What does a new roof plus solar panels cost, and what is the best order?
Short answer. If your roof has less than roughly 10 years of life left, replace it before solar goes on, because removing and reinstalling the panels later, called detach and reset, adds a substantial cost on top of the next reroof. Doing both together means paying a typical North Georgia roof price, roughly $8,000 to $16,000 for most homes, plus the solar system itself, with the roofer and solar installer coordinating mounts and flashing.
Why the order matters
Solar panels are expected to last for decades. A shingle roof that is already 12 or 15 years old in Georgia's heat will likely need replacing while the panels are still working. At that point a crew must disconnect, remove and store the array, the roof is replaced, and the panels are reinstalled and recommissioned. That detach and reset work is skilled electrical and solar labor, and it can approach a meaningful fraction of the roof cost.
How a combined project works
- Inspect the roof and decide whether it should be replaced now.
- Replace the roof, including any decking repairs and ventilation.
- The solar installer sets mounts, which must be flashed into the new roof according to the shingle and mount manufacturers' instructions.
- Confirm in writing who warrants the roof penetrations: the roofer, the solar installer, or both.
Things to settle up front
- How solar penetrations affect your roof's workmanship and manufacturer warranties.
- Whether your homeowners policy covers the panels and detach and reset after a covered storm.
- Federal tax treatment, which has changed recently. Check current rules with a tax professional rather than relying on a sales sheet.
If the roof is fairly new
A roof with many years left can take panels now. Just make sure mounts are properly flashed. See replacing your roof before solar and roof replacement cost in Georgia.