Solar remove & reinstall · Sacramento County
Your Panels Outlived Your Roof
Panels last 25 years. A composition roof in Sacramento sun does not. We take the array down, replace the roof underneath properly, and put it back on new mounts with new flashings — one contract, one party responsible if anything leaks afterwards.
Cutting Edge General Contracting · CSLB #1007180 · General Building (B)
Ask every bidder these four things
- Are new mounts and flashings included on reinstall, or are you reusing the originals?
- Who performs the electrical disconnection and reconnection, and under what licence?
- What insurance covers my modules while they are off the roof, and for how much?
- Will you verify the system is producing before you call the job complete?
Reusing the old flashing on a brand-new roof is the easiest corner to cut, because nobody can see it afterwards. It is also why some solar re-roofs leak within a year.
The arithmetic nobody did at the time
A 2015 installation over a 2005 roof put a 25-year asset on a covering with maybe ten years left. That bill arrives now, and it arrives with a remove-and-reinstall attached. Across Sacramento there are thousands of roofs in exactly that position.
It is not a disaster. It is a planned expense that becomes expensive when it is discovered in January, through a ceiling, with a leasing company’s four-week approval process still ahead of you.
Where these projects go wrong
Old flashings reused
The one window in your array's life when those penetrations are accessible is while the panels are off. Reusing the original flashing on a new roof wastes it.
How the process should runLeased array, no permission
If you signed a lease or PPA, the array is not yours. The owner must authorise removal, and their lead time is usually weeks.
Leased and PPA systemsTwo contractors, one leak
A separate roofer and solar crew means a finger-pointing problem at exactly the moment a mount starts leaking.
Leaks at solar mountsThe deck under an array is where rot hides
Panels shade the roof and slow drying, so moisture that would evaporate elsewhere lingers. Roughly 37% of permitted Sacramento County re-roofs already involve sheathing, dry rot or structural work — and under an array it is more likely, not less.
Our quotes state the rate in advance, per sheet of sheathing and per linear foot of fascia, and we photograph every piece replaced. No number invented while your roof is open and your array is in the driveway.
Source: Sacramento County Accela permit records, unincorporated county, 2023–2025.
How we handle modules
- Labelled by position so the array returns to its designed layout
- Stacked on edge with protection between them, off the ground, under cover
- Never walked on, stacked flat, or left face-up in a driveway
- Photographed before removal and after reinstall
- Electrical work by appropriately licensed solar or electrical personnel
- System verified producing before the job is called complete
Where we work
Sacramento · Elk Grove · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · Natomas · Antelope · Carmichael and the rest of Sacramento County, CA.
Common questions
- How much does it cost to remove and reinstall solar panels for a new roof?
- It is quoted per panel, plus fixed costs for the electrical work and the permit. Mount type, inverter architecture (string, microinverters or optimisers), roof pitch and access, and whether new flashings are included all move the per-panel number — which is why an honest quote needs to know what is actually on your roof.
- How long are my panels off the roof?
- Typically the duration of the roofing work — commonly two to four days on a residential re-roof, longer if rotted sheathing is found under the array. You lose those days of production and nothing else.
- Can I replace my roof if my solar panels are leased?
- Yes, but the system owner has to authorise it, and many require their own contractor to handle the array. Their approval process is usually measured in weeks, so start that conversation before the roof becomes urgent. We will not touch a leased array without the owner's written authorisation.
- Does removing solar panels void the warranty?
- Module and inverter manufacturer warranties generally follow the equipment. The installer's workmanship warranty is the one commonly affected, because it covers their labour and their penetrations. Ask your original installer in writing before the work — afterwards it is not negotiable.
- Who can legally remove solar panels in California?
- Handling modules is one thing; disconnecting and reconnecting an energised DC system is licensed electrical work, typically under a C-46 Solar or C-10 Electrical classification. Verify any contractor's classification at cslb.ca.gov and ask specifically who performs the electrical portion.
- Do solar panels cause roof leaks?
- Panels do not; their mounts can. A mount that is properly flashed and landed in a rafter does not leak. A mount waterproofed with sealant, or fastened into sheathing alone, eventually does — and that is where nearly every solar-related leak we diagnose begins.
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Call (916) 318-3593