The roofing truck displays an RBQ number. That is a useful place to begin, but the number needs to match a current licence and the company asking you to sign. Check the record yourself, then match the authorised work to the full project. A photograph of a licence from several years ago is not a current status check.
Quebec's licensing system is distinct from Ontario worker-coverage checks or a manufacturer's installer designation. Those may answer other questions, but they do not establish the Quebec contractor's authority for the proposed work.
The quote has one company name, the website uses another and the payment instructions mention a third. That can have an explanation. Mike's question is calm: "Which of these is actually signing our contract?" Until that is clear, comparing shingle colours is getting rather ahead of the paperwork.
Match the Company Before the Category
The RBQ's contractor guidance directs homeowners to its licence-holders repertory and specifically says the name on the contract should match the licence holder. Start with the legal company name, number and current record, not only the brand printed across the website.
A trading name may be legitimate, but an unexplained mismatch deserves resolution before a deposit. Ask which entity is contracting with you, issuing invoices and receiving payment. Save the current lookup result with the quotation and note when you checked it.
RBQ also explains that its licences do not simply expire on a date printed on the document. Continuing validity should be checked in the repertory. That is why an impressive framed certificate can be less useful than a fresh registry check.
Roofing Work Is Not Every Kind of Roof Work
The RBQ's licence-selection guide identifies the relevant subclasses for construction work. The roofing, waterproofing, insulation and exterior-covering category is associated with subclass 7. Confirm the exact permitted scope and any restrictions in the current record with RBQ when the project is more complicated than replacing the covering.
Replacing shingles, rebuilding damaged framing, altering a chimney and moving electrical equipment are different tasks. A roofer's licence should not be treated as a universal permission for every trade that happens to work above the ceiling.
Suppose the quote begins as new shingles but inspection reveals a structural alteration is needed. Have the revised scope identify who is qualified and responsible for that work before it proceeds. The same applies to an electrician needed at a service mast. The original roofing price does not settle those responsibilities.
The licence lookup is satisfactory, but Dave still asks how the difficult wall junction will be handled. The homeowner laughs: "I thought we had finished checking them." They have finished one check. The work still needs a convincing explanation.
Match Identity, Licence and Roofing Scope
Match contract, invoice and payment recipient to the licence holder.
Identity
Match contract, invoice and payment recipient to the licence holder.
Current status
Check the live RBQ repertory and any restrictions.
Authorised work
Match all tasks to the relevant licensed scope.
Project evidence
Retain scope, insurance, references and later changes.
A Licence Is One Part of Choosing the Contractor
Check experience with your actual material, insurance, references and the written scope as well. A current licence is not a guarantee that every proposed detail suits your house. Ask how valleys, walls, skylights and ventilation will be addressed, and which items are excluded.
For a subcontracted job, ask who holds the contract and who will perform the relevant portions. Keep those names in the project file. You should know whom to contact if a scope changes or a different crew arrives, without trying to manage the contractor's workforce yourself.
The quote-reading guide helps compare the building work once the business identity is clear. Keep these checks in that order: knowing the shingle brand does not resolve an unexplained company name.
Before the start date, the household checks the saved company details against the new invoice. It takes a few minutes. If something has changed, those few minutes are a much easier place to resolve it than a driveway full of materials and a crew waiting for payment.
Keep the Record Current Through the Job
If there is a long gap before work begins, recheck status and confirm that the contract entity has not changed. Record approved variations and the responsible trade. Do not accept a last-minute instruction to pay an unrelated company without a clear documented explanation.
If work is abandoned or disputed, RBQ describes complaint and licence-security routes, each with its own scope and conditions. Do not assume the existence of security guarantees repayment of every loss. Preserve the contract, payments, current registry record and condition photographs so the appropriate adviser can assess the actual problem.
For an unfinished roof, arrange safe protection first. A licensing complaint is important paperwork, but it does not stop rain entering an open junction.
