Check a contractor before you pay

I compared three accredited Toronto roofers with BBB A+ grades. Two of them have no complaints on file. The third, Alpine Roofing, has two answered complaints, and its reply to the one I could read is worth looking at before you choose.

How Alpine replied to its complaint (March 2026, repair issue): A townhouse owner's roof was installed by Alpine in 2012. Shingles kept blowing off, and they said there was no sign of adhesive, only nails. They believed the repair should be free under warranty. Alpine answered within a week. It said the install met industry standards, that shingle roofs don't use adhesive, and that its 10-year warranty had ended, so the $508.50 repair would be charged. The customer rejected that reply and pointed to the shingle maker's instructions, which call for adhesive in cold or windy conditions. The complaint is still marked "Answered," not resolved.

Alpine answered quickly and with specifics, but it held its position. The workmanship warranty was 10 years. The second complaint, about sales or advertising, is hidden on BBB, so I couldn't read it or the reply.

Things to keep in mind:

• A+ is common. Nearly every result in BBB's Toronto roofing search was A+, so the grade alone doesn't tell these roofers apart. Accreditation, years in business and how they handle complaints are more useful.
• "Zero complaints" covers only about the last 3 years. BBB shows only complaints closed in that window. None of the three has any BBB customer reviews either, so check Google or HomeStars for actual job feedback.
• One runner-up: Canadian Roofing Company Ltd is A+, accredited since 2022, in business since 1983, and has no complaints. It's the only one of the four that lists a City of Toronto licence (T85-3092591).

Before you pay the deposit:

• Get the workmanship warranty length in writing (Alpine's was 10 years) and how it's separate from the shingle maker's warranty.
• If it matters for your roof, ask whether they follow the manufacturer's install specs, such as adhesive or hand-sealing in cold weather. That was the whole dispute in Alpine's complaint.
• Keep the deposit small and pay by credit card. If you sign the contract at home, Ontario's Consumer Protection Act generally gives you a 10-day cooling-off period.
• Ask for proof of WSIB coverage and liability insurance.

This used 6 Firecrawl credits. Two of the profile lookups failed on the first try with a provider error and worked on retry.