How much does it cost to remove solar panels to replace roof?
Reviewed by Adam Graham remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.
Solar panels provide affordable electricity for many homes. This energy source is popular today and provides an efficient source of reliable, renewable, and clean energy because these systems generate their own power. Solar panels allow you to save money by paying less to the electric company to use less of the electric grid. They also may allow you to get a tax credit from the federal government. Unfortunately, adding solar panels to your home’s roof means higher maintenance costs because the panels must first be removed before replacing your roof.
The national average cost for removing 14 to 16 solar panels for a 1,500 sq.ft. roof is between 5000,800 and 4,800. Most people pay around 3,800 to remove, disconnect, and reinstall 15 panels after the roof is replaced. At the low end of the spectrum, however, you can opt only to have 15 solar panels disconnected and removed for 450,500. At the high end, you can pay up to 18,000 to have 15 solar panels removed, the roof completely replaced, and the panels reinstalled.
Cost to Remove Solar Panels From a Roof by Number of Panels
The cost to remove solar panels for a roof replacement is 200 to 300 per panel. This includes disconnecting the system, removing the panels and equipment, and reinstalling them with an inspection after replacing the roof. These costs sometimes cover small replacement parts for fasteners or connectors, ensuring your system is in good condition once back on.
Because homes have many sizes of solar panel systems, you can have a wide range of panels installed on your home. Therefore, the cost to remove them from your roof for a roof replacement can vary. Below are the average costs to remove and reinstall the panels after a roof replacement based on the number of panels.
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Labor Cost to Remove Solar Panels to Replace a Roof
On average, the cost of removing and reinstalling 14 to 16 solar panels from a 1,500 sq.ft. roof is 5000,800 to 4,800, not including roof replacement. Labor makes most of the cost. It generally takes around 1 to 2 days to disconnect and remove the panels and another 2 to 3 days to replace them once the new roof is installed. The panel type does not impact the timeframe. Removing a roof is best undertaken by a licensed and certified roofing professional. In most cases, the company that replaces your roof won’t be the company that removes your panels. However, some companies offer roofing and solar panel services.
Removing the panels is easy to do, but a skilled contractor should do it. The most important thing for a contractor to do is to disconnect the solar system from the power supply, including the grid, the breakers, and the metering appliance. After this, the individual panels need to be detached from one another. Once all the parts are disconnected, the panels are removed from the rooftop mounting hardware and carefully lowered to the ground. Mounting hardware, electrical cables, and wires are then removed from the roof.
Several factors affect the removal costs. The location of the panels may increase removal costs because contractors may require additional hours or extra laborers for more difficult locations. If your roof pitch is steep, this requires more time and labor to remove the panels and increases costs. Finally, a larger array of solar panel systems takes more time for removal, increasing labor and driving up costs.
Key takeaways
Before you install solar panels, consider requesting a roof inspection to make sure it can withstand installation, especially if the roof is towards the end of its life. If your roof is between five and 10 years from needing replacement, it’s a good idea to get an expert out there to assess.
Most solar companies don’t offer roofing services, although there are some exceptions. Either way, roof work is commonly performed alongside a solar installation and your solar contractor likely has good referrals for roofers in your area – they may even be able to get you a discount on your roof replacement.
If your installer determines that your roof should be replaced prior to going solar, it’s a Smart move to do so. Solar panels are more durable than most roofing materials – so, when you pair solar with a roofing installation, the panels actually extend the lifetime of the portion of the roof that they cover.
The other benefit of pairing solar and a roof replacement together is that if you’re installing on a new roof, it’s unlikely you’ll need to re-roof during the lifetime of the system. This can help save you money in the long run because you’ll avoid the costs associated with removing and reinstalling the solar panels on your roof.
How much does a roof replacement and solar panel installation cost?
In the case that you do need to replace your roof prior to installing solar panels, you’re likely wondering how much your solar panel installation will cost. The average cost to install a new solar system in 2022 is 20,000 before rebates and incentives (like the federal tax credit), based on EnergySage Marketplace data. The average cost to replace a roof is about 10,000, according to This Old House. Therefore, you can expect an average new solar system installation and roof replacement to cost about 30,000. However, you may be able to knock a significant amount off of that price if you opt to combine the two larger costs. You can save up to 30 percent off of your new solar system with the federal tax credit and may be able to receive discounts on the roofing costs if your local roofing contractors or solar installers have partnership agreements to offer customer discounts.
If you run into a roofing issue and need to replace your roof post-installation, there will be labor costs associated with taking the panels off your roof and putting them back on. Unfortunately, it’s hard to give specifics on the costs associated with this labor, as it can vary greatly. Installers will have different rates for their labor and the cost can also vary based on the size of the system, how many panels will need to be removed, and whether you need a place to store the equipment.
If mounting hardware also needs to be removed in order to replace your roof, this will add onto the cost. On average, residential installations tend to cost somewhere between 450,500 to 6,000 to remove and reinstall. (This is not inclusive of the cost required to replace your actual roof.)
If re-roofing post-installation is a concern for you, it’s always good to ask your potential installer how often they do this type of work, and the typical cost associated with it. Some companies will actually specify a price for this in your initial contract, and it never hurts to request this from your company prior to installation.
Do solar installation warranties cover the roof?
Roofing issues caused during the installation process or overtime are uncommon, but many solar installation companies often have warranty coverage for your roof where the panels are located in case you need a roof repair. Many companies do this because it’s common for existing roofing warranties to become void if you’re installing solar, at least for the portion of the roof where your system is installed.
The typical duration of this type of warranty is 10 years, but it can vary from company to company. Before you sign a contract, confirm with your installation company whether they warranty the roof and the duration of that warranty.
Solar Panel Removal And Reinstalling Tips
Solar energy is a great source of free and clean electricity for homeowners and companies, but if you install a new solar panel system on a roof that after a while will require some repairs, you will have to take down the panels to have access to the roof.
Solar panels work two to three decades, requiring little maintenance, which means that the solar PV system installed on the roof will stay there at least three decades, so what you can do if you need to replace the roof after going solar?
How To Replace Your Roof After Going Solar?
Taking down the solar PV system, reroofing, and reinstalling the PV system back on the new roof, will involve some costs.
The costs of such operation will depend on the size of the PV system (larger PV systems will cost more), but will be much smaller compared to the costs paid when you first installed the solar PV system on your roof.
There are solar installers that remove and reinstall solar panels for free
Some solar installers will even do it free of charge because they do roofing work themselves, so if you call them, they will come, will remove the PV system from the roof, will put the new roof on, and the solar PV system back on the new roof, and you will pay only for roofing and not for removing and reinstalling the PV system.
Keeping your workmanship warranty intact
If you want to keep the workmanship warranty on your solar panel system, you have to hire the same solar company back to take the PV system off from the roof.
Until your workmanship warranty is active you have to use the same solar company, because if you use a different company, you may lose the warranty.
Solar installers provide a 10 to 25 year workmanship warranty, so to keep that warranty intact, you have to use their service when removing and reinstalling the solar PV system.
Do the roof before installing solar
The ideal situation in this case is to have your roof done before installing the PV system.
The solar company hired to install solar on your roof, will come out to make a site evaluation, so they will also verify the integrity of the roof.
If they notice that your roof is not in a good shape, they will refuse the installation because they know that they can’t provide a 10 to 25 year workmanship warranty on a roof that’s in a bad shape.
Do the roof using a solar installer not a roofer
The solar contractor will give you its honest opinion on whether or not you should replace the roof before installing a PV system.
However, if you already installed solar on the roof, but you have to replace the roof after a couple of years, you better hire a solar installer than a roofer.
You have to use a solar company that does solar panel removal and reinstallation.
Roofers work with roofs every day, and their primary revenue source is produced by this activity, so they will tell you that you have to replace the roof right away.
The main revenue of a solar installer doesn’t come only from roofing (if it deals with roofing), so the installer will tell you to replace the roof only if it’s actually needed (which can save you money).
Using the 26% Tax Credit
All solar installs made in 2020 qualify for a 26% credit level, which will go down to 22% in 2021.
Whatever improvements you’re making that are needed for solar, you are eligible for the 26% solar tax credit.
Consult your tax professional on this matter because you are eligible to request tax credit only for the roof plane used for solar (and not for the entire roof).
However, you can get the 26% tax credit if you do the roof to install solar on it.
If you have a roof that is not old but not new either and you want to go solar
Let’s say that your roof will resist for another 5 to 10 years, you should go solar now or wait until you replace the roof?
Well, if you wait another 5 to 10 years, the 26% (or 22% in 2021) tax credit will no longer be here, so you will miss the opportunity to make your roof using the tax credit.
In 5 to 10 years from now on, solar will become 10 to 20% cheaper, but you forget the fact that the price paid on your monthly electricity bill increases every year (because we are producing energy mainly from fossil fuels).
How much money you can save in the next 5 to 10 years if you install solar this year?
You can still use the tax credit to do the roof and install solar, so why to wait another decade just because you have to pay about 10,000 to do the roof in 2030.
If you decide not to install solar due to the roof, you will lose much more money in a period of 5 to 10 years than the price paid to do the roof.
How do you see yourself in 2030?
Without solar and without the tax credit, but with high electricity bills and with a roof that needs to be replaced?
Or you go solar this year (using the tax credit), and by 2030 you pay off the PV system, and all the energy produced after that is only yours for at least another two decades.
Article written by: Danny Ovy
I am a writer and reporter for the clean energy sector, I cover climate change issues, new clean technologies, sustainability and green cars. Danny Ovy
Комментарии и мнения владельцев
Thank you for the tip about roofing and how it’s much more advisable to re-do a roof before installing solar panels. Renovating my house to be able to enjoy lower electricity bills has opened me up to many possibilities and solar power was one of them. The tips you provided can definitely assist me in getting a proper grid going, so I’ll look for any roofers who can help me replace our old one with a new and more durable one so they can also install some solar panels on it.
Solar power is more affordable, accessible, and prevalent in the United States today much more than ever before.
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Solar Removal and Reinstall
Should you need to temporarily remove and reinstall your solar panels, we’ve got you covered. Our skilled professionals will ensure a smooth and hassle-free process, guaranteeing the seamless reintegration of your panels once the necessary work is complete.
Solar panels can be removed for good or reinstalled. The people who can install panels can also remove them for you.
Though a simple process, the execution can actually be very delicate because a solar power system consists of a myriad of electrical connections that need to be handled only by trained professionals.
Solar panels must also have a designated safe storage place once removed from your roof to avoid any damage.
We at Cali Solar can properly do this for you. We are careful to protect your solar energy system, the mounting hardware holding it in place, and your roof.
Call us today to get in touch with an expert.
How Do I Get Rid of My Old Solar Panels?
There are numerous ways you can discard your used solar panels.
Some methods can actually earn you money.
If yours are still working and you just want to have them replaced, you can sell them, as more people want to get their hands on affordable panels.
If they’re broken—damaged glass or electrical system—and repairs are not an option, then recycling is probably the best option for you.
Recycling Solar Panels
To have your panels recycled, you’re going to spend a quite expensive amount, because doing so is not very environmentally friendly.
Solar cells unfortunately consist of heavy metals like cadmium and lead, which can be very harmful to the environment when not recycled or disposed of properly.
Additionally, recycling solar panels is a very intricate process because they are constructed from several parts made into one product such as:
Should You Go Solar? A Super Helpful Beginner’s Guide to Home Solar Power
- Silicon solar cells
- Metal framing
- Glass sheets
- Wires
- Plexiglas
Taking those components apart and recycling them each in a unique way is a tricky and costly process.
What You Shouldn’t Do
You should never just chuck your panels in a landfill. Solar panels are very similar to batteries and other electrical devices.
They should be discarded with care because they contain potentially harmful chemicals and metals.
Will Solar Panels Be Mandatory in California?
As of 2019, California has over one million solar roofs.
With consistent efforts by the local government and solar companies, solar have gone down, positively affecting the market.
and more homes are adopting a much cleaner source of energy because of its wide range of benefits economically, environmentally, and personally.
California also has its own incentive program for residents who use solar power.
In 2020, to fully advocate solar as a renewable and better source of energy, California has mandated new residential buildings to have a solar power system through the state’s Building Standards Commission.
The state hopes to achieve its carbon-neutral energy status within 30 years.
Californians who’ll add a high-capacity battery for storing the sun’s energy to their new system will also receive more incentives.
According to the state governor Gavin Newsom, who signed the “California’s Solar Mandate” into effect, residences with solar panels “are more resilient to power outages, have increased value, and save the property owner more than 15,000 in energy costs over 30 years.”
So, the answer is yes if you fit in the ‘newly constructed single-family residence and multi-family residences up to three stories high’ criteria.
All future buildings that are less than four stories will be required to have a solar panel system.
You may opt to pay for solar panels outright, lease, or enter a power purchase agreement with solar developers.
Give us a call to get a deal that’s perfect for your budget.