Why you can't let the roofer do it

It is the single most common mistake in a reroof-under-solar project: letting the roofing crew pull the panels to save a line item. Here is why that backfires.

Roofers aren't licensed for the electrical work. Detaching and reconnecting a solar array is C-46 solar / electrical scope in California. A roofing (C-39) contractor working the DC side is operating outside their license.
It voids your solar warranty. Manufacturer and installer warranties require the array to be serviced by qualified solar personnel. Panels stacked on a lawn, rails re-drilled into new holes, or connectors forced back together by a roofer are exactly the "improper handling" clauses insurers deny on.
Microcracks and dropped panels. Modules are fragile off the roof. A crew that handles them like plywood leaves you with hairline cell cracks that quietly cost production for years.
The system may never come back to full output. Reconnected wrong, a string underperforms or won't re-commission, and nobody notices until the next low bill season.

The right sequence is a solar contractor for the panels and a roofer for the roof, scheduled to hand off to each other. We coordinate that hand-off.

The sequence, start to finish

1. Detach and document

Before anything comes down, the specialist records the system's baseline production and layout. Then the array is powered down at the rapid-shutdown and disconnect, panels are removed, and the racking, rails, flashings, and conduit are detached from the roof deck. Every component is labeled by position so it goes back exactly where it was.

2. Safe storage

Panels are stored on-site, off the ground, padded and secured against wind and handling damage for the days the roof is exposed. This is where careless crews create microcracks; a solar specialist stores modules the way the manufacturer specifies.

3. Roofers work a clear deck

Your roofer now has full, unobstructed access, no working around panels, no penetrations left half-flashed. This is also the moment to fix any decking or underlayment issues that were hidden under the array.

4. Reinstall on the new roof

New mounts are lagged into rafters and flashed into the fresh roofing so the waterproofing is done right the first time (not resealing old holes). Rails, panels, and conduit go back in their labeled positions, and every connector is re-terminated to spec.

5. Re-commission and verify

The array is powered back up, the rapid-shutdown system is tested, and the specialist confirms every panel and string is reporting full production in your monitoring app before the job is called done. You see the system back online in writing.

Permitting, flashing, and re-inspection

A remove-and-reinstall usually requires its own building/electrical permit, and in many jurisdictions a re-inspection once the array is back up. The specialist pulls the permit, coordinates the inspection, and makes sure the new roof penetrations are properly flashed, the part that protects both your new roof's warranty and your home from leaks. Doing this by the book is what keeps a future home sale or insurance claim clean.

Two warranties on the line, not one. A roof-replacement-under-solar puts both your roofing warranty and your solar warranty at risk if it's done wrong. A certified remove-and-reinstall protects both: the roof is re-flashed to the roofer's spec, and the array is handled and re-commissioned to the solar manufacturer's spec. That's the whole reason this is a coordinated job and not a line item on the roofing invoice.

What it costs

Pricing scales with system size, roof pitch and height, and how much racking has to be rebuilt on the new roof.

Small system (10 to 16 panels), roughly $2,800 to $3,400
Medium system (17 to 26 panels), roughly $3,400 to $4,200
Large system (27+ panels): $4,200 to $4,800+, custom-quoted
Add-ons, new rapid-shutdown hardware, damaged-rail replacement, or a second story / steep pitch can add to the base

The quote is issued in writing after a site look, and it's scheduled around your roofer so the panels are off exactly when the deck needs to be clear, no paying for extra days of exposure.

Timing it with your roofer

Tell us your roofing dates (or that you're still shopping roofers) and we match you with a solar specialist who can slot the removal the morning the roof tear-off begins and the reinstall the day after the new roof is finished. If you haven't picked a roofer yet, get the solar remove-and-reinstall quoted first, it tells you the true all-in cost of re-roofing your solar home before you sign anything.