There's a solar array on your hail-damaged roof. Now what?

Last reviewed: July 20, 2026

Colorado put solar on hundreds of thousands of roofs, and Colorado hail does not check for panels before it falls. When a storm forces a reroof under an array, the job becomes two trades instead of one — and the homeowner becomes the general contractor unless somebody takes ownership. Here’s the sequence, the permit reality, and the questions that keep it from going sideways.

The sequence that works

1. Scope first. The adjuster, the roofer, and the solar crew all need to see the roof before anything comes off. A detach-and-reset line that isn’t in the insurance scope is a bill you pay yourself.
2. Detach. The solar crew de-energizes, disconnects, and removes panels and (usually) racking, staging them on site.
3. Reroof. The roofer does the full tear-off and replacement — including new flashing at every mount point. This is where the two warranties meet: get in writing whose flashing detail governs.
4. Reset and re-inspect. Panels go back, the system is recommissioned, and whatever inspections your jurisdiction requires close out both permits.

If the reroof is happening anyway, it’s also the cheapest moment you will ever have to upgrade what’s under the array — see FORTIFIED vs. Class 4 for what “stronger” actually means, and note that in Larimer and Boulder counties, Class 4 shingles are already the legal minimum.

Permits: two counties, two opposite answers

We read the rules from the primary sources, and they disagree:

• Pueblo (PRBD): “A Remove and Reset solar permit is required before the solar arrays are detached from the structure. A permit must be obtained by a licensed contractor.” (PRBD reroofing guidelines, verified July 20, 2026)
• Larimer County: “A separate energy permit is not required to remove and reinstall PV panels associated with a re-roof, as long as no electrical equipment is changed.” (Larimer County roofing handout, verified July 20, 2026)

Everywhere else: ask your building department before scheduling either crew — our codes-by-city survey lists who that is for twelve jurisdictions. When electrical equipment does change — a new inverter, added panels, a battery — expect a separate electrical or energy permit under Colorado’s licensed electrician rules regardless of jurisdiction.

What we deliberately don’t tell you: the price

Detach-and-reset pricing depends on array size, racking type, roof pitch, whether the racking is reused, and how far the crew travels. Published “average cost” figures float around the internet without methodology, and we don’t repeat numbers we can’t verify. Get two written R&R bids alongside your roofing bids and give all of them to your adjuster — that’s the number that matters, for your roof.

Questions to ask before anyone climbs a ladder

For the roofer:

• Have you coordinated detach-and-reset jobs before — and who owned the schedule?
• Will your workmanship warranty cover the mount penetrations the solar crew re-flashes, or is that theirs?
• Is your bid written assuming the array is already off?

For the solar/R&R crew:

• Are you pulling the solar permit where one is required, and are you licensed to?
• Does your quote include recommissioning and any required inspection?
• If panels are damaged in handling, whose insurance responds?

For the adjuster:

• Is detach-and-reset a line item in the scope?
• Does the scope reflect my county’s actual code requirements — tear-off, ice barrier, and in Larimer or Boulder counties, Class 4 shingles? (Our codes survey is the checklist.)

One party — usually the roofer — should own the calendar, because the roof is open between detach and reset, and Colorado’s next storm doesn’t wait for the solar crew’s backlog.