Roofers and shinglers
Career Overview
Roofers install, repair or replace flat roofs as well as shingles, shakes or other roofing tiles on sloped roofs.
Shinglers install and replace shingles, tiles and similar coverings on sloped roofs.
They work for roofing companies and general contractors or may be self-employed.
Job Titles
Duties
The duties of roofers and shinglers are closely related. In general, roofers have a higher level of training than shinglers and have advanced roofing and waterproofing techniques. Shinglers specialize primarily in the removal, renewal and installation of shingles. A roofer can perform all the duties of a shingler.
Roofers:
- Install, repair or replace built-up roofing systems using materials such as asphalt saturated felts and hot asphalt and gravel
- Install, repair or replace single-ply roofing systems using waterproof sheet materials
- Install, repair or replace shingles, shakes and other roofing tiles on sloped roofs of buildings
- Install sheet metal flashings
- Apply waterproof coatings to concrete or other masonry
- Install and repair metal roofs using hand and power tools
- Set up scaffolding to provide safe access to roofs
- May estimate materials required and quote costs
Shinglers:
- Install, repair and replace asphalt or wood shingles and shakes, masonry or baked clay tiles on sloped roofs
- Set up scaffolding to provide access to roofs
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,085% Employed Full Time
46%Most roofers and shinglers work a standard 40-hour week. At times, overtime may be required to finish projects and meet construction deadlines. Since the nature of the work is project-based and seasonal, working hours may be irregular and workers may experience gaps in work throughout the year.
Roofing work takes place almost entirely outdoors. As a result, roofers and shinglers work in rain, snow, summer heat and other weather conditions. Roofers must be able to work at heights and carry heavy bundles or sheets of roofing material. The use of safety harnesses and lines helps to reduce the hazard of falling from heights.
Career Pathways
With experience, roofers may advance to supervisory or estimating positions. Some experienced roofers own their own businesses.
Roofers may specialize in specific flat or sloped roof systems and materials systems and are able to transfer their skills to related trades, such as carpentry or sheet metal work.SkilledTradesBC offers a sheet metal worker apprenticeship.
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Completion of Grade 10 is recommended.
Shinglers can learn their trade on the job. However, a more competitive path is to apprentice as a Residential Steep Roofer (RSR). Through the apprenticeship path, workers receive at least 2,400 hours of work experiences and six weeks of technical training over two years. For more information, visit SkilledTradesBC.
There are many paths to becoming a roofer:
- Begin an apprenticeship program in secondary (high) school
- Go to a certified trade school
- Begin as a shingler or construction labourer and then become an apprentice
- Get hired by a company as a paid apprentice (which includes on-the-job training as well as trade school coursework)
Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program (a combination of more than three years of work experience and some college or industry courses) is required for trade certification. Trade certification is not mandatory to work as a roofer in B.C., but workers with certification typically have more job opportunities. For more information, visit SkilledTradesBC.
Once certified, roofers receive a Red Seal endorsement, which allows holders to work in any province or territory. Roofers with 5,400 hours of documented, directly related work experience can challenge the Interprovincial Red Seal examination.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact SkilledTradesBC for details on how to get certified in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
Top Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
3,085Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 70 | 2.3% |
| Kootenay | 90 | 2.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,750 | 56.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 55 | 1.8% |
| Northeast | 30 | 1.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 410 | 13.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 670 | 21.7% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2025-2035)
1,010Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2025-2035)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 10 | 0.4% |
| Kootenay | 10 | -1.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 640 | 1.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.6% |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 130 | 0.5% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 210 | 1.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2025-2035) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 500 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 130 |
| Retail Trade | 70 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 60 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 50 |
Insights from Industry
Approximately half of the new jobs in the next five years will come out of the need to replace retiring workers.
Although new materials and processes have brought changes to the job, most residential roofs in B.C. continue to be built with asphalt shingling. This is a labour-intensive form of roofing that will require a steady supply of these workers.
Even when new construction slows, there is need for ongoing replacement and repair work.
Resources
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British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) – Green Roofs Coursescommons.bcit.ca/greenroof/courses
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Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)www.cagbc.org
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Canadian Roofing Contractors' Association (CRCA)www.roofingcanada.com
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Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia – Education & Trainingwww.rcabc.org/education-training
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Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia (RCABC)www.rcabc.org
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SkilledTradesBCskilledtradesbc.ca/