How Much Does A Tesla Solar Roof Cost?
The Tesla Solar Roof, designed by Tesla, offers a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative to modern-day roofing. The roof comes with solar glass shingles and an integrated Powerwall battery to store generated energy.
Though expensive—a two-story, 2,000 square foot, 11.28 kW Solar Roof costs just over $55,300 before incentives, assuming you’re replacing the original roof—the roof is intended to save money in the long run by reducing or eliminating a homeowner’s electricity bill entirely.
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Designed to maximize your home’s energy production, the Tesla Solar Roof is the first of its kind to enhance your home’s aesthetic while lowering your energy bill. The Tesla Solar Roof is constructed with a combination of glass solar tiles, glass roofing tiles, and architectural-grade steel tiles. The innovative roof is also built to be energy independent with its Powerwall, a compact home battery so it can be available throughout the day and even at night. Lastly, the solar roof is built to last. Each solar tile remains intact within all-weather conditions, ensuring your home stays protected rain or shine.
Tesla Solar Roof Cost Estimate
Rather than directly publishing rates, Tesla provides a Solar Roof calculator on their website that estimates the cost of installing a solar roof on your home. The calculator is based on your current electricity usage and the size of your home, among other factors. We ran three basic estimates to give you an idea of the price differences. Each estimate includes a roof replacement but does not factor in any incentives.
FYI: All estimates were run on July 13, 2021.
Factors to Consider Tesla changes their prices depending on a number of factors, including those listed below.Roof Complexity
Tesla recently introduced variations in installation prices depending on your roof's complexity. Grouped into simple, intermediate, and complex, the classification is intended to reflect the difficulty of installing a new roof onto your home. Though your roof may not meet all the criteria of a given category, in general:
Though there is no known set rate of increase between classifications, based on our hypothetical estimates using the Tesla Solar Roof calculator, you can expect a difference anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 between each level.
Roof ReplacementThe Solar Roof is meant to be installed on top of a single-layer 3-tab asphalt or composition shingle roof that is less than 20 years old. For any other roofing material, or on any buildings more complex, the roof must be replaced entirely. At its cheapest, requiring a roof replacement will add between $10,000 to $15,000 to your total.
Additional Costs and Upgrades
Depending on the current infrastructure present in your home, Tesla mentions that it may be necessary to perform additional upgrades during installation. This includes services such as extra electrical work or the installation of a Solar Roof on a shed or deck. Prices are quoted directly to you upon inspection, but it is important to note that they are not included in the Solar Roof calculator estimate.
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As part of the Tesla Solar Roof package, it is mandatory that you also use the company’s integrated battery system, called Powerwall. Powerwall collects up to 13.5kWh generated by the solar panels throughout the day and then uses that energy to power the home anytime energy is not being generated, such as at night or during a power outage.
It can also monitor power usage. The more appliances you intend to run using the Powerwall, the more devices are required: for example, a single Powerwall cannot run any large appliances, but three Powerwall units can run multiple large appliances at the same time. You can have up to 10 Powerwall units connected to the same system.
A Powerwall currently costs around $6,500 for the battery unit. Installation and set-up fees add another $4,000, ending up at a total price of $10,500. Each additional Powerwall unit costs $6,500, with no known additional installation costs. As having a Powerwall system is required in order to have a Solar Roof, it is important that you ensure all your devices are capable of accessing the software and that you know exactly what purposes and appliances you want to use the battery for.
Incentives
Federal or state-level incentives may deduct a significant amount from your final bill. The Tesla Solar Roof calculator helpfully factors in these incentives. You can also find them listed on the Tesla website. While incentives vary at the state level, any roof installed on a residential building from 2020 to 2023 can expect a 26% Federal Tax Credit.
Process
A Tesla Solar Roof may take a while to install. In some rural or less populated areas, Tesla may not yet perform installations of the Solar Roof. If this is the case for your location, contact Tesla directly for more information about when Solar Roof services will become available to you.
You can purchase your Tesla Solar Roof directly from the Tesla website, paying an initial deposit of $100 in order to confirm your order and calculator estimate. Tesla then remotely designs a Solar Roof system specifically for your house, using information that you provide and satellite imagery.
Then, any authorizations or permits that must be granted have to be approved. After that, installation of the roof will take place, followed by a necessary inspection from local authorities and then the final connection of the Powerwall system to your utility grid.
The exact timeline and requirements for finishing any of these steps will vary depending on a number of factors. This includes, but is not limited to, your location, the number of third parties that must be involved, and the weather.
Importantly, these steps may accrue extra costs not estimated by the Solar Roof calculator. Take this into consideration when reviewing your initial estimate.
Tesla Solar Panels vs.Tesla Solar Roof
Tesla Solar Panels can be installed on top of existing roofs and are significantly cheaper than a Solar Roof—though still expensive compared to other solar panels on the market. The same two-story, 2,000-square-foot house from the article’s introduction would only need to spend $26,900 (before incentives) to have Tesla Solar Panels installed.
However, these panels would only generate 8.16 kW instead of the Solar Roof’s 11.28 kW, making it more difficult to be self-powered. Powerwall also comes with the Tesla Solar Panels if you are interested in storing your energy.
Did Tesla Drastically Increase Its Solar Roof Price?
Due to supply chain costs and enhancements made to solar roofs, Tesla has drastically increased the price of its solar roofs. The new prices have factored in the complexities of installing Tesla solar roofs, which was an oversight in the past.
What Size Tesla Roof Will You Need?
When considering installing a Tesla Solar Roof, its size will be determined by a few key factors, such as where you live, the characteristics of your roof, and your current energy use. However, Tesla offers four standard solar sizes to deliver high-quality solar systems at industry-leading prices.
Is It Worth It to Get a Tesla Solar Roof?
If you’re willing to pay the high price point, need to replace your roof and like the idea and sleek aesthetic of Tesla’s solar shingles, then it may be worth it to get a Solar Roof. Otherwise, Tesla’s Solar Panels, or even traditional solar panels, may make more financial sense while still increasing your home’s energy efficiency.
Tesla’s solar options are significantly more expensive than other renewable energy alternatives on the market, and the company has had a record of changing quoted prices for Solar roofs fairly regularly. However, if you have the finances and do not mind integrating your home into the Tesla system, a Solar Roof is a good long-term investment for your home.
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Rising food prices, increasing interest rates, and climbing utility bills — sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many people are feeling the pinch, as growing costs strain monthly budgets.
One concern is electricity bills, which increased by $5 a month in 2021, with an average cost of $122 a month or $1,464 a year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“Higher retail electricity prices largely reflect an increase in wholesale power prices driven by rising natural gas prices,” according to the Energy Information Administration.
Additionally, non-renewable resources that traditionally power homes, such as petroleum and coal, are diminishing and are major contributors to pollution and climate change. These factors mean that electricity costs will continue to rise.
So, what can you do to stem the tide of inflation? You can toss your electricity bill to the wind by installing a home solar system.
“Solar power is energy converted from the sun to thermal or electrical energy,” according to World Population Review. “It is clean, renewable, and inexpensive, and is available anywhere in the world.”
Electricity costs
With solar panels powering your home, you will lower your utility costs and your reliance on public electricity. In fact, depending on how much electricity you generate and how much you use, you may not have to pay an electric bill at all.
Fortunately, you’re in the right place to generate plenty of power, as Arizona is the sunniest state in the nation, according to data analysis site Stacker. In fact, it has had an increase in sunlight of more than 12% since 1992.
“The top three sunniest states in the U.S. Have large desert landscapes, so lots of sunshine should come as no surprise,” according to World Population Review. “The absence of water and moisture makes it difficult for clouds and rain to develop, resulting in very dry conditions and lots of suns.”
All that sunshine saves Arizona residents with solar panels an average of $1,057 every year, according to Energy Sage.
You’ll also be less affected by problems with the utility grid because, if your house produces more energy than you use, it can be saved for use at night, on cloudy days, and during power outages.
Value now and later
Solar panel systems will increase your home’s value if you choose to sell in the future. As for the present, you could get money back from the government when you file your taxes.
“In addition to federal tax credits, there are also state incentives that can reduce the financial burden of going solar in some cases,” according to local installer Fox Valley Electric and Solar.
For the optimal savings and benefits of solar, there are some important things to consider:
Learn more about how you can save energy and money with a solar panel system by visiting Fox Valley Electric and Solar and scheduling a free estimate.
“We keep our commitment to you by sending our trained, certified, and insured technicians to your home who will do the job right the first time,” according to the company. “Our background-checked technicians have the skills, knowledge, and tools for all your solar installation needs.”