Academia Roofing & Attics

When we first bought our 1920's slate roofed house, Gordon Bailey was the best quote for repairs. Little did I realize he was also superior in workmanship, attention to detail, and care. Since that first set of repairs Academia has insulated our huge attic, replaced all eaves-troughing, and just this past fall (2010) when we finally had to give up on the 90-year-old slate, Gordon and his team re-shingled the works. I wouldn't trust anyone else to work on my roof.

I've know Gord for over 15 Years. I've seen the quality renovations he has done in Cabbagetown while living there with my family. He has helped with the installation of my roof and kitchen stone tile floor in my current house in Lesliville, and most recently he came to my rescue in an emergency when some roof tiles blew off my roof during a storm. I phoned Gord and said I had a problem...his boys were here by the afternoon and had my roof fixed before the snow storm rolled in that night. His workers were courteous and efficient and they did a great job. I would recommend Gord and Academia Roofing to anyone looking for a professional Renovation Job around the house. He's the best!

Academia roofing performed vents jobs on my houses in Markham and Stouffville. This is a first class company. Gordon and Joe are very reliable and they have excellent customer relations. They are very reliable and they perform excellent and quality jobs. I will always call them if I encounter similar problems in future. They are highly recommended.

Gord Bailey, owner of Academia Roofing, contacted me and asked me to provide a review.

I had Academia Roofing re-shingle the roof of my old home in Mount Albert. I had obtained two other competitive quotes and in both cases, Academia Roofing quote was higher than the competition. However, after following up with all the references provided by all three contractors, Academia Roofing came back with all positive reviews and reported the highest level of satisfaction with the final result.

Gord seemed to also be very knowledgeable with his trade, emphasizing that he only used CertainTeed LanMark 30 brand shingles with a 30 year life span and Maximum vents for proper ventilation of the attic.

At the time, I was a lay person and new home owner. What did I know about roofing?

Gord sold me on both the CertainTeed 30 year shingles, his expertise and good references he provided. Also, follow up with the Licencing Commission in Toronto had no past complains lodged against Academia Roofing. Gord also went out of his way to provide proof that his company carried required insurance and had a good rating with the Better Business Bureau of Canada.

On Gord’s recommendation, I went with the Resawn Shake style of premium shingles, which both complemented my home’s brickwork and gave the roof a nice ‘cedar shingle’ look. Also, Gord recommended replacing the original white eaves through with brown to further enhance and complement the overall look of the house. I went with Gord’s material and colour recommendations and approved the work.

Academia Roofing had a team of four roofers come to my home early the following week and inside of a few days they re-shingled my roof, replaced the skylight and had my eaves through replaced. As well, Gord’s team installed unique custom trays and metal work along the brickwork, eaves through and roof. When finished, the house looked immaculate and now stood out from all the other houses on the block.

(Friends that work in the trades since complemented me on the thoughtfulness and quality of the workmanship. I also remember looking at two neighbouring roofs that were done just one to two years after mine and I remember seeing their shingles were already showing signs of fading).

Five years later I moved to be a bit closer to work in Toronto. However, the CertainTeed LanMark 30 shingles looked as good as they did when they were first installed – with no fading or any other signs of wear or tear. The buyers of my home said the majestic look of the roof was one reason that attracted them to my old house. Also, the building inspector they hired also gave his stamp of approval and endorsed the quality behind CertainTeed’s 30 year shingles.
The new owners were also reassured that the warranty for workmanship and materials were 100% transferable – including coverage against leakage and condensation. (Because Academia Roofing had also cleared the attic soffits from insulation that was blocking air flow into the attic and installed the Maximum vent, Academia Roofing was prepared to honour warranties to both myself and next owners of my home).

In all this, the message I wanted to communicate is this: Quality pays dividends.

A job well done will enhance the value of your home and provide you with a problem free living space and peace of mind for years to come. However, a roofing job done poorly can come back to haunt you and your pocketbook, with time and effort needed to redo work, repair water damage and remove mold.

Academia Roofing may have been a bit more expensive, however, the quality of both the workmanship and materials resulted in a problem free roof for the five years I lived there and enhanced the overall value of the house when I went to sell it.

Closing words:

In all my experiences dealing with trades people, Gord is one of the few honest ones I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with. In all, Gord kept his word, the work was done on time, on budget and I was very happy with the final result.

It was the right decision I made five years ago and I have no hesitation recommending Academia Roofing to anyone else looking to get roofing or similar renovation work done for their home.

David – formally of Mount Albert

No one else was able to diagnose my icecycle problem until Gord investigated. I initially questioned his diagnosis but went ahead and followed his recommendations. Results--no more icycles.Gord is my hero

Academia replaced a number of vents on my roof - great quality, great service. Work was done promptly and professionally. Had one problem with a leaky vent but Academia made it right!

Sometimes mother nature plays tricks and you need a roof right away. That’s what happened to us in July, 2006 when a freak tornado ripped through our neighbourhood and took most of our shingles away with it. Our neighbourhood was inundated with roofers knocking on our doors but one stood out, Academia Roofing. I’m pretty handy and know my way around the local hardware store but where does one begin when shopping for a roofer? Gordon Bailey took the time to explain the different shingles on the market, the different underlays, drip edges, vents and more. I was now an expert! I secured quotes from multiple roofers including the one the insurance agent sent over who, and this is no exaggeration, had to finish his beer before heading up to inspect my roof. Oddly enough the quotes were all about the same price. The insurance company was pressuring me to go with his guy but as there is no obligation there, we went with the company we had the most confidence in.

Academia was always there when needed. Whether it be setting a raccoon trap or coming back to blow in insulation in my attic, all calls were returned promptly. The workers were always polite and clean. Unexpected extras were never a problem either. When water damaged plywood was discovered, it was quietly replaced. Bathroom vents that vented into the attic where fixed. It might all sound too good to be true but really when you’re paying that much for a new roof you appreciate the service and pride of workmanship.

Five years after having our roofs replaced by Academia my neighbour sold his home. The new owners said the home inspector was so impressed by the quality of the roof that it was a deciding factor in purchasing the home. Oddly enough, the only neighbour who chose the roofing company the insurance company insisted upon ended up having to have the whole roof redone the next spring along with water damage repairs to the upstairs bedroom and the basement too!

You would think that buying a new home would include the peace of mind in knowing that your roof would last (without serious damage)for at least 15-20 years, however that's not always the case. I bought this new home less than five (5) years ago, and I've already had two (2) roofing issues. Arguing with the builder (Townwood Homes),and/or waiting for the new home warranty to help got me nowhere. It was their view that shingles flying off the roof was not significant enough damage to have the builder rectify the problem unless there was further damage to the property,(damage to drywall, insulation, electrical, flooding, etc...). In other words, protect your investment and fix it yourself before any further damage occurs. Fortunately, I called Academia Roofing and was blessed to meet Gordon and Joe and their team of professionals that remedied the problem. They arrived within an hour of my call to them, and they even supplied me with extra shingles as they knew they would have to return at some point, given the condition of the roof. They were extremely knowledgeable and courteous. Needless to say, I will be needing a new roof within the next two(2) years,and I will be entrusting this job to the very capable and professional team at Academia Roofing. It's nice to know that there are still some companies out there that actually care and take pride in what they do. Thank you to Gordon and Joe and their staff. Not only did they repair my roof, but they finally gave me some peace of mind...

Overall, I was extremely satisfied with the company. They removed and replaced shingles, installed plywood, replaced eaves/downspouts, upgraded insulation, installed fully vented soffits, etc. They were the only company that I rec'd a quote from that noticed that there was a problem with my roof (and I asked some very experienced and well-known roofing companies to quote). He was the only company to go in my attic before they quoted. Even before I gave the work to them I spent hours on the phone with Gord while he explained what they would do and why they were better. They were the only roofing company that asked me how far back should they go to give me references (ie they were more than willing to provide names of clients 10 years ago to show how their roofs last). I could go on about them but if you are willing to pay the higher price you will get a great roof.

Academia Roofing and Gordon Bailey proved to be a good choice for knowledgable and high quality work. The price was on the higher end but I felt that the quality was there. Our new roof and the attic foam insulation have made a huge improvement to our home.