Tesla just screwed me over

[BrettS]

You know, in thinking about this I wonder how they anchor themselves to the roof once the solar roof is nearing completion. I mean it’s easy to attach an anchor through an asphalt shingle, but I can’t imagine that they could attach an anchor through the glass. Do they install permanent anchors near the top of the roof that can work with the solar glass? Maybe that’s what they don’t think will work with the metal rafters.

 

[brucet999]

You know, in thinking about this I wonder how they anchor themselves to the roof once the solar roof is nearing completion. I mean it’s easy to attach an anchor through an asphalt shingle, but I can’t imagine that they could attach an anchor through the glass. Do they install permanent anchors near the top of the roof that can work with the solar glass? Maybe that’s what they don’t think will work with the metal rafters.

Anchors are mounted at or near the ridge. Safety lines just short enough to prevent a clumsy worker from falling off the edge. It is also possible to mount anchors on the opposite eaves with safety lines running over the ridge for workers on the other side.

OP's roof looks like 4:12 or maybe 5:12 pitch. I've been on many such roofs; pretty difficult to fall off a roof like that.

 

[IamMark]

As an example, the Ridge-It anchor instructions say it can be installed with #14 screws into 20 gauge metal:

Ridge-It Anchor

So if you confirm your rafters are at least 20 gauge, you could use it. I'd suggest the 0510 double d-ring, it's a style that goes over the ridge and is meant for permanent installation, with the asphalt ridge cap shingle installed on top, covering all the fasteners. Depending on your roof geometry, ridge length, and installation area, you might need 2 or 3 of them.

Cheers, Wayne

Wayne - thanks so much for trying to help out. I appreciate that link, because that may be something that works. Your previous post had me thinking you were referring to screwing into the metal that runs along the ridge, but I think you are referring to screwing into the metal rafters, correct? My project advisor stated that the people he spoke to said that screwing into the metal rafters would potentially cause their structural integrity to be compromised. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

 

[BrettS]

Anchors are mounted at or near the ridge. Safety lines just short enough to prevent a clumsy worker from falling off the edge. It is also possible to mount anchors on the opposite eaves with safety lines running over the ridge for workers on the other side.

OP's roof looks like 4:12 or maybe 5:12 pitch. I've been on many such roofs; pretty difficult to fall off a roof like that.

Yeah, I understand where they are mounted and what they do, but what I don’t understand is *how* they mount them on a solar glass roof. It seems like they would have to have a special mount that comes out between the glass tile rows or something.

 

[bgrynn1873]

IMO most people are too slow to hire a lawyer when it comes to construction issue. They key is to get a consultation from a local litigator who specializes in construction and landlord issues. These guys are not expensive. They are often in practice with real estate attorneys. The typical real estate attorney is not the person to use for construction problems.

Of course its a poor choice to threaten hiring a lawyer or a lawsuit. Homeowners do too much threatening and posturing and not enough talking to an attorney who actually knows the law. The net cost of an attorney in the situations mentioned above is usually negative.

It's not always that easy to get attorneys involved. In florida it's expected you need to try and work things out before you enter the legal system. The law though is pretty clear you have to complete a project if you begin and a contractor is supposed to be giving reasonable quotes. I understand there can be differences but they should not pulling permits until they actually are sure what they are doing. Not sending out a person to see the project before you sign official contracts is pretty negligent.

If we were dealing with a small contractor with a large deposit you really need to act fast. In this case we are dealing with what is now a large company with broken procedures in place. It's hard to believe that they are intentionally doing underbidding as that would be a huge PR disaster that would be the final nail in the solar side of the business.

 

[bgrynn1873]

Wayne - thanks so much for trying to help out. I appreciate that link, because that may be something that works. Your previous post had me thinking you were referring to screwing into the metal that runs along the ridge, but I think you are referring to screwing into the metal rafters, correct? My project advisor stated that the people he spoke to said that screwing into the metal rafters would potentially cause their structural integrity to be compromised. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

Talk to other solar roof installers and get a quote. It's total BS they are giving you. They have a proprietary mount they want to use and if they have problems or if it entails extra work to do they bail. The mount is for very limited roof applications. Metal roofs should be pretty easy to install solar.

 

[brucet999]

Yeah, I understand where they are mounted and what they do, but what I don’t understand is *how* they mount them on a solar glass roof. It seems like they would have to have a special mount that comes out between the glass tile rows or something.

Yeah, I understand where they are mounted and what they do, but what I don’t understand is *how* they mount them on a solar glass roof. It seems like they would have to have a special mount that comes out between the glass tile rows or something.

My mistake. I was thinking of OP's solar panels installation.

With solar roof, just like any other roof, safety brackets would have to come off when they got ready to install the ridge tiles, at which point you have guys straddling the ridge to install ridge tiles.

Of course, if Solar Roof has ridge vents (from pictures, I don't think so) then anchors could be left in place under the vents.

 

[wjgjr]

Yeah, I understand where they are mounted and what they do, but what I don’t understand is *how* they mount them on a solar glass roof. It seems like they would have to have a special mount that comes out between the glass tile rows or something.

I'm trying to remember back to our install.... I believe the last tiles were placed over where the anchors were. For the small, lower roof, I think I recall them running the rope over the top of the roof and securing it on the ground - I think at one point tied to a tree trunk. I don't recall what they did on our main roof, though probably something similar.

 

[brkaus]

I'm trying to remember back to our install.... I believe the last tiles were placed over where the anchors were. For the small, lower roof, I think I recall them running the rope over the top of the roof and securing it on the ground - I think at one point tied to a tree trunk. I don't recall what they did on our main roof, though probably something similar.

Just never tie off to the bumper of a car/truck and leave the keys accessible.

 

[brucet999]

Just never tie off to the bumper of a car/truck and leave the keys accessible.

It must be an old car/truck to have a bumper that one could tie off to.

 

[wwhitney]

My project advisor stated that the people he spoke to said that screwing into the metal rafters would potentially cause their structural integrity to be compromised. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

I'm not an engineer, but I'm 99% sure that's not true. If you think about it, there are screws right now holding all the OSB sheathing to the metal rafters. You'd just be adding a dozen more or so.

Do you know what gauge your rafters are?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[wwhitney]

Yeah, I understand where they are mounted and what they do, but what I don’t understand is *how* they mount them on a solar glass roof. It seems like they would have to have a special mount that comes out between the glass tile rows or something.

I thought the current tiles are pretty big, and all the perimeter and irregular spaces (gable, ridge, or hip) are just covered with sheet metal. So if there's 12" or more of sheet metal at the ridge, it would be not problem to install the standard ridge type tie-off.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[brucet999]

My project advisor stated that the people he spoke to said that screwing into the metal rafters would potentially cause their structural integrity to be compromised. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

If that were true, then your roof will collapse from all the screws holding down the sheathing.

Honestly, I don't know where Tesla/Solar City finds such stupid people to work for them.

 

[mongo]

I'm not an engineer, but I'm 99% sure that's not true. If you think about it, there are screws right now holding all the OSB sheathing to the metal rafters. You'd just be adding a dozen more or so.

Do you know what gauge your rafters are?

Cheers, Wayne

Sure, but the OSB screws are what 8 inches apart (other than at seams), versus the tight grouping (multiple in an 8 inch span) for an anchor.

 

[sorka]

I started working with Tesla over 3 months ago to install solar panels on my roof. A unique situation with our house is that it uses all steel frame construction - no wood is used for studs, rafters, etc. I discussed this point with my advisor on several occasions and included pictures from our attic. He said that he discussed this with the designer and assured me they had alternate mounts that could be used for the install.

Because our roof was over 20 years old, I decided I would re-roof before the project. I signed up with a roofer to do the job but then found out he wouldn't be able to do the install until the end of October. Because I didn't want to risk not getting PTO from PG&E before the end of the year, I hired a different roofer for an additional $2k who was able to start the re-roof earlier.

The roofer completed the job, and Tesla was scheduled to do the install this week. A couple days before, I called scheduling and told them again about the steel frame construction and to make sure that the crew was properly equipped. They stated it was in the job notes, and I was good to go. The day of the job, no one shows up. I call into scheduling to find out what is going on, and I'm told I was removed from the schedule. They said that the warehouse manager and "safety specialist" did not know how to safely anchor into my roof for their guys' harnesses, and so they couldn't do the install. This is despite me having warned them repeatedly about the construction of our house.

I spoke to my advisor today, who spent about 45 minutes on a conference call with the warehouse manager and safety specialist. The conclusion was that they simply aren't going to be able to do the install because they can't do it safely. When I asked why they didn't realize this when I brought it up so many times in the past, they really had no response.

Other solar installers in my area are 65% more expensive than Tesla, so unfortunately, going with someone else isn't really an option for me. Even so, I doubt somebody else could get it done before the end of the year, and I don't want to get stuck under NEM 3.0.

As a result, I paid to do a re-roof and an extra $2k to speed up the process for no reason. It is unbelievable that they could screw up this bad. Other solar companies have installed solar on numerous houses in my development, so I'm not sure how they were able to safely install the panels but Tesla is not.

How large was your system that difference between 26% and 22% was more than $2K?? Your system is much more than $50K?

 

[dhrivnak]

Not having tie off points for harnesses doesn't really have anything to do with the roof being metal or wood. You should of had your roofers install harness tie off points on the roof. It's something I have had installed on all of my houses for safety reasons. I know contractors that won't step on a roof without them. It's a liability issue.

I work for a solar company and if the roof is steep we add them. We consider it part of doing business. The last one we did took about an hour. Certainly not a deal breaker.

 

[brucet999]

I work for a solar company and if the roof is steep we add them. We consider it part of doing business. The last one we did took about an hour. Certainly not a deal breaker.

But the difference is that you work for a competent solar company.

 

[charlesj]

I work for a solar company and if the roof is steep we add them. We consider it part of doing business. The last one we did took about an hour. Certainly not a deal breaker.

What pitch do you consider steep, 6:12, 8:12 or more?

 

[dhrivnak]

What pitch do you consider steep, 6:12, 8:12 or more?

Definitely 8/12 and even possible on a 6/12 if the roof is high. 5/12 and lower are fine.

 

[holeydonut]

I work for a solar company and if the roof is steep we add them. We consider it part of doing business. The last one we did took about an hour. Certainly not a deal breaker.

Imagine the rate your company charges to install solar; now imagine a customer only paying about 1/2 of that estimate. Assuming your company still took that offer, what amount of shortcuts and cheap labor would be necessary to make that transaction work?