Roofless Scarborough home: contractor vanishes, insurance denies damage claim
After Super Dry Roofing abandoned work in July, Lawrence Huang has lost $90,000 and cannot afford repairs. TD Insurance says faulty workmanship is not covered.
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A 76-year-old Scarborough man is living out of a suitcase four months after a roofing contractor abandoned his home mid-job, leaving the structure exposed to the elements. Now his insurance company is refusing to cover the damage.
Lawrence Huang was approached in late May by representatives of Super Dry Roofing and Masonry, who told him his roof was infested with rodents and seriously damaged. Huang, whom his niece Katie Semple describes as "on the spectrum," signed a contract for a $50,000 roof replacement and gave the company a $25,000 advance. The contractor then completely removed the roof from his two-storey Guildwood Parkway home.
The price escalated rapidly. Huang paid an additional $1,800, then attempted to write a $64,000 cheque—which his bank refused to honour. Bank employees became suspicious, contacted police, the city, and Semple, his only surviving relative. Within days, workers abandoned the site, leaving the home roofless with a massive pile of scrap lumber in the driveway.
Semple has been unable to reach Super Dry—the phone number is disconnected and the company's email is undeliverable. Police are investigating possible fraud.
After city engineers and Toronto Fire Service ordered Huang to leave the basement where he initially sheltered, he has been living in motels. The home's contents—including valuable books and family mementos—are now destroyed by trespassers, rain, and animals. "It's a lifetime of memories," Semple said. "It's terrible. I lost sleep. I don't know what to do. I'm the only one he has left."
Huang's insurer, TD Insurance, has denied most of the claim. In a September 9 letter shared with CBC Toronto, the company wrote: "We do not insure the cost of correcting faulty design, material or workmanship." The policy also excludes damage caused by animals, vandalism, or rain. TD Insurance said it will cover the cost of ruined contents but not the structural damage to the roof itself. The company declined to speak further, citing privacy concerns.
Semple argues the damage was caused by fraud, not faulty workmanship, and that TD Insurance should reconsider. As HighOnCity reported in October, another GTA homeowner warned others about Ontario Pro Construction, and four men were wanted for roofing fraud and property damage in Rosedale.
What has the police fraud investigation determined, and have any charges been laid?
Will TD Insurance reconsider its denial, or does Huang have recourse through an ombudsman or regulator?
How many other homeowners in the GTA have been targeted by Super Dry Roofing or similar contractors?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How much money did Lawrence Huang lose to Super Dry Roofing?
Huang lost $90,000 total: a $25,000 advance on the initial $50,000 contract, plus an additional $1,800 in payments before abandoning the job.
Why did TD Insurance deny Huang's damage claim?
TD Insurance cited policy exclusions for faulty workmanship, animal damage, vandalism, and rain—all of which the company said contributed to the harm. The insurer will cover ruined contents but not structural roof damage.
What is Lawrence Huang's current living situation?
Huang has been living in motels since city engineers and Toronto Fire Service ordered him to leave his roofless Scarborough home on Guildwood Parkway.
