Is it worth paying for an RCABC RoofStar guarantee?
RoofStar is a third-party 5, 10 or 15-year guarantee through RCABC members, with independent inspections. What it covers, what it costs and when it pays.
Quick answer
For a large, complex or flat roof, usually yes; for a simple asphalt gable, it is a judgement call. The RoofStar guarantee is a third-party guarantee of 5, 10 or 15 years issued by the Roofing Contractors Association of BC, available only when an RCABC member contractor installs to the association's standards under independent observation, with the contractor handling claims for the first two years and the association after that. Its real value is the inspection during the job and a backstop if the contractor disappears, not the paper itself.
- Guarantee terms
- 5, 10 or 15 years
- Who can offer it
- RCABC member contractors only
- Quality control
- independent observations during the work
- Claims
- contractor handles the first two years, then RCABC
Next step: Compare up to three quotes for scope, gaps and price.
Upload My QuoteKey facts
- Guarantee terms
- 5, 10 or 15 years
- Source: Roofing Contractors Association of BC
- Who can offer it
- RCABC member contractors only
- Source: Roofing Contractors Association of BC
- Quality control
- independent observations during the work
- Source: Roofing Contractors Association of BC
- Claims
- contractor handles the first two years, then RCABC
- Source: Roofing Contractors Association of BC
- Cost to the homeowner
- built into the member's quote; ask for it as a line
- Our estimate
Greater Victoria context
The Uplands and the big custom homes of North Saanich and Bear Mountain are where the guarantee earns its keep. Those roofs are large, steep and often in materials most crews rarely price, and a workmanship problem at a hidden valley on a 6,000 sq ft roof is a five-figure repair. An independent set of eyes on the job, and a guarantor that outlives any one company, is worth a real share of the price on that scale.
Flat and low-slope work is the other clear case. Gordon Head's 1960s–70s torch-on sections, mid-century Fairfield additions and townhome roofs in Langford strata fail at seams and drains, where installation quality is everything and faults appear in years three to ten. For a simple 1,800 sq ft laminate gable in Westhills the calculation is tighter: the manufacturer's shingle warranty plus a written workmanship warranty from a stable local contractor covers most of the risk.
| Coverage | Manufacturer warranty | Contractor workmanship warranty | RCABC RoofStar guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Defects in the shingle or panel | Installation errors | The installed roof system to RCABC standards |
| Who stands behind it | The manufacturer | The contractor, while it exists | The contractor for 2 years, then the association |
| Independent inspection during the job | No | No | Yes, by RCABC observers |
| Term | Product-dependent, often long but limited | Commonly 1–10 years | 5, 10 or 15 years |
| Available from | Any installer of the product | Any contractor | RCABC member contractors only |
Terms summarised from RCABC's guarantee pages; the exact residential program eligibility should be confirmed with the contractor and RCABC before signing.
What the guarantee actually is
Most roof warranties are two documents: the manufacturer's warranty on the product, and the contractor's promise on the installation. The RoofStar guarantee is a third: the association guarantees the roof system as installed, because its own observers reviewed the work against its standards during the job. For the first two years the contractor is responsible for any claim; after that the association carries it for the balance of the 5, 10 or 15-year term.
That structure matters because workmanship warranties are only as good as the company behind them. Roofing firms close, merge and change names; the guarantee is designed to survive that.
When it earns its cost
The guarantee is not free: the observations and the program are built into the member's price.
- Large or complex roofs where a hidden workmanship fault is a five-figure repair
- Flat and low-slope torch-on or membrane systems, where seams and drains are everything
- Strata and multi-unit roofs, where a third-party guarantee simplifies future disputes
- Homes you plan to sell, where a transferable, dated guarantee is a clean answer to buyer questions
- Any job where you would rather have an independent inspector on the roof than rely on your own eyes
Ready to see your own number? Compare up to three quotes for scope, gaps and price.
Upload My QuoteQuestions to ask before you pay for it
Ask whether the contractor is a current RCABC member and whether this specific job qualifies for the residential program, because the association's public pages describe the guarantee terms without spelling out every residential eligibility rule. Ask for the guarantee term and cost as a separate line on the quote, and who to call for a claim in year one versus year six. Then compare that quote with a non-member quote that includes a written workmanship warranty, so you are pricing the guarantee rather than guessing at it.
The RCABC Consumer Guide to Roofing, a neutral PDF from the association, is a reasonable read before the first site visit.
Frequently asked questions
What does the RCABC RoofStar guarantee cover and for how long?
Should I hire an RCABC member vs a non-member roofer?
How do I check if a roofer is an RCABC member?
How do I choose a roofing contractor in Victoria BC?
Sources
- RoofStar Guarantee — Guarantees — Roofing Contractors Association of BC, accessed 2026-09-10.
- Consumer Guide to Roofing (PDF) — Roofing Contractors Association of BC, accessed 2026-09-10.
- Great Victoria Roofing pricing model (our estimate) — Great Victoria Roofing, accessed 2026-09-10.
Full list with what each source supports: Sources · How we build estimates: Methodology
Last reviewed · Editorial team — reviewed against the sources listed on each page · Cost figures are estimates from our published pricing model, not quotations.
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