Solar panels and a roof replacement in Richmond: who removes them, and what to tell Dominion

We are an information site, not a roofing contractor.

Why the order of work matters

Panels sit on the roof, so a new roof means taking them off and putting them back, or replacing the roof first and having panels installed later. Richmond's median home was built in 1959, so roofs on older houses are more likely to come due for replacement. U.S. Census Bureau A roof with a few years left under a new solar array is the easy case. A roof that needs replacement while panels are on it requires a plan that involves two trades.

What Dominion Energy documents

In Richmond, the electric utility is Dominion Energy, and its net metering program is the arrangement that credits you for the power your panels send back to the grid. Before a system is installed, the customer and installer submit a Net Metering Interconnection Notification, and the customer gets conditional approval. After installation, a Virginia-licensed electrician must certify the work, or it must pass a local inspection, and the paperwork is completed on the utility's self-service platform. The system's size generally cannot exceed 150% of your annual electricity use. Dominion Energy Virginia

For taking a system out permanently, Dominion's page says you must disconnect and remove the grid connection and notify Dominion at 866-366-4357. Until you tell them, the house is still treated as a net metering customer. The same page says nothing about the situation most roofers are asked about: removing panels temporarily and putting them back after a reroof. For that, the page tells customers to email [email protected], so do that before the work is scheduled and keep the reply.

Do you need a permit?

For a house or townhouse, the state building code generally does not require a permit for replacing the roof covering, though a locally designated historic district or a special flood hazard area can be an exception. Virginia regulations That rule is about the roof covering. Solar equipment involves electrical work, and Richmond's Permits and Inspections office says building permits cover only the building and structural part, with electrical, mechanical and plumbing handled by separate permits. City of Richmond Permits and Inspections We could not find a City page that addresses temporary panel removal, so call 804-646-4169 and describe the whole job: roof, panel removal, and re-connection.

If your home is in a historic district, a change of roofing material also requires approval from the Commission of Architectural Review, which handles exterior changes visible from a public street or alley. Applications go by email to the CAR secretary, and the office phone is 804-646-6304. City of Richmond Commission of Architectural Review See our CAR guide for how to prepare.

Who should do the removal

Treat the panels as electrical equipment, not as something a roofing crew will lift off between shingle runs. Ask each party in writing:

• The solar installer: Will you remove and reinstall the panels? What do you charge? What is the lead time, since your roof schedule depends on it? Does disconnecting and reconnecting affect the system's warranty or its approval from the utility?
• The roofer: Is the roof work priced as if the panels are already off? Who is responsible for the roof penetrations where the mounts attach, and for sealing them when the panels come back? Does your warranty cover the areas around the mounts?
• Dominion: Is a temporary removal something you need to report, and do you need to reapply after the panels go back?

Any of these answers can change the schedule and the cost, so ask before you sign a roofing contract, not after.

Check the licenses

Virginia requires a state contractor license for most work or bids over $1,000, and roofing work is covered by the ROC specialty and also by the RBC and CBC classes and the HIC and CIC specialties. Virginia DPOR Dominion's page refers to a Virginia licensed electrician for certifying an installation. Ask both companies for their license numbers, and use the state license lookup before you sign; our roofer checklist shows how.

Questions? Call (804) 764-9710 — we are a local roofing information service, not a contractor.