snow guards go on steel roofs over doors and walkways.
- 05
Clean up and check
Magnets sweep the yard for nails, the bin is gone and we do a last check of the whole roof with you.
Steel or shingle: the honest comparison
Both roofs work in Grey County when they are installed well. Which one is right depends on the building, how long you plan to keep it and what you want to spend now versus later.
Lifespan
A steel roof outlasts asphalt shingles by a wide margin and is usually the last roof a building gets. Architectural shingles have a shorter life, especially on the south and west faces that take the sun.
Snow and ice
Steel sheds snow on its own, which keeps the load off the roof but means snow comes down in a sheet, so guards are needed over entrances. Shingles hold the snow, which is quieter and safer at the door but adds load and invites ice dams if the attic is not insulated and vented properly.
Cost up front
Shingles cost less to buy and install. Steel costs more on day one and earns it back by not needing replacement. On a garage or cottage that you plan to keep, steel is the common pick around here.
Look
Steel comes in many colours and profiles and suits modern, farmhouse and cottage styles. Shingles are the traditional look and blend into older neighbourhoods.
Noise and repair
Rain is louder on a steel roof over an uninsulated space like a porch or shop. Damaged shingles are simple to patch; a dented steel panel usually means replacing that panel.
What a roof costs depends on
We quote every roof after seeing it. The size is only the start; the pitch, the number of valleys and penetrations, and the condition of what is underneath all change the price. You will get a written quote that lists what is included so you can compare it fairly with anyone else's.
- Roof area and pitch: a steep roof takes longer and needs more safety setup.
- Steel versus shingle, and the grade and profile of either.
- Complexity: valleys, dormers, chimneys, skylights and vents each need flashing.
- Tear off and disposal of the old roof, and how many layers are on it.
- Decking repairs found once the old roof is off.
- Ice and water shield coverage, snow guards and ventilation upgrades.
- Access: a cottage down a steep lane or a roof over a deck takes more care than an open bungalow.
Roofing on recent builds
Roofing across Grey County
We roof from Markdale out across the county. Snow, wind and the age of the housing stock are different in each area, and that changes what we recommend.
Markdale
Markdale and the surrounding Grey Highlands farms and subdivisions get heavy lake effect snow every winter. Most of our local roofing is steel on new builds and shops, plus re-roofs on homes where the original shingles have reached the end of their life. Being minutes away means a leak gets looked at fast.
Beaver Valley
The Beaver Valley catches some of the deepest snow in Grey County and the steep valley roads make access part of the job. Chalets and cottages here are often re-roofed in steel so the snow slides rather than sits, with guards over the doors and decks. Attic venting on older seasonal cottages is usually the first thing we check.
Owen Sound
Owen Sound sits on Georgian Bay and gets both the snow and the wind that comes with it. The city has a lot of older homes with shingle roofs, chimneys and dormers, so re-roofs there are often shingle on shingle style houses with careful flashing work, while the rural edges of the city lean towards steel.
Also serving: Grey County, Chatsworth, Flesherton and Durham.
Questions about steel & shingle roofing
What is the average cost of a metal roof in Ontario?
The price of a steel roof depends on the roof area, the pitch, how many valleys, chimneys and vents need flashing, the steel profile and colour, and whether an old roof has to come off first. An average would not tell you what yours will cost, so we look at the roof and give a written quote with everything listed.
How much is a 20 ft sheet of metal roofing?
Sheet prices change with the supplier, the gauge, the profile and the colour, and a roof is priced as a whole job rather than by the sheet because the underlayment, flashing, trim, fasteners and labour matter as much as the panels. Ask us for a quote on your roof and we will break out the material and the labour.
What is the biggest problem with metal roofs?
The two things people run into are snow sliding off in a sheet and noise over uninsulated spaces. Both are handled in the install: snow guards above doors, decks and walkways, and proper underlayment and insulation under the panels. Installed well, a steel roof is one of the lowest maintenance roofs you can put on a house in Grey County.
What is the average price for a 3 ft by 8 ft metal roof?
Small panel sizes like that are usually priced per piece at the supplier for sheds and repairs. For a house or garage roof the number that matters is the installed price for the whole roof, and that is what we quote after a site visit.
Roof due before the snow?
Call Craig at 519-270-3060. We will look at the roof, tell you whether it needs a repair or a replacement, and quote steel and shingle so you can compare.