Tesla Solar Roof Vs The Cost Of A Traditional Roof With Solar Panels
According to RoofingCalc.com, a traditional roof like asphalt shingles can cost between $3.50 and $7.50 to install on a typical house. Most homeowners can expect to pay between $8,000 to $13,200 to install midrange shingles on typical 2,000 to 2,200 sq.ft. roof.
To install a 10kW PV solar panel system, it will cost approximately $28,000. Thus, the total cost of getting a new roof coupled with a 10kW PV system is approximately $40,000.
In other words, Tesla solar glass tile roof costs between 50% and 100% more than a traditional roof integrated with solar panels. The larger the roof size, the greater the relative and absolute difference in price between the two systems will be.
Tesla Solar Roof Pricing
As Tesla explains, the Solar Roof installation involves a complete roof replacement, and makes the most financial sense if you happen to need a new roof.
Version 3 of the roof is substantially cheaper than previous versions. A story by Electrek says that the Version 3 price is 40% cheaper. In their example, a 9.45 kW Tesla Solar Roof installation that includes a Powerwall battery was quoted as $38,266. This is substantially better than previous price of $64,634.
The Solar Roof comes with an infinite warranty on the glass, but not the solar cells, which come with a 25 year warranty.
With the promised ramp-up in production, if you put in an order today you might be able to get your installation done as quickly as a couple months, but as you can read in the conference call transcript, thereâs a lot of uncertainty in how fast theyâll be able to produce it.
Still, if appearance is paramount and the warranty is attractive, you might decide the wait is worth it.
Read More About Clean Energy From Cnbc Pro
, saying the acquisition amounted to a bailout for Musk and his family’s other businesses.
While the judge won’t deliver his verdict in the derivative shareholder lawsuit until early next year, Musk testified the SolarCity deal was essential to achieve Tesla’s vision. He denied SolarCity had been in dire financial straits before Tesla acquired the business.
Today, there’s growing demand and fresh government support for residential and commercial solar throughout the United States.
But Tesla still isn’t mass producing and installing large numbers of the Solar Roof tiles. Most of the growth in its Energy division has come from its energy storage systems — from backup batteries for homes to big batteries for utility-scale projects. Most of its residential solar revenue comes from installations of traditional panels.
CNBC interviewed industry experts and recent Tesla solar customers, to find out how the company is delivering on its solar promises. Their experiences were mixed, with customers in Washington, New York and California bemoaning poor customer service and unexpected issues with the installation of their solar panels, and others praising Tesla for making cars and systems that enable them to run on sunshine.
Tesla did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.
Watch the video to hear their stories in full.
You May Like: How Much To Charge For Pressure Washing A Roof
Solar Tiles Can Be Replaced Piecemeal
When you need to replace a solar tile , your Solar Roof will have a unique advantage that other traditional roofs will fail to match. Instead of needing to replace the entire roof or perform a less-than-ideal patch, you can replace each individual solar tile as needed!
Solar Roofs are made up of individual, interlocking solar tiles. If one tile fails, they can be popped out and replaced with a new one without needing to redo your entire roof. This means you’ll never have to perform a full roof replacement ever again when you choose Tesla Solar Roof!
Tesla Angers Customers With Last
- By Ryan Whitwam on April 14, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Tesla has been in the solar roof business since 2016, but it has not been a smooth road. Customers who signed up for Elon Musks spendy solar solution have been popping up online alleging substantial price increases after theyve already signed contracts. In some cases, the price increases are more than double what the customer originally agreed to pay. While Tesla isnt commenting on the reason for the price increase, changes to its website suggest this is thanks to the cost of installing on complicated roofs.
Adding solar panels to a homes roof is an easy way to take advantage of all that free energy the sun drops on us, but the panels themselves are far from free. Teslas pitch with the solar roof is, yes, its expensive, but you also get a new roof. Anyone whos ever had to replace a homes roof can tell you its not cheap. A solar roof could actually be an attractive deal if youre in the market for both a roof and solar panels, but the value isnt quite as generous with Teslas new pricing.
It would be nice if Tesla stuck with the deals it made before it decided to change its pricing, but this comes after several years of slashing prices in an attempt to get more customers to take the plunge. Tesla has been crowing about growth in its solar deployments but has not provided any specifics. It may simply have figured out how much it really costs to install these systems.
Now read:
You May Like: How Do You Use Solar Panels
You May Like: Is A Roof Covered Under Homeowners Insurance
Alternative Energy Southeast Now Offers Thetesla Solar Roof In Georgia
Considering a new roof? Get the ULTIMATE in new roof design.
The Tesla Solar Roof offers a beautiful new roof as well as clean solar power for your home. Its an all-in-one solution.
If youve been looking for a solar power option but have been limited because your Home Owners Association prohibits solar panels consider the Tesla Solar Roof.
Is Tesla The Best Choice
As with any major purchase, you should get multiple quotes from multiple companies. Make sure they answer all your questions and provide the information you need. While Tesla’s press office was not responsive, its customer service representatives were easy to get in touch with and seemed knowledgeable. Still, it shouldn’t be your only call.
Tesla’s price match means it will always be competitive in terms of cost. Likewise, the estimates it provides online come in well below the national average. If the look of your panels is really important, Tesla’s do sit closer to the roof and look sharp. Tesla also offers more information up front about its warranty than some of the other players. Still, make sure you can view it in detail before committing.
Powerwall is widely considered an industry leader for batteries. It sets the Tesla’s equipment apart, but it’s also available from some other installers.
It’s also important to note that I researched this as deeply as was practical and tried to provide the clearest answers, but I didn’t go through the purchasing process, interact with customer service as a buyer, or base my assessment of Tesla’s performance on any first-hand experience. This category is a hard one to review in the traditional sense, so if possible, you’ll want to make sure to get multiple estimates from the different providers in your area before you make a purchase decision.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Paint For Metal Roofs
Solar Installation In Pennsylvania
WE HANDLE EVERYTHING â A ReNu representative will visit your home for a FREE consultation to ensure your home is a good fit for solar and a worthwhile investment. Next, weâll design a custom solar system specifically for your home. We handle the process of contacting your electricity company and applying for any necessary permits. Once the system is installed, it must be inspected and approved by your utility company before itâs ready to start producing.
Our professional staff is there every step of the way and has built close relationships with the power companies in the area to keep the process moving along as quickly as possible. Additionally, well handle all the permits so you dont have to worry about any step of the process.
Once your solar system is operational, theyâll start paying for themselves instantly. The extra energy your home generates is automatically sold to your utility supplier, reducing your bill further. Youll see the direct benefits at work every single month.
Also Check: How Does A Solar Ppa Work
Solar Roof Installations Ramp Up In New York State
Teslas Solar Roof is potentially one of the most disruptive products in the portfolio, but presents a massive challenge to roll out at scale. Produced at Teslas Solar Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York, Tesla struggled to refine the design of the tiles not only for mass production, but for rapid, efficient, and long-lasting installations. Roof tiles are no joke and must produce power and protect the home if they are to succeed.
After two iterations of the solar roof tiles, Tesla finally ramped up production of version 3 of the Solar Roof tiles in late 2018 and through 2019 before expanding Solar Roof installations across the country. This week, a story out of New York confirms Tesla continues to rapidly expand its installation area across the state and into new areas of the country.
According to the person who shared the news, their installation is the first Tesla Solar Roof to be installed in Ulster County, New York, though a few others in Orange and Westchester make it clear Tesla is well on its way with new installations across the state. Including the cost of the two Powerwalls, the sticker price of the new 14 kW Solar Ro0f system with two Powerwalls set the owner back $40,000, after $20,000 of incentives. The alternative was installing a metal roof, which would have been $30,000, making the total cost of adding solar + storage an incremental $10,000. Not bad.
Also Check: How Are Clay Roof Tiles Attached
Learn How Much Solar Can Save You Today Before You Make Your Decision
Just as Tesla doesnt make electric vehicles for the masses, Teslas solar roof isnt feasible for every home. In many ways, the companys solar roof product is similar to its first electric car. If you are an early adopter of newer technologies, dont care about price, and are prepared to wait for a product with an uncertain manufacturing timeline, then waiting for Teslas solar roof could be the right decision for you.
However, there are always risks associated with installing newer technology, especially when Teslas solar roof lacks so much transparency. Unlike Teslas solar shingles, many of the premium solar panels currently available on the market today are sold by well-known consumer electronics manufacturers that have been producing solar panels for a decade or more.
Additionally, waiting to go solar has its risks, even if youre interested in the solar roof. The cost of going solar is falling every year, and there are premium solar panels already available today that come with high-efficiency ratings and a sleek black design. If you wait years for the Tesla Solar Roof, you will lose out on years of savings on your electricity bill. You also run the risk of missing out on financial incentives for solar: many state tax credits have already expired and as of now, the federal investment tax credit for solar will be lowered to 22 percent in 2023.
Tesla Solar Roof: How Installation Works
Alex Guichet, a games developer based in Cupertino, gave perhaps the most detailed rundown of the installation process for a third-generation Solar Roof. On October 23, 2019, two days before the new product was announced, Guichet signed a contract with Tesla to install the new tiles before they were announced.
Nearly three weeks later on November 11, Tesla confirmed that the installation permit had been secured. Two days later a subcontractor removed their original roof over the space of two hours. Tesla delivered the materials on November 15, and the company’s roofing crew completed work on November 22. This included delays from rain and the weekend.
On December 2, the team started wiring up the electricals, a process completed two days later and fully tested a further three days later. It passed local government inspections on the 11th, and the following month Guichet received permission to start operating from the power company.
You May Like: Should I Replace My Roof Before Selling
Tesla Introduces Solar Roof Version 3 And Just In Time
- University of Toronto
They are bigger! More powerful! Easier to install! And there is a huge market for this right now.
As electricity gets turned off for millions in California, no doubt many people are thinking about solar power and battery systems, given that this is now probably going to be a regular happening. Totally coincidentally, Elon Musk announced version 3 of the solar roof in an earnings call on Oct. 23:
One last item is that tomorrow afternoon, we will be releasing Version 3 of the Tesla Solar Roof. Thats integrated with the solar panels integrated with the roof. So thats I think this is a great product. Version 1 and 2 we were still sort of figuring things out. Version 3 I think is finally ready for the big time. And so, were scaling our production of the Version 3 solar tower roof at our Buffalo Gigafactory. And I think this product is going to be incredible.
Some have said thatElon Musk has a habit of this, that he rolled out Version 1 before it was ready to get in front of the news. The version 1 has been a real problem over the last few years earlier this year I thought that the company was circling the drain. I was actually nervous about them when they were introduced, writing:
Certainteed Apollo Ii Tile
CertainTeed is a North American company that manufactures roofing, insulation, wallboard, and more products.
Today, the company offers two products options. The first product is the Apollo II solar cell wafers you can directly slap on your present rooftop.
On the other hand, the Apollo II Tile is more similar to the Tesla Solar Rooftop, entirely integrating solar cells to roof tiles.
What about cost? Well, this is the tricky part. As it turns out, CertainTeed doesnt put out its price point for installing Apollo products. However, our good friends over at Undecidedmf report that the price is around $6.54 per watt.
Assuming this is the price for solar cells alone, we believe this is feasible since we still have to consider other solar components and installation labor.
Bottom line, when you decide to go with CertainTeed products, you pay less than the Tesla brand in exchange for a reduced solar roof eye-candy factor, as shown in the image below.
Also Check: How To Put A Roof Over A Patio
Tesla Solar Shingle Specs
Teslas solar shingles are a sleek, slate grey at 15×45 and come with a 25 year tile, power, and weatherization warranty. The tiles have an ASTM D3161 Class F wind rating, and a ANSI FM 4473 Class 3 hail rating. Thats all fancy jargon to say the tiles are tested to hold up to 110mph winds and 1 ¾ inch hail.
How Much Does The Tesla Solar Roof Cost
With the new complexity categories explained above, its a bit difficult to fully estimate the cost of a Tesla Solar Roof. The cost varies significantly depending on whether your roof is simple or complex and depending on the square footage of your roof. Teslas estimate calculator shows that if youre installing a system on a simple, small roof, the price is fairly comparable to that of a new asphalt roof installation plus solar panels. However, as you increase the size and/or complexity of your roof, this number quickly skyrockets.
For an 8.2 kilowatt system in northern California, Tesla estimates that the solar roof will cost $48,460 before incentives if you have an intermediately complex, 2,000 square foot roof. However, if you update your roof to be considered complex, the price increases to $54,940 and if your intermediately complex roof is 2,500 square feet instead of 2,000 square feet, the price jumps to $56,460. You can dig further into these calculations in our comparison of the cost of the solar roof vs. standard panels.
Read Also: Don Barker Roofing And Stucco
Create An Account To Access More Content And Features On Ieee Spectrum Including The Ability To Save Articles To Read Later Download Spectrum Collections And Participate In Conversations With Readers And Editors For More Exclusive Content And Features Consider Joining Ieee
Last week, Teslabest known for its electric vehiclesannounced its latest product: roof tiles with built-in solar cells. To succeed where other companies have failed, engineers say they must strike a delicate balance among cost, aesthetics, safety, and performance.
Widespread adoption would yield clear environmental benefits, of course. Solar power could be a way to lower carbon dioxide emissions and combat global warming, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a presentation. Musk sees solar roofs as part of his plan for running the world on clean, sustainable energy.
Yet Ronnen Levinson, a mechanical engineer at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab who studies ways to keep roofs cool, points out that Tesla isnt offering a new idea.
In the past, solar power has had mixed results in the United States. Years ago, the Obama Administration supported the solar power company Solyndra, which went bankrupt in August 2011. Dow Chemical recently tried a solar shingles project that it shut down in July.
Tesla declined to comment for this story. Former Solyndra CEO Brain Harrison and Greg Bergtold, a business advocacy director at Dow Chemical, also declined to comment.
Over time, every house would become a solar house, Musk said.
If its affecting their building or their daily behavior, people are usually quite reluctant to adapt to that new technology, she says.
There could also be various technical and safety challenges.
