Solar Panels and Roof Replacement

While in my attic yesterday I noticed the roof was leaking (I attached pics for reference). The roof was installed with 25 year shingles 22 years ago. Logic says I might as well replace the shingles rather than try to repair. The dilemma is I have solar panels, I knew this day would come, and it's going to cost anywhere from $4,000 - $8,000 to have the panels removed and replaced so I can get a new roof. I'm still waiting on the quote but this seems about average price from what I've read. The side with the Solar Panels has not been exposed to the elements for the 10 years I've had the solar panels so I'm guessing that side still has a lot of life. I was thinking of only replacing one side of the roof, and the garage and leave the solar panel side alone and that would save me the cost of removal and reinstall. It rained all day yesterday, pretty much 20hrs straight for that leak to take place but I need to do something, obviously.

Should I even consider only doing half the roof or is it just an all around bad idea? For the record remove and replace is fair market value per the contract. When I signed the contract fair market value was about $1000 but obviously that price has gone up. The reason I'm considering this is in 10 years my lease runs out in the panels and they'll be removed at no charge.

 

I'd base the decision on the current quality of the shingles and flashing. Maybe it's just a few loose shingles that need to be replaced/repaired and you'll get another 5-10 years out of the roof. Or maybe the shingles are cupping, cracking, and loosening, which means they need to be replaced now.

Similarly with replacing just half the roof vs the whole roof. If the section with the panels on it appear to be in good condition, I personally wouldn't spend the money to proactively replace it. But if it's in disrepair, that changes the decision.

I'd get a roofer up there to take a look, or if you can easily share some pictures, I'm sure the experts here can provide some better feedback.

 

It's a tough question but the solar guys I work with won't install a system with a roof more than a year or two old..... just for that reason.

 

That makes sense. I put the panels up 2 years after I bought my house. The previous owner left the paperwork for the roof he just replaced. I thought the paperwork said 2007 but when I looked last week the 7 is a 1 so the roof was actually replaced in 2001.If I read it correctly back then, I probably wouldn't have put the panels on with a roof that was 14 years old, I thought I was putting the panels up on a roof that was 7 years old. The big issue is I need to store the panels when they take them down until they reinstall. I have a garage but that's just a PIA to have panels in your garage for who knows how long.

 

Unless you have a massive or exceptionally complicated roof.... most jobs are done in two days.
Most companies try to do it in one day.

I have a normal sized split level and with four guys it was ripped off and replaced all in one day.