New roof and solar by single company worth it for tax credits and warranty? San Diego

[organic farmer]

You are giving him the impression that it's 7 years but unless he is adding it to his business that is not true.]

As I carefully explained I am a farmer. There is a Seven-year [7] depreciation on all solar equipment for farms. I dont know how to state this any more clearly.

I also explained that I know nothing about these tax credits or how they work.

... One time credit of currently 26%.

If you say so. Again that is NOT my field of expertise.

[Mike 134]

Welcome.

I live on a small organic farm. I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a tax write-off. From my perspective everything is a tax write-off.

The IRS requires that all solar expenses must be depreciated over a 7-year period. Every penny spent on solar must turn around and be written off completely over seven years.

It is the same with every bag of feed, or purchase of farming implements and tools.

I have also been told since forever that there are tax credits, etc. I have no idea of how those work. I have never taken advantage of any of those programs, since all solar expenses are clearly tax write-offs anyway.

You are giving him the impression that it's 7 years but unless he is adding it to his business that is not true.

One time credit of currently 26%.

But like I told someone else on another post forum tax advice is on par with that given at your local gin mill.

[J.P.M.]

Hi everyone,

I’m buying a house and it needs a new roof plus I want to go solar since SDGE is basically robbing everyone. My thought was go through a single company to do both for convenience and no he said she said about leaks. Separately, they’ve all peddled that I can deduct the roof install on my taxes which is quite the grey area after reading online.

Assuming the roofing company has been around a while, has good yelp/BBB/guild reviews, advertises as doing solar whether in-house with a sister company or good subcontractor, would you feel comfortable going through them?

My initial bids will be from San Diego Roofing Inc. (smaller company), Roofing Specialists of San Diego (bigger), and San Diego County Roofing and Solar (biggest of three).

See your tax advisor. The general consensus around here is that tax advice from a forum is pretty unreliable in the eyes of the IRS. Or, fortune favoring the bold, claim everything - just don't forget to take your checkbook to the audit as fortune also slaughters the foolish.

Having written that, it's generally felt (and written by the IRS somewhere) that the portion of a roof that needs repair as part of an alternate energy project at or under a rooftop array qualifies as a necessary repair and so that portion of the work may qualify as eligible for the solar tax credit (not a tax deduction as you seem to write).

When I had my work done, I had a partial roof replacement done on the half of the roof that the array that the array would be on. I contracted both separately and coordinated the two contractors who agreed to cooperate with one another. Having seen what can happen in my HOA, I also sat on the roof (out of the way) and watched all the work being done. I believe I got a good job from both contractors for a fair and long term cost effective price, but that would not have happened without my involvement.

I did not claim any roof improvement as a tax credit as it wasn't absolutely necessary at that time although I'm glad the work was done.

As for yelp/BBB/etc., such reviews are written by folks who probably know less than you do about what you're enquiring about except that maybe the salesperson smiled more at them. I'm not sure such information from such persons is of much use.
If you want to get screwed less by vendors, get informed and get your own information and get more quotes. You'll wind up with a safer, more fit for purpose system that may just cost a bit less in the long run.

[organic farmer]

... Separately, they’ve all peddled that I can deduct the roof install on my taxes which is quite the grey area after reading online.

Welcome.

I am a military retiree on pension, I live on a small organic farm. I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a tax write-off. From my perspective everything is a tax write-off.

The IRS requires that all solar expenses must be depreciated over a 7-year period. Every penny spent on solar must turn around and be written off completely over seven years.

It is the same with every bag of feed, or purchase of farming implements and tools.

I have also been told since forever that there are tax credits, etc. I have no idea of how those work. I have never taken advantage of any of those programs, since all solar expenses are clearly tax write-offs anyway.

... Assuming the roofing company has been around a while, has good yelp/BBB/guild reviews, advertises as doing solar whether in-house with a sister company or good subcontractor, would you feel comfortable going through them?

My initial bids will be from San Diego Roofing Inc. (smaller company), Roofing Specialists of San Diego (bigger), and San Diego County Roofing and Solar (biggest of three).

That sounds like a good plan to me.

If I were you, I would also meet with your tax accountant [offer to take them out to dinner] and ask them if they have filed paperwork to get the tax credits for solar. If they are experienced in doing that, it would give my more confidence in proceeding.

[RegularDude]

Hi everyone,

I’m buying a house and it needs a new roof plus I want to go solar since SDGE is basically robbing everyone. My thought was go through a single company to do both for convenience and no he said she said about leaks. Separately, they’ve all peddled that I can deduct the roof install on my taxes which is quite the grey area after reading online.

Assuming the roofing company has been around a while, has good yelp/BBB/guild reviews, advertises as doing solar whether in-house with a sister company or good subcontractor, would you feel comfortable going through them?

My initial bids will be from San Diego Roofing Inc. (smaller company), Roofing Specialists of San Diego (bigger), and San Diego County Roofing and Solar (biggest of three).