Started solar, now have to do roof

[SoCalsolar]

I would do all areas

I would do all areas impacted by solar from the ridge to the eaves. Most I believe would include this prep work on the Federal Tax Credit. Some solar companies would offer to include the roofing cost on the solar contract allow you to choose your roofer then sub the roofing portion out to your chosen roofer. If it's as bad as you said it is it really should have been found during the site inspection and addressed prior to the installation.

[J.P.M.]

I would do all areas impacted by solar from the ridge to the eaves. Most I believe would include this prep work on the Federal Tax Credit. Some solar companies would offer to include the roofing cost on the solar contract allow you to choose your roofer then sub the roofing portion out to your chosen roofer. If it's as bad as you said it is it really should have been found during the site inspection and addressed prior to the installation.

I'd suggest not all solar vendors are thorough, ethical and professional.

[prhamilton]

I hired my roofer and he worked as a sub to the solar installer. I redid my entire roof but the tax credit only applied to the area under the panels. The solar installer was responsible for submitting the tax documentation so they were very conservative. In my case the installer had to sign-off on the work and related credit. It ended up not being that much savings but I guess every little bit helps.

[SoCalsolar]

I have never met

I have never met a solar installer I would trust with submitting my tax documents. Also I have never heard of anything of the sort for the Federal Tax Credit (FTC). State and local incentives tend to be more restrictive so perhaps. The FTC, as was said earlier is largely an honor system thing so we know the IRS is getting screwed although I suppose that's somewhat of an oxymoron or impossibility. I know one fellow that built a detached garage with 2000 sqft of living space in at a cost of $200k slapped some solar on it and planned to write off 30% of the cost as a solar support structure. I haven't heard from him for a while so perhaps the IRS isn't so foolish. But submitting federal tax documents by installers for residential solar just doesn't happen in California.

[HX_Guy]

I know one fellow that built a detached garage with 2000 sqft of living space in at a cost of $200k slapped some solar on it and planned to write off 30% of the cost as a solar support structure.

That's not smart. I'm sure there is some number fudging going on but anything that like will raise some eyebrows. The IRS probably won't look to close at a system thats say $70k (it could be a 15kW system @ $4.66/watt) as that could be realistic with someone that just overspends, but $200k? Even at $5.00/watt, that would be a 40kW system. Not sure how common that is for residential.

[SoCalsolar]

Like I said I haven't

Like I said I haven't heard from him in while so maybe the IRS did catch on and he didn't call me with his one phone call.

[Volusiano]

I would do all areas impacted by solar from the ridge to the eaves. Most I believe would include this prep work on the Federal Tax Credit. Some solar companies would offer to include the roofing cost on the solar contract allow you to choose your roofer then sub the roofing portion out to your chosen roofer.

This is exactly my situation. I hired a roofer to put new underlayment on just the area where the panels go on (well, actually from the ridge to the eave and maybe a couple of feet out to the sides). I paid the roofer separately, then asked my installer to add that part to his invoice after the panels got installed, just so that everything is all in one invoice. My installer was happy to oblige and put the roofing cost on his own invoice for me, even though he didn't sub it out himself (although I went with his recommended roofer, even though I didn't have to). Of course I also have the receipt from the roofer separately as additional documentation.

The roofer inspected my roof underlayment and said they're still good for another 5-10 years. But I chose to put new one under the panels anyway.

[OftheSeven]

So a roof repair is scheduled for some time next week. I'm still debating doing the entire house or just the solar area. The solar area will be added to the original quote for tax credits.

Off topic - GAF Timberline HD or Certainteed Landmark??

[sensij]

So a roof repair is scheduled for some time next week. I'm still debating doing the entire house or just the solar area. The solar area will be added to the original quote for tax credits.

Off topic - GAF Timberline HD or Certainteed Landmark??

Certainteed for me, although I have very little of substance on which to base that opinion. I just had Landmark Solaris shingles installed on my roof.