Timeline & Sequencing
The roofing is the predictable part. The delays in a solar re-roof come from permission and permits, both of which can be started weeks before anyone climbs a ladder.
The sequence
- Permission, if the array is leased or on a PPA — start here, it is the longest lead item
- Site assessment: panel count, mount type, inverter architecture, roof condition
- Permits for the roof and, where required, the PV reinstallation
- Array removal and electrical isolation
- Roof tear-off, deck inspection, rot repair, new roof
- Reinstallation with new mounts and flashings, electrical reconnection
- Verification that the system is producing, plus inspection sign-off where applicable
Where delay comes from
- Lease-holder approval, commonly weeks
- Permit review in whichever jurisdiction your address falls in
- Rot found under the array, which adds days and is common because panels slow drying
- Rain — an open roof in a Sacramento winter storm is not a schedule you can hold
- Waiting on a separate solar contractor whose calendar nobody controls
Schedule it in the dry months
Sacramento takes essentially all of its rain between November and March. A solar re-roof belongs in the dry season, when the roof can be opened with confidence and you lose production on days that would have been generating anyway.
Which means the right time to begin the permission and permit work is late winter or early spring, for summer work.
Common questions
How long does a solar remove and reinstall take?
The physical work is usually a few days either side of the roofing, so the array is commonly off for two to four days in total. The calendar time is dominated by permission and permits, which can add weeks before anything starts.
Will I lose much solar production?
Only the days the array is off. For most Sacramento homes that is a handful of days of generation — noticeable on one bill, irrelevant over the system's life.