In short
- Wikipedia gives Nepean about 186,593 people in the 2021 Census and says it still gets 150 to 200 cm of snow a year.
- Per the same article, a September 2018 storm brought six tornadoes to the Ottawa area and hit Arlington Woods and Craig Henry hard.
- The HomeStars Ottawa repair average is $1,800, from $300 at the low end to $10,000 at the top.
- Photos taken from the ground, with dates, help with an insurance claim and with the quote.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roof repair, Ottawa average | $1,800 (reported $300 to $10,000) | HomeStars Ottawa guide |
| Asphalt shingle roof, Ottawa average | $7,200 (reported $4,000 to $20,500) | HomeStars Ottawa guide |
| Roofing contractor hourly rate, Ottawa | $50 to $100 | HomeStars Ottawa roofing specialist page, many contractors |
| A Nepean roof, exact price | Set after the company sees the roof | Extent of the damage, layers and access change the figure |
Sources. Prices: HomeStars, Roofing Cost Guide For Ottawa (updated 21.08.2026 on the page), seen 29.10.2026. Hourly range: HomeStars, roofing specialists in Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026. Permit rule: City of Ottawa, projects not requiring building permits, seen 29.10.2026. Contract rules: Ontario, guide for home renovation and roofing businesses, seen 29.10.2026. Nepean history, 2018 storm, snowfall and population: Wikipedia, Nepean, Ontario, seen 29.10.2026.
Nepean in the weather
Wikipedia records a powerful storm in September 2018 that produced six tornadoes around Ottawa and caused widespread damage in Nepean’s Arlington Woods and Craig Henry and in the Colonnade Road Business Park. The same article gives Nepean’s humid continental climate, with summer thunderstorms and 150 to 200 cm of snow a year.
A roof in Nepean sees wind, summer thunderstorms and a long freeze. That is why this page starts with damage. If the weather has been at your roof, wind and storm damage lists what repairs look like, and roof repair covers the rest.
Which Nepean you mean
The name Nepean stays in common use though the city merged into Ottawa in 2001. Wikipedia says the township was set up in 1792, incorporated as a city in 1978, and expanded from the 1950s and 1960s in places such as Centrepointe and Barrhaven. Bells Corners became its centre after Westboro was annexed in 1950. The Greenbelt separates Nepean from Kanata.
That spread means roofs from several eras. Bells Corners and the older parts often carry a second or third roof. Centrepointe and Craig Henry sit in the middle. Barrhaven, which was once part of Nepean, has its own page: Barrhaven. In the request, write your area name and nearest main road, such as Merivale or Woodroffe.
After damage: what to record
Take dated photos from the ground, in daylight. Capture the whole roof, the damage close up, fallen debris and any ceiling stain. Stay off a wet or damaged roof. If water is coming in, put a bucket under the drip and move belongings away. Report the damage to your insurer and keep every receipt.
The company that calls can tarp or patch if the damage is urgent, then quote the permanent repair. Ask for the findings in writing. A quote that lists what was damaged, what will be replaced and what stays is easier to send to an insurer than a phone price.
Price context
HomeStars’ Ottawa price page, updated 21.08.2026, sets the average repair at $1,800 and the spread at $300 to $10,000. Where a storm repair lands in that spread depends on how much decking got wet and how much of the slope has to be matched. HomeStars’ roofing specialist page for Ottawa reports hourly rates of $50 to $100 across many contractors, with extra fees for removal, disposal, equipment and permits. The company sets the figure after the visit.
Permits and contracts
Putting new asphalt shingles on a storm-damaged Nepean roof needs no City building permit, though a heritage-designated house loses that exemption. A tree through the rafters is another matter, covered in roofing permits in Ottawa.
After a storm, read the paper before anyone climbs. Ontario’s guide wants a written contract on anything over $50, keeps the final price within 10% of a written estimate unless you sign a change, and puts the suggested deposit ceiling at 10%.
Who you are dealing with
The Nepean form goes to one independent roofing company, which calls, visits and quotes under its own contract. We employ no crew, and we cannot promise when the call comes.
Questions to ask the company
- Do you cover my part of Nepean, from Bells Corners to Hunt Club and Merivale?
- Can you tarp or patch the damage first and schedule the full repair later?
- What photos and written detail do you give me for my insurer?
- Does the quote cover only the damaged area, or the whole slope if the shingles no longer match?
- What is the payment schedule, and is any deposit tied to materials arriving?
Have this ready for the call
- Your street and the area name, such as Centrepointe, Craig Henry or Bells Corners.
- Dated photos from the ground of the damage, the debris and any ceiling stain.
- Your insurance company's name and claim number, if you opened one.
- The roof's approximate age and the number of layers, if you know them.
- Whether a fallen branch or fence piece is still on the roof.
Questions people ask
After a big storm, how do I know if Nepean shingles are damaged?
Look from the ground for missing or lifted tabs, shingle pieces in the yard, dents in the eavestrough or daylight in the attic. Stay off the ladder. A company can inspect and photograph the roof, and that record helps if your insurer asks.
Do older Nepean roofs fail from wind more than newer ones?
Roofs that have aged through many winters are likelier to lift in a gust. Wikipedia says Nepean’s urban area expanded from the 1950s and 1960s, so many roofs here are on their second or third set. The company checks how well the shingles are holding.
Should I call my insurer or a roofer first?
Call your insurer to report storm damage and ask what it needs, and request a roofing visit in parallel. Keep receipts for emergency patches. Roof damage claims depend on your policy, so ask the insurer directly.
Can one damaged slope be replaced alone?
Sometimes. The company looks at the age of the rest of the roof and whether new shingles will match. If the whole roof is near the end of its life, the company may quote the full roof, and may also quote the single slope so you can compare.
What does a Nepean snow year do to a roof?
Wikipedia reports 150 to 200 cm of snow a year in Nepean. Weight, drifts and refreezing at the eaves all stress a roof, and a worn one shows it in spring as stains, bent troughs or loose flashing. A visit after the melt catches it early.
