Founder | BPI® Energy Auditor Certified Professional
While it may not be talked about much, the fact is that you will have to consider what it costs to remove and reinstall your solar panel system during a reroof.
Roofs typically won’t last as long as solar panels will be working up on the roof, which can be upwards of 40 to 50 years. While I love solar, it can still be costly to have the removed and reinstalled.
This is also something to definitely consider before installing solar to start with – whether or not to install a new roof at the same time.
When you start getting quotes, it can be common for either solar companies or roofers to charge between $200 to $400 per panel to removal and reinstall in between the new roofing project.
I wanted to build a calculator to reflect this. And not just the cost for a one time install, but over the life of the panels themselves if you decide to live in the home for a long time.
Give it a try!
Why Remove Solar Panels During a Reroof?
The short answer is that the roofers cannot get to the old shingles, tiles, and roof materials unless they remove the solar panels, racking system, and wires.
It’s really hard to work around them, and solar panels are installed too low to the roof deck to reach under them. So there is no choice but to remove the panels completely.
You also want to do this in order to guarantee a better roof install to start with. When you have this better access, you can also check for rotted wood or roof decking material, so you can replace it if needed.
Unfortunately, there’s really no way around leaving the solar panels up there if you’re going to need a new roof.
This is another reason to really consider reroofing before you install solar panels to begin with.
Watch Our Video on Reroofing Before And After Solar
I made a video that touches on this topic, and so much more. I include many things to consider including:
- Roofing considerations to think about before installing solar panels
- Pros and cons of DIYing the project
- Costs to hire a solar or roofing company to remove and reinstall solar panels in between the reroof
- much more
Check it out here!