If your roof has less than 10 to 15 years of life left, replace it before or at the same time as adding solar panels, because removing and reinstalling an existing array later typically runs a few thousand dollars on top of the roof itself. If your roof is newer than that and in good shape, it is generally fine to add solar now and deal with the roof later, as long as whoever installs the panels does it in a way that will not fight your roofer when that day comes.
Should You Replace Your Roof Before Installing Solar Panels?
There is no single age cutoff that every roofer or solar installer agrees on, but the thinking converges on remaining service life rather than a birthday. A typical Michigan architectural asphalt shingle roof lasts 25 to 30 years when it was installed correctly with proper attic ventilation; see our full breakdown in how long a roof lasts in Michigan. If your roof already has fewer than 10 to 15 years left in that lifespan, or it is showing systemic wear rather than one isolated problem, the honest move is to replace it before the solar crew shows up, not after. Our own decision framework for that call, including the Michigan Residential Code's 25 percent rule, is laid out in roof repair or full replacement.
Roofing material matters too. Standing seam metal and tile roofs often outlast the solar system itself, so going solar on one of those usually does not force a roofing decision. Asphalt shingles are the roof most homeowners are actually working with, and they are also the roof most likely to need a second decision down the road.
I Already Have Solar Panels and Need a New Roof. Now What?
The honest answer: the panels have to come off. We will not do a roof-over around an existing array, and we would tell you the same thing if your roof had no solar on it at all. A full tear-off means pulling every layer down to the decking, inspecting that decking for rot, and running ice and water shield edge to edge, and none of that is possible with panels bolted down over part of the roof. On the roofs we tear off, we have seen what happens when a prior reroof worked around something left in place, whether that is a second shingle layer or a fixture nobody wanted to move: the decking underneath never gets a real look, and problems get buried instead of fixed.
Roofing Army does not remove or reinstall solar equipment ourselves. That work goes to your solar installer or a licensed solar electrician, the same way gutters and siding go to our referral partners rather than our own crews. What we do is coordinate the schedule: the solar company disconnects the system and pulls the panels, we do the full tear-off and reroof, and then the solar company remounts the array and reconnects it. A good project manager treats that handoff as part of the job, not an afterthought, which is why every Roofing Army project has one on site managing it.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove and Reinstall Solar Panels for a Roof Replacement?
This cost is separate from the roof itself and goes to the solar company, not to us, so get that number from your installer directly rather than assuming it is baked into a roofing quote. Industry reporting on panel removal and reinstallation generally lands in the range of $200 to $300 per panel, which means a typical residential system can add anywhere from roughly $2,000 to $8,000 depending on the size of the array and how the racking is mounted. Ask your original solar installer first. They already know your system and your roof penetrations, and some installers cover part of the removal and reinstall cost under their own workmanship warranty.
That number is on top of the actual roof replacement, which for a typical Southeast Michigan asphalt roof runs $8,000 to $25,000 depending on size, pitch, and complexity; see real examples with addresses and prices in our Michigan roof replacement cost guide.
Will Adding Solar Panels Void My New Roof's Warranty?
Usually not entirely, but it depends on who does the work and how. Several major shingle manufacturers have said publicly that a correctly installed solar system, with flashing done properly at every penetration, does not void the shingle warranty. The risk is narrower than "your whole roof loses coverage": if a solar installer who is not trained on your specific shingle flashes a penetration wrong, you can lose warranty coverage on the area around that mistake, not the entire roof. The practical fix is simple. Use a solar installer who knows how to flash a penetration correctly, and tell your roofer about the planned solar install before the tear-off so flashing and any extra ice and water shield around planned penetration points gets handled during the reroof instead of patched in afterward. Our standard is 6 feet of ice and water shield at the eaves on every job regardless of solar, which gives penetrations added margin against the freeze-thaw cycles that cause most Michigan roof leaks.
A roofer's own workmanship warranty is a separate document from the shingle manufacturer's material warranty, and it generally only covers work the roofer actually performed. If a third party drills into your new roof after the fact, that penetration is not something your roofer warrantied, so get any post-installation flashing work from your roofer inspected and signed off rather than assuming it is automatically covered.
One more thing worth checking before either job happens: some homeowners insurance policies have roof age limits that affect how a claim gets handled, separate from anything solar related. If you are not sure where your policy stands, our guide on what homeowners insurance actually covers on a Michigan roof is a good place to start.
Does a Metal Roof Change Anything for Solar?
If you are choosing a roofing material with solar already in mind, standing seam metal has a real advantage: solar installers can mount panels using seam clamps that grip the vertical seams instead of screwing through the panel, so the racking does not puncture the roof at all. That is one less set of penetrations to worry about ten or twenty years from now when the array comes off for any reason. We install standing seam on Michigan homes; see our standing seam metal roofing page for what that system involves and how it compares to architectural asphalt.
Is There Still a Federal Tax Credit for Home Solar in 2026?
Not for a homeowner who buys and owns the system outright. The 30 percent federal Residential Clean Energy Credit for customer-owned solar systems ended on December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with the credit value dropping to zero for owned systems installed starting January 1, 2026. Leased systems and power purchase agreements work differently, since the company that owns the equipment may still claim a separate commercial credit, and state and utility programs vary and change. None of that is roofing advice, so talk to a tax professional and your solar installer about what applies to your specific situation before you count on a number.
Before You Let Anyone Touch the Roof or the Panels
- Get your roof inspected first, before scheduling solar, if it is more than 10 years old. A short inspection is cheaper than a second removal and reinstall later.
- Get the panel removal and reinstall cost in writing from your solar installer before you commit to a roof date, so there are no surprises when the two schedules meet.
- Confirm who is removing the panels and who is doing the roof, and get both companies talking to each other directly rather than relaying information through you.
- Ask your roofer for the ice and water shield coverage and flashing plan around any future or existing penetration points, not just a generic shingle warranty.
- Check your homeowners insurance policy's roof age provisions separately from the solar decision.
Get the Roof Right, Then Add the Panels (or Vice Versa)
Whichever order you are doing this in, the roof underneath the panels is the part that has to last. We serve Southeast Michigan from offices in Oxford, Ferndale, Rochester Hills, Plymouth, and Jenison, and every project gets a full ventilation analysis, a project manager on site, and no deposit until the work is done. If a solar installer is already quoting your panels, have us look at the roof before anyone starts drilling. Learn more on our roof replacement page, or schedule a free inspection and get five written quotes at different price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I replace my roof before installing solar panels?
If your roof has less than 10 to 15 years of service life left, yes, replace it first or at the same time. Removing and reinstalling an existing solar array later typically costs a few thousand dollars on top of the roofing work, so it is usually cheaper to handle the roof while it is already exposed. If your roof is newer and in good shape, installing solar now and replacing the roof later is generally fine.
What happens to my solar panels during a roof replacement?
Your solar installer or a licensed solar electrician disconnects the system and removes the panels before tear-off starts. We do not remove or reinstall solar equipment ourselves, the same way we do not install gutters or siding; that work stays with the solar company. Once the full tear-off, decking inspection, and new roof are complete, the solar company remounts and reconnects the array.
How much does it cost to remove and reinstall solar panels for a roof replacement?
Industry reporting generally puts panel removal and reinstallation at $200 to $300 per panel, so a typical residential system can add roughly $2,000 to $8,000 depending on array size, separate from the roof replacement cost itself. Get an exact number from your original solar installer, since some cover part of this under their own workmanship warranty.
Will solar panels void my roof warranty?
Not automatically. Several major shingle manufacturers state that a correctly installed solar system does not void the material warranty. The real risk is narrower: a poorly flashed penetration can void coverage in that specific area, not the whole roof. Using a qualified solar installer and telling your roofer about planned solar work before a reroof keeps both warranties intact.
Is there still a federal tax credit for solar panels in 2026?
Not for a homeowner-owned system. The 30 percent federal Residential Clean Energy Credit for customer-owned solar dropped to zero for systems installed starting January 1, 2026, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Leased systems and power purchase agreements follow different rules. Confirm current incentives with a tax professional and your solar installer before budgeting around a specific credit.
