Is GST charged on a roofing job in BC? What about PST?

Every Greater Victoria contractor guide we reviewed shows prices before tax, and our pricing model does the same, so the 5 percent is the one adjustment to make when you compare a quote against the numbers on this site. On a typical two-storey asphalt roof of $6,900 to $12,600 in our model that is $345 to $630 of GST; on a $28,000 standing-seam metal roof in Oak Bay or Cordova Bay it is $1,400, enough to matter when the budget is tight.

The PST question comes up locally because homeowners see 'plus 5% GST' on one quote and '12% tax' on a supply-only invoice from a building-supply yard. The two are different transactions. If you buy shingles yourself at a Langford or Saanich supply store, you pay PST and GST on them at the till. If the roofer supplies and installs, you pay GST only, and the PST it paid on the same shingles is already inside the price. A quote that adds 12 percent to a supply-and-install job is worth questioning.

The Province treats a roofer as a real-property contractor: the roofing becomes part of the building, so the service is not a taxable sale of goods to you. The contractor is instead the end user of the materials for PST purposes and pays the 7 percent when it buys them, then recovers that cost through its price. The provincial guidance on this was updated in November 2025 and is the reference to point to if a contractor tries to add PST as a separate line.

A clean Greater Victoria invoice lists the contract price, any agreed extras such as decking replaced at the quoted rate, a single GST line at 5 percent with the contractor's GST registration number, and the total. Deposits are usually taken as a percentage of the pre-tax price, with the balance and GST on completion. If you see 'tax' without a rate, or a 12 percent line, ask for it to be corrected before paying.

• Contract price and itemized extras
• GST at 5% with the GST number shown
• No PST line on a supply-and-install job
• Deposit credited, balance due on completion

A 'no GST for cash' offer saves 5 percent and costs you the paper trail: no invoice means no warranty claim, no proof for an insurer or a buyer at resale, and no leverage if the work fails. RCABC RoofStar guarantees and manufacturer system warranties are registered against a real contract. Five percent on a $15,000 roof is $750, a small amount against a roof that has to last two decades.