From Your Architectural Liaison

By Diane Botica SRCA Architectural Liaison

Solar, Solar, Solar

Many homeowners are considering installing solar panels on the roof of their house. People are thinking about their utility bills, wanting to do the right thing for the planet and, of course, investing in their home. There are many factors to consider when pondering solar panels.

Do I need approval from the HOA? The answer is YES. Installing solar panels is an exterior change to your home. All exterior changes require approval before commencement of the installation. Solar submittals require disclosure notices to be sent to your neighbors before review. The neighbors are given 2 weeks to respond. This is not an approval or disapproval; the disclosure gives your neighbors the opportunity to comment on the project before a decision is made. It is the same notification process for other exterior structure altering projects. Please plan enough time accordingly.

What are some of the HOA solar rules? Scottsdale Ranch requires a solar affidavit to be filled out and signed by the homeowner and solar company explaining why solar panels will be installed in visible areas if you are doing so. All exterior solar equipment such as electrical panels, boxes and conduit are required to be painted to match the body of the house they are affixed to. If you are installing solar panels on flat roof sections, in the interest of being a good neighbor, we would request that you increase the parapet around the perimeter of the patio cover to soften the view to neighboring property. The solar checklist that is available on the architectural page of our website https://www.scottsdaleranch.org/plan-myproject-architectural-guide/ will guide you in gathering all the required information for your submittal packet. This is also where you can find all the Architectural Rules.

Where do I begin? This is as easy as searching Solar Rebates on Google to find out what rebates are available for Arizona residents as well as lists of different solar companies. I always suggest that you talk to your neighbors in addition to doing computer research and the math. Ask your neighbors what they like and what they do not like about their solar provider. If you search solar forum Arizona on Google, you will find more information about solar pros, cons, and different companies. The key is research. How does this affect my value? I have not found any concrete answers to this question. It seems that installing solar is purely a personal choice. They say that the more cohesive the look of your home, the better the value.

Does this affect my neighbor’s house value? There has been talk that if my neighbor has solar on their roof, I cannot sell my house for top value. There have not been any concrete answers to this question. The answers seem to depend on the perspective of who was writing the article as everyone has a differing opinion.

What if I sell my house? There are many online articles that state pros and cons depending on if the equipment is leased or owned. If your solar is leased, the lease will have to transfer with the sale. If the installed solar equipment is owned and older, then new owners will have to spend money on the system to get it up to full production if needed. I am sure this conversation will continue online with many different opinions. As house sale prices fluctuate, so will the answers. If the sale price is related to the solar equipment or not is a matter of interpretation.

How will this affect my neighbors? Not everyone is a fan of solar panels. Especially when the neighbors are the ones that have to look at the solar panels. Imagine being in your garden in the back of your house and having to look at the neighbor’s big panels standing upright on the neighboring roof as you look out over the landscape from your pool. Some homeowners that do not have parapet walls on sections of their flat roofs where the panels will be installed are installing parapet walls to hide the majority of the panels as a courtesy to their neighbors. This is a beautiful way to take your neighbors concerns into consideration. Unfortunately, the panels installed on pitched roof sections cannot be hidden from view as they are laid as a flush mount on the roof tiles.

What if I have to replace my roof? If your solar panels are installed already and you are in need of a roof replacement, you will have to pay to have them removed and re-installed after the roof work is done. You may want to consider replacing your roof before installing the solar panels if your roof is older.

Bits and pieces from homeowners. I have heard feedback from homeowners. Some are happy, some are not, and some have not been able to install solar panels for various reasons.

It seems when making this decision, you will need to first know if you need a new roof or not. If you need a new roof, consider that expense. There is quite a weight load on your roof tiles when installing solar equipment. Some roof tiles are more fragile than others. Some homeowners have not installed solar because they would have to change their roof tiles first.

Some people say solar saves them money. Some people say solar costs them more money than just paying a regular electric bill.

You will have to do your due diligence to decide if solar is right for you. Then decide which program is right for you. Research solar just like you would research any large expense for your house.

Most importantly, please remember… once you decide to install solar, please reach out to SRCA to learn more about the process for submitting. Or visit our website at www.scottsdaleranch.org and click on “Plan My Project” for all the information and forms. As always, when in doubt submit for approval.