Free homeowner tools. Roof and solar planning resources.Educational estimates · No quote requests
Roof & Solar Toolkit
Free tools for smarter home-upgrade planning

Estimate Your Roof and Solar Potential

Estimate roof replacement costs, map a rough roof area, and explore how solar could interact with your electricity bill. Use the free tools, inspect the math, and learn which details need local verification.

Start free roof + solar estimate Explore all tools
Planning estimates only. Results are estimates for education and early planning. Verify measurements, condition, utility rules and project pricing locally.
Estimate, then verifyTransparent calculation assumptions
Solar planningUsage, roof-space and savings math
Educational resourcesNo contractor lead form or sales pitch
The planning calculator

Estimate your roof and solar potential.

Use your own measurements and electricity information where available. This tool does not ask for your address or ZIP code because it does not perform local price, tariff, incentive or satellite lookups.

Roof & solar estimator Calculations run in your browser. Inputs are not transmitted by this static demo.
STEP 1 OF 3
1Property & roof
2Energy & financing
3Your estimate

What is the roof like?

Location is optional context only; no ZIP-based price, solar, utility or incentive lookup occurs.

About 1 minute
years
How would you like to size the roof? *
sq ft
Measured roof surface, if available.
A measured roof-surface area is used as entered; pitch is not applied a second time.
$
Enter a current local installed rate per roof sq ft for the selected roof material and a clearly defined project scope.
$
Use the same material, scope, unit and measurement basis as the low estimate.
* Required to calculate. Age and condition are self-reported.

How much electricity does your home use?

Use actual annual electricity consumption in kWh from your utility bills. This calculator does not estimate usage from total bill dollars because bills can include fixed charges, taxes and other items.

Energy profile
kWh / yr
Enter the total from the last 12 months of utility bills. If your utility does not show an annual total, add the billed kWh across the last 12 months; do not infer usage from the dollar amount.
$
Enter the marginal energy charge in dollars per kWh. It is needed to value self-consumed electricity; it is not needed if your entered direct-use share is 0%.
%
No default share is supplied. Enter a documented or professionally modeled annual share; do not treat an unsupported guess as a measured load profile. This is an annual scenario, not an hourly load simulation.
$
Enter the actual utility export credit per kWh. Leave blank when unknown; the calculator will withhold total energy value and payback when exports occur.
kWh / kW DC / yr
Required visitor-entered scenario. The 100–4,000 input check is only a broad typo guard, not a US production range or benchmark. Use NLR PVWatts: divide its annual system kWh estimate by modeled DC system kW to obtain kWh per kW per year.
$
Use a current written cash-price quote per DC watt.
%
Enter your own target from 5% to 100%. This is an annual-generation sizing target, not a recommendation or a promise of the same reduction in your total utility bill.
How are you thinking about paying for solar?
No lender, tariff, export rate, incentive, tax eligibility or financing offer is checked. Enter actual quote and tariff figures where available. As of October 31, 2026, Section 25D does not allow a credit for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. For an item, the IRS FAQ says the expenditure is treated as made when its original installation is completed; a separate timing rule applies to construction or reconstruction of a structure. Read the current IRS explanation below; this calculator does not determine tax eligibility or model tax credits, leases or power-purchase agreements.
Your planning snapshot

Here is your starting point.

Based on the details you entered.

Roof condition screen
Plan ahead
Screening result based only on your reported condition; roof age is context, not a diagnosis.
Reported roof age—
Roof area used—
Roof replacement range
$—
Calculated only when you supply comparable local installed rates. This is not a market benchmark or quote.
Assumed rate—
Estimated solar system
— kW
Energy-target estimate only. Roof fit is not assessed.
Annual production—
Roof-space fitNot assessed
Modeled annual energy value
$— / yr
Scenario value from self-used solar electricity plus visitor-entered export credits; actual bill changes depend on the utility tariff and usage timing.
Average monthly energy value$—
Simple cash payback
— years
Illustrative system cost divided by modeled first-year annual energy value; excludes incentives, financing and future changes.
Modeled system price$—
Financing illustration
—
Cash / not selected. No financing approval or offer is implied.
Entered APR / term—
These are screening-level estimates, not a quote. A roof inspection and solar site assessment are needed before making a project decision.
View calculation assumptions and limitations

    Explore the dedicated calculators and guides to understand the inputs behind this snapshot.

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    Calculator inputs are processed locally in this browser. Do not enter sensitive personal information. Before launch, publish an accurate privacy notice describing hosting, analytics, advertising and any third-party services actually enabled.

    How it works

    Simple tools. Visible assumptions. No sales funnel.

    Use the calculators to build a rough planning view, then validate the details that a browser-based estimate cannot measure.

    01

    Enter what you know

    Start with roof material, age, area and electricity-use details. Enter your own marginal import rate to estimate dollar savings; without it, the calculator shows system size and production only.

    02

    Inspect the calculation

    Review the modeled roof-cost range, system size, production, savings and payback. Open the assumptions instead of treating a single output as a fact.

    03

    Verify before spending

    Confirm roof measurements, structural condition, pricing, system design, utility tariff and incentive eligibility with authoritative local sources and qualified professionals.

    Free homeowner tools

    More than one calculator

    Focused tools make it easier to answer a specific question without starting over.

    $

    Roof Replacement Cost Calculator

    Calculate a roof replacement range from measured roof area and your own low/high installed-price assumptions.

    Open calculator →     ☀

    Solar Savings Calculator

    Model annual production, direct-use value, export credits and simple payback using rates you provide.

    Open calculator →     ⌂

    Roof Area Calculator

    Convert building footprint and roof pitch into a rough roof-surface area estimate.

    Open calculator →     ▦

    Solar Panel Count Calculator

    Translate a target system size and panel wattage into an approximate module count.

    Open calculator →     ◷

    Roof Lifespan Guide

    Understand why roof life varies by material, climate, installation and maintenance.

    Read guide →     ⌂

    Roof Before Solar: What to Check

    Learn why roof condition and remaining useful life matter before a solar installation.

    Read guide →
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    Homeowner learning center

    Understand the decision, not just the number

    Practical explainers for the questions that usually come before a roof or solar project.

    Frequently asked questions

    Common roof and solar planning questions.

    General educational information. Always check your roof, local market, electric tariff and current program rules independently.

    How do I know when my roof needs to be replaced?
    Age is only one clue. Leaks, missing or damaged shingles, soft decking, recurring repairs, ventilation issues and storm damage can all affect the decision. This calculator uses only the condition you report to suggest inspection or monitoring; it does not calculate remaining roof life or decide whether replacement is necessary. Roof age is displayed as context only. Ask a qualified local roofing professional to inspect the roof.
    Can solar panels be installed on any roof?
    No. Roof condition, remaining useful life, orientation, slope, shading, obstructions, structural capacity, fire setbacks, local code and utility requirements all matter. A roof that needs replacement may be better addressed before solar installation. A solar professional and, when appropriate, a structural professional should verify suitability.
    How is the solar savings estimate calculated?
    The calculator requires annual kWh from utility bills. It uses a visitor-entered import rate to value directly used solar electricity, and a separately entered export rate to value surplus generation. Dollar value is not calculated without an import rate. It values self-consumed generation at that rate and exported generation at the separately entered export-compensation rate. Actual savings depend on hourly load, system design, weather, shading, tariffs, fixed charges and utility export rules.
    Does the estimate include tax credits or local incentives?
    No incentives, rebates or tax credits are automatically included. Eligibility and value depend on current federal, state, local and utility rules, project ownership, timing and individual tax circumstances. Verify current programs with official government or utility sources and consult a qualified tax professional. Do not rely on this calculator for tax advice.
    What does the financing estimate mean?
    The optional loan figure is a mathematical payment illustration based on the system-cost assumption, APR and term entered. It is not an offer, prequalification, lender quote or approval. Real financing may include fees, dealer charges, escalators, different terms, liens or other contract provisions that are not modeled here.
    How accurate are these estimates?
    They are early planning ranges, not measurements or quotes. Roof dimensions, material and labor pricing, access, tear-off layers, decking condition, permits, waste, local code, solar orientation, shade, structural capacity, production model, utility rules and incentives can materially change the outcome. A site inspection, professional measurement and written proposal are required.
    Federal homeowner solar tax credit in 2026: As of October 31, 2026, the IRS Section 25D law-change FAQ states that the homeowner Residential Clean Energy Credit is not allowed for expenditures after December 31, 2025. For an individual item, the expenditure is treated as made when its original installation is completed; paying on or before December 31, 2025 does not preserve the credit if installation is completed after that date. The FAQ states a separate timing rule for expenditures connected with construction or reconstruction of a structure. This is general information about homeowner Section 25D, not a determination of an individual's eligibility. This calculator does not model tax credits, leases, power-purchase agreements or provider-level tax treatment. Verify current rules with the IRS and a qualified tax professional. Read the IRS law-change FAQs for the current Section 25D timing rule. State, local and utility programs are separate and may change.
    About Roof & Solar Toolkit
    Practical tools for better-informed home decisions.An educational calculator and information project. Publisher identity and editorial contact details remain pending before public launch.
    About this resource

    Useful estimates, with the caveats in view.

    Roof & Solar Toolkit is a working name for a homeowner information website. Its purpose is to make early roof and solar planning easier to understand through transparent calculations and practical explainers. It is not a roofing contractor, solar installer, lender, utility, government agency or tax adviser. It does not sell quote leads through this website.

    Content should identify its author, research sources, update date and review process before publication. Any business identity, editorial contact and legal entity information should be completed accurately by the site owner.

    PublisherPublisher details to be added before launch
    Editorial contactContact details to be added before launch
    AudienceUnited States-focused information
    Contact & corrections

    Help improve this resource.

    For editorial corrections, accessibility feedback, calculator bugs or general questions, use the contact page once a monitored editorial email is configured. Add a real monitored contact address before launch. Do not publish a physical address or phone number unless the publisher intends to make it public.

    Editorial emailTo be configured before launch
    CorrectionsInclude the page URL and supporting source
    AdvertisingNo advertising inquiries accepted in this pre-launch version

    This is an educational website, not a contractor marketplace. No project quote, contractor referral or financing application is collected through the current version.