Our Story
RBS traces its roots back to 1984, when founder Brian A. Ricardo established Ricardo Roofing Ltd. in the Greater Toronto Area. In 1993, the company relocated its head office to Eastern Ontario to better serve a growing base of clients. Built on a foundation of quality workmanship, responsive service, and reliable project delivery, the business quickly earned a reputation for solving complex roofing challenges.
As client needs expanded, so did our capabilities. Project requests soon extended beyond roofing alone, and over time the company developed deep expertise across the full building envelope. In 2013, we rebranded as Roof & Building Service Intl. (RBS), formally broadening our scope to serve both roof and building requirements under one banner.
Today, with more than 20,000 projects completed across Ontario, RBS stands as a trusted partner to the industrial, commercial, institutional, and government sectors. From food processing plants to healthcare facilities, from logistics hubs to municipal buildings, we provide prescriptive, technically sound solutions that balance roof condition, building performance, and business priorities.
Our approach is strategic and client-first: we prioritize maintenance, targeted repairs, and recovery options where possible, ensuring full replacement is reserved for when it truly adds the most value. By doing so, we help our clients extend service life, reduce downtime, and make capital decisions with confidence.
With a strong operational team, proven processes, and decades of experience, RBS is committed to being more than a contractor — we are your advisor, problem-solver, and long-term partner.
Mission Statement
At RBS, our mission is to empower confident decision-making by delivering resourceful, value-driven roof and building solutions. We combine decades of practical experience with a relentless focus on design optimization, minimizing risk, and creating innovative solutions we would choose for our own properties.
Core Values
Tempo – Our pace is powered by passion.
We believe urgency matters. From responding to client needs to executing projects on site, we maintain a tempo that reflects our commitment. Speed never compromises quality — instead, our energy drives results and inspires confidence.
Loyalty – Once we commit, we persevere.
For us, commitment means standing shoulder to shoulder with our clients and our team. Whether navigating challenges or celebrating success, loyalty ensures that we deliver what we promise, no matter how complex the project.
Teamwork – One Team. One Mission. Total Ownership.
We succeed because we operate as a united team — from field crews to leadership. Every member takes ownership, communicates openly, and works toward a common mission: to deliver solutions that protect and elevate our clients’ facilities.
Our Process
Every project we take on follows our Assess – Guide – Deliver framework:
Assess – We evaluate both roof and building envelope conditions while factoring in compliance, risk, and business continuity.
Guide – We provide a clear roadmap with options, helping you make the same decision we would choose for our own properties.
Deliver – We execute with precision, safety, and accountability, ensuring projects finish on time, on budget, and to spec.
This process ensures that decisions are transparent, defensible, and aligned with client priorities — not just what’s easiest for the contractor.
Key Industries We Serve
RBS specializes in facilities where performance, compliance, and reliability are critical:
Industrial & Manufacturing – Complex plants, often with chemical exposure, fire risk, and CFIA/Health Canada oversight.
Warehousing & Distribution – Large flat roofs, loading docks, and logistics hubs where downtime is costly.
Municipal & Institutional – Schools, healthcare facilities, and public buildings requiring safety, compliance, and durability.
Affordable & Senior Living – Multi-unit residences where comfort, safety, and cost certainty matter most.
Shopping Centers & Retail – From large malls to anchored plazas and standalone tenants, including fit-ups and retrofit projects.
Our Track Record
With more than 20,000 completed projects, our work spans everything from minor recovery solutions to large and complex capital projects. These partnerships demonstrate not only our technical capabilities, but also the trust we’ve earned in highly regulated, mission-critical environments.
Why Clients Trust Us
We blend technical insight with business context — recommendations consider not just condition, but downtime risk, compliance, and capital planning.
We act as a technical partner, not a salesperson — every option we present is one we’d accept for our own properties.
Our 3-year planning horizon gives clients visibility and control, with flexibility to shorten or extend as needed.
Our team’s depth of experience means you get practical, proven answers, not guesswork.
Leadership & Team
At RBS, our leadership is defined by technical expertise and hands-on experience. Our team is made up of project leaders, technical specialists, estimators, and field professionals who bring decades of knowledge in roofing and building envelope systems.
Each member plays a critical role: leadership provides strategic vision, technical staff deliver evidence-based solutions, and project managers ensure flawless execution. Together, this combination allows us to approach every project with clarity, precision, and accountability.
More than a contracting company, RBS is a team of trusted technical advisors — guiding clients through complex decisions and delivering results that stand the test of time.
Safety & Compliance Commitment
At RBS, safety is not a line item — it’s a culture. Every project we undertake is guided by rigorous safety protocols, continuous training, and a commitment to protecting not only our own people, but also our clients’ staff, operations, and the public.
Workplace Safety Standards – All team members are trained and certified to meet or exceed Ontario health and safety legislation, including fall protection, confined space entry, WHMIS, and site-specific orientation requirements. Toolbox talks, hazard assessments, and near-miss reporting are part of our daily rhythm.
Compliance in Regulated Environments – Many of our projects are completed in sensitive industrial and institutional settings: CFIA-regulated food facilities, Health Canada-inspected pharmaceutical environments, high-traffic healthcare facilities, and mission-critical distribution centers. Our teams are trained to operate in these contexts, where cross-contamination, fire risk, and downtime can have major consequences.
Insurance & Risk Mitigation – RBS carries full liability coverage, WSIB compliance, and bonding capacity. For large capital projects, we can underwrite wrap-up insurance and bonding programs to give owners and stakeholders additional layers of protection.
Fire & Hot Work Controls – When performing torch-applied roofing or hot asphalt work, strict fire watches and permitting systems are enforced. Spark containment, extinguishers, and cooling protocols are mandatory, ensuring risks are controlled from start to finish.
Continuous Improvement – Safety is not static. We actively review incidents, update training, and adopt new technologies such as infrared scanning, drone inspections, and leak detection sensors to minimize hazards and prevent failures before they occur.
Our clients trust us because we operate with the same vigilance as if their facilities were our own. Safety and compliance aren’t just checkboxes at RBS — they are the backbone of how we build confidence, protect reputations, and deliver results.
Community & Responsibility
At RBS, we believe that building strong facilities goes hand in hand with building strong communities. Our commitment to community responsibility extends beyond the job site — it is embedded in who we are and how we operate.
We are passionate about supporting youth and education, creating opportunities for future generations to learn, grow, and succeed. We are committed to healthcare causes that promote dignity, reliable care, and better outcomes for individuals and families. In times of crisis, we contribute to emergency and disaster relief, because we believe in the strong coming in aid of the weak. And we remain committed to homelessness and poverty relief, supporting efforts that provide food, stability, and pathways to an improved future.
Our responsibility doesn’t stop at community giving. It extends directly into the way we serve our clients. RBS actively helps facility owners meet their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals by providing roof and building solutions that:
Improve energy efficiency through reflective roof systems, upgraded insulation, and reduced heat loss.
Support landfill avoidance by prioritizing recoveries, restorations, and recycling of materials rather than full tear-offs when appropriate.
Encourage long-term planning that minimizes waste, extends service life, and reduces both financial and environmental costs.
By aligning our technical expertise with our clients’ sustainability objectives, we make it possible to protect facilities, support operations, and contribute to a more responsible future — for both the industries we serve and the communities we live in.
