Reroofing your home can be an old-fashioned nightmare with tons of unexpected setbacks while also costing a pretty penny. Removing solar panels is not fun either, as you need to figure out how to remove the panels and dispose of them. The combination of roofing and solar removal is a nightmare that is hard to budget in Florida. You might end up spending more than the cost of just a new roof. Let us look at the challenges and expenses behind ripping off your old shingles and adding solar power to your home.
A Homeowner’s Checklist for Reroofing & Removing Solar Panels
Here is a checklist of things you need to know before you reroof and the cost of removing solar panels.
Weight of the Roof
The weight of your roof is vital because it determines how much material will be needed for removal and installation. The heavier the top, the more material will be needed to install new shingles. A heavier roof also requires more labor to remove old shingles and install new ones, which increases costs.
Solar panels are typically installed on top of asphalt shingles, but some people choose metal or tile instead. Metal roofs are heavy — as much as 100 pounds per square foot — but they are durable and require less maintenance than asphalt shingles. Tile roofs also weigh about 100 pounds per square foot, but they last longer than both asphalt shingles and metal roofs do because they have fewer seams in them than other materials do; this means there are fewer places where water can get trapped in between the tiles, leading to leaks over time.
Size of the Roof
In addition to weight, you must consider size when calculating how much material your project needs. The larger the area of your roof, the more labor will be required to remove old shingles and install new ones. It also takes more time for workers to cover a larger area than for them to cover a smaller one, which increases labor and material costs.
If you have a large roof with many different angles, it may be necessary for your contractor to use particular tools such as scaffolding to help him get around safely while working on the roof. This can substantially increase labor costs because scaffolding can be expensive to rent and requires setup time before work begins.
Age of the Roof and Remaining Life
The first step is to determine the age of your current roof. If it is over 20 years old, it may be time for an upgrade. The average lifespan of asphalt shingles is 20 years, while clay and concrete tiles can last as long as 50 years in Florida if they are well maintained.
If you have a newer roof with an expected life span of 20 years or more, you may want to invest in a solar panel system instead of replacing your roof altogether. Solar panels can add value to your home; however, they do not always increase curb appeal when installed on older homes unless they are positioned in a way that makes them visible from street level or through windows.
If you are unsure about your roof’s age, you can determine how old it is by checking the manufacturer’s warranty on any shingles still in place on your home and comparing that information with when you bought your home. You can also look at the end of a seam on your shingles and count the number of rows down until you hit asphalt — that will give you an idea of how many rows of shingles have been laid down over time.
Structure of the Roof
The structure of your home also plays a role in determining how much it will cost to remove solar panels and replace them with a new roof. If you have one layer of shingles on top of another layer of shingles, then this can be pretty expensive because contractors will need to remove each layer individually before installing the new one.
However, if you only have one layer of shingles on top of plywood or another solid material, this process would not be so complicated or costly because contractors would not need to remove multiple layers beforehand. This will help you decide how much work it will take to get rid of the panels and what parts of the roof need to be replaced.
Roof Pitch and Roof Type
The first step in any roof replacement project is determining what type of roof you have and what pitch it has. This will select the materials used during the process and how much labor is required. For example, if your existing roof has a low pitch of fewer than 6 inches, it can be replaced with any material that is compatible with the existing structure and its components.
However, if your existing roof has a steep pitch of more than 6 inches, then only certain types of shingles or tiles can be installed without compromising the structural integrity of the house or creating other issues such as leaks or mold growth.
Code and Safety Requirements
While reroofing your home may be a good idea if the roof is old and worn out, it will also require some planning. For example, you must check with local codes and safety requirements before starting.
Code Requirements
If you live in an area of Florida with a building code, then it is likely that your local municipality requires new roofs to meet specific standards. This is especially true when replacing older roofs with newer ones. In many cases, these rules are designed to ensure that the roof protects the house from weather damage and keeps residents safe from falling debris.
Check with your local building department or fire marshal before proceeding with any reroofing project to see if there are any code or safety requirements for your area. If there are not any, you may still want to follow them anyway because they will keep you safer and help reduce insurance premiums for your home.
Safety Requirements
In addition to meeting local codes, safety requirements must be considered when reroofing an existing structure. For example, if you plan to work on the roof of a two-story home, ensure you secure it properly so that no one falls off. This includes using fall protection gear like harnesses and lanyards and putting up scaffolding or other supports for standing on. Before using it on the job site, you should also ensure that your ladder has been inspected recently by a professional and that it meets all local code requirements.
Should You Reroof Your House?
As you can see, there are many factors to consider before taking the plunge and reroofing your home. However, the first thing you should do is determine whether or not reroofing is even necessary. Understandably, most homeowners want to ensure that their roof is in good condition before spending any money on it. In most cases, you can find out whether your roof needs repair by simply looking at it.
If there are obvious signs of damage, such as missing shingles or other visible damage, you should consider replacing them immediately. But if everything looks fine from the ground level, then there is probably no immediate need for repair work unless you notice leaks or other problems after a rainstorm or heavy wind event.
If your roof does need fixing up, then here are some things that can help reduce costs:
- Check your insurance policy before making any repairs or replacements; many policies cover some or all of these expenses depending on the cause of damage and its severity.
- Ask for a detailed breakdown of the contractor’s materials and labor costs. You should be able to get this information from your insurance company as well.
- Get bids from at least three different contractors. This should give you an idea of how much each contractor charges for their services and what kind of work they can do. Make sure they have experience with the type of roofing material you want.
- Ask friends or family members who have had similar work done on their homes where they got their quotes so that you can compare apples to apples.
Cost of Reroofing and Solar Panels Removal Project
The average cost of US reroofing and solar panel removal projects is $8,000. The cost varies greatly depending on where you live according to several factors:
Size of Roof
Costs are higher for large roofs than for small ones because they require more material and labor.
Condition of Roof
If your roof is damaged in some way, it will cost more money to replace it with a new one.
Type of Roofing Material Used
The material used on your roof will determine how much it costs for reroofing or replacement. For example, asphalt shingles are less expensive than metal roofs but last longer than clay tiles or slate shingles, which need regular maintenance or replacement after a few years.
Reroofing Tip: Choose Solar Installers Who Can Work with Your Roofer
One thing you will want to do in your reroofing project should be to choose solar installers and roofers who can collaborate on the project. This is important because some solar panels are attached to the roof with clips or brackets that require holes drilled into the roof decking. These holes may compromise the structural integrity of your roof, so it is essential that the solar installer knows this and takes appropriate precautions during installation.
This will also ensure that the cost of your solar panel installation does not skyrocket due to unforeseen damage to your roof caused by poor communication between contractors.
The Key Takeaway
The bottom line regarding reroofing is that there are inherent dangers, and you could be exposing yourself to potential problems in the future by not correctly vetting your contractor. When it comes to solar panels, be sure that you are getting everything in writing, including who is responsible for the removal and how much they will pay you at the time of removal.
There’s a lot to it. That’s why it makes sense to have professionals do it for you. Our team at SolarMedix.com has served the New York and New Jersey area for over 19 years. We’ve completed nearly 6,000 projects. Put that experience to work for you.
Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Or, if you like, we can give you a no-obligation quote on your project. Call us at 732-785-4814 or book a consultation online. And we’ll get in touch within 24 hours.
