Solar Installers Broke My Roof - What Outcome to Expext?

Harry P Ness on 01/12/2022 - 21:18

Sorry in advance for long post.

TL/DR - solar installers broke a tile, failed to notice & the roof flooded, damaging the inside of my house.

Got a new solar system installed last week & was very happy with the install & meter box upgrade, and the system performance thus far. That was until last night when the pendant lights over the kitchen island started turning on randomly, and glowing at different levels, all with the switch turned off.

Then today water damage appeared directly above the gang switch that controls them. The cornice & ceiling all quickly saturated & water was running down the all. Further ceiling damage discovered in the downstairs living area.

I jumped into the ceiling and discovered a (very recently restored) roof tile snapped in half with a 2mm gap letting in water - it rained heavily the other night & all day today - which saturated the insulation, pool on the ceiling & ran down the wall cavity. Rang the company (no answer) so contacted their sales guy who got someone sent out within an hour. He sealed the tile as a temp fix but the damages will easily be a few grand.

They clearly did not bother to inspect the tiles after kicking them back to install the mounting brackets, which I would think is an absolute necessity given roof integrity is a priority.

Not sure where I stand in terms of getting things fixed. The sales rep guy tried to reassure me by saying they have a preferred "fix it" guy who would sort it all out, but I don't like the sound of it. The house is recently renovated by a suite of professional trades (inc. fully restored tile roof in September). Having paid for all of that I don't feel their jack of all trades handyman is a fair or equitable solution, I want actual roofers, plasterers & painters to fix this mess.

Am I being unreasonable? Should I expect an offer of compensation or rebate for the f**k around / abject lack of professionalism? My pregnant wife & baby daughter will have to relocate for the repairs/renos, in addition to the disruption to our schedule. I get these things happen sometimes but it's a bit of a clown show.

Home & Garden Solar Energy System

Comments

  • Tee Rex Arms on 01/12/2022 - 21:22
    +1

    Mother Nature damaged it

  • FoxJump on 01/12/2022 - 21:40
    +11

    claim on your home insurance. get them to persue the other guys

  • SBOB on 01/12/2022 - 21:43
    +6

    Am I being unreasonable

    You're complaining about the solution being offered before when knowing what the solution and outcome is. And they had someone at your house for an interim fix within an hour…
    So…yeah?

    Considering what most post insurance based claims would be for a solar company, what makes you think they wouldn't be well versed in gyprock and painting? That would be 99% of any post install insurance items.
    And you don't need a roofer to replace a broken tile

    Broken tiles happen, missing one doesn't make it complete incompetency on their behalf..it may have been a hairline that has expanded in the time due to heat cycles for instance.

    • iamherenow on 01/12/2022 - 22:18
      +1

      Broken tiles happen, missing one doesn't make it complete incompetency on their behalf

      You are too kind. Last tradesman that pulled out three tiles on my roof broke a corner off one, and another a proper break that would have let in rain. It's obvious they would have known about the damage. Easy enough to change (as i keep spares) but very average of them not to mention it. My guess, they knew it would take hours to find a matching tile as it's uncommon tile, and figured they could get away with it.

    • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 00:58
      -2

      I'm going off what info I've been given thus far, just trying to feel out if there's anything else I need to say or do besides document the situation - which I did prior to their guy (a sparky) showing up. As for broken tiles, as stated the roof was new, fully repointed & painted not 2 months prior, with a 15 or 25 year guarantee IIRC. These guys broke the tile, it was 1.5m above where a mounting bracket had been installed on the batten, so there is no question they caused the flooding & damage because they failed the most cursory of quality control checks on the equally most important aspect of their install. As mentioned below I didn't know H&C insurance covered workmanship of third parties?

      • SBOB on 02/12/2022 - 05:41
        +2

        Did you read your contract with them? There's usually details in solar installation contracts regarding broken tiles as it's incredibly common thing to occur. Be very surprised if it wasn't in there. You did read the contract right?

        And being 1.5 m from a mounting bracket means they likely didn't even move that tile, but would have walked on it. Just like your roof restorers did.

        Definitively proving it was the solar installers willful negligence is going to be tough should you need to via insurance though.

        While clealy upset about the situation, dealing with it rationally will likely get you a less stressful end result than claiming negligence and how their solution wouldn't be as good as the 'suite of professional trades' work you had done recently.

        • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 10:09

          The roofers guarantee their work, and provided photographs (from the roof & a drone) of the finished product, which showed it was intact. That and since the restoration and before the solar was installed there has been a decent amount of rain with no issues. It's only since last Wednesday when the solar went on that the roof started leaking (it rained quite a bit this week), so hard to argue that it was anyone but the solar dudes.

  • dixy on 01/12/2022 - 21:54
    +1

    Who was the solar installer?

    • Stopback on 01/12/2022 - 23:17
      -1

      Who was the roof installer

      • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 00:49
        -2

        As in the roof restoration company? They did an immaculate job. Drone footage/photos & my own inspection of the roof confirm it was intact. The broken tile occurred exactly in line with where the rail mounting bracket was installed, so it's clear when they kicked the tile up to screw it to the batten, this happened.

      • smartazz104 on 02/12/2022 - 09:04

        Found the solar installer.

    • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 00:47

      Until we've had a proper discussion about how they're going to make this right, I'll keep that private. If they play silly buggers, it's going out everywhere - here, Whirlpool, Reddit, Solar Quotes, Google etc. Not that I intend to use that fact as leverage, I don't think I'll have to.

      • Quantumcat on 02/12/2022 - 14:44

        You don't have to talk to them anymore, just claim on your insurance and let the insurance company talk to them

        • SBOB on 02/12/2022 - 15:08

          Issue is then you'll be paying an excess if your policy covers damage by contractors etc, and if it does, you'll need some pretty definitive proof that the installers were 100 percent responsibile for the damage.

          From what the op has posted I'd expect a decent pushback on being able to prove that and will likely just end up paying a home insurance excess rather than letting the installer (that actively had someone at his house with an hour of his call) rectify the problem directly

          • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 15:23

            @SBOB: They sent an electrician around, because the primary issue was the electrical fault (water in gang switches causing lights to trip), who sealed the tile from the inside. It was pissing down rain all day so getting on the roof, even if I had spare tiles, was not an option. You have to remember this is a solar company, not a roofing, painting or plastering company. Would you let a banker fix your car? Why would I let anyone but the appropriate trade fix my house? There will be no issue proving (if required) who is responsible, given the roof was in perfect order & newly restored only weeks ago, and now it has a 2mm wide hole in the tile.

            • SBOB on 02/12/2022 - 15:44

              @Harry P Ness: Best of luck.
              Please come back and keep us updated on how you go ,should you decide that the solar companies offer to rectify the problem isn't up to your high standard

              I'm actually very curious how successful such a claim would be with the info you've provided

        • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 15:15

          I'm going to give them the chance to make this right, and I am quite confident they will, I just wanted to find out where I stand with regards to controlling - to some extent - the repairs & who performs them (plenty on that ITT above / below). My insurer has confirmed coverage & that they will recover costs if required.

          • Quantumcat on 02/12/2022 - 16:22

            @Harry P Ness: If you're worried they won't do a good job then you'd be better off just talking to your insurance and saving the hassle

  • randomusername2017 on 01/12/2022 - 22:42

    I jumped in the ceiling

    Sure you didn't cause the damage?

    • brendanm on 01/12/2022 - 22:45

      Ceiling and roof and two different things.

      • randomusername2017 on 01/12/2022 - 22:46
        +7

        Jump in the ceiling you might hit the roof…

        • Muzeeb on 01/12/2022 - 23:41
          +1

          Jump on the roof you may fall through the ceiling with OPs brittle tiles.

          • smartazz104 on 02/12/2022 - 09:05

            @Muzeeb: I think more than a few OzBargainers could break some roof tiles if they jumped on a roof.

        • dcep on 02/12/2022 - 01:22

          You reckon OP doesn't use a ladder but instead jumped on a springboard ploughed through the ceiling gone straight up into the roof space ?

  • iforgotmysocks on 02/12/2022 - 00:07
    +1

    What did the insurer say when you lodged a claim?

    • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 00:51
      +1

      I didn't know I could lodge a claim for faulty workmanship caused by a third party?

      • Stewardo on 02/12/2022 - 07:19

        Didn’t the insurance company say the old tile roof was the wrong pitch for water ingress?

        • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 09:41

          Previous insurer said they wouldn't cover another storm event unless sarking was installed. I changed insurers after having the roof completely restored.

  • Overclocked91 on 02/12/2022 - 07:49
    +2

    Contractors' public liability will cover that otherwise if they say no. Your insurance can chase them up.

    • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 10:12

      Cheers for the reply, that's good to know.

  • payless69 on 02/12/2022 - 07:51
    +3

    I know a lot of building inspectors.
    Tiles in Australia have a finite life.
    Restorations usually give it a newish look and are usually done to sell a place on good looks.
    The integral structure of a tile is unfortunately not repairable at a level that makes financial sense.
    Tile replacement is the only long term solution. Adding solar to a repainted roof is compromising its integrity, no proper design engineer would ever in his right mind sign this off without stringent lab testing.
    Any old tile being walked on is later subject to a split. The solar installer should have made an appropriate contract.

      • Muzeeb on 02/12/2022 - 08:36

        Looks like the broken tile also damaged the sarking to allow water ingress. Lol

        • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 09:58

          No sarking installed, I took the advice of several roofers and just had the roof repointed & repainted. Lol? Gee thanks, glad my misfortune is a source of mirth.

          • Stewardo on 02/12/2022 - 10:58
            +1

            @Harry P Ness: To be fair, you were told by multiple people including the insurance company that the roof need to be replaced/sarked as the tiles were the wrong design for the pitch and are old and brittle and that painting the roof is cosmetic and a band aid solution.
            You then went ahead with it anyway and secured heavy infrastructure to the said roof and now it’s leaking, there is an element of mirth.

            • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 11:12

              @Stewardo: Not sure where you're getting that info pal, I was never told or said that the roof needed to be replaced or that the tiles were the incorrect type. It was built to code in 1979, however the code has been changed & new builds require a higher pitch angle. It's survived 40+ years of weather, including severe events.

              Suncorp told me the roof needed to be "fixed" and sarking installed in order that they cover a similar event. The advice I got from multiple roofers was that sarking was unnecessary (and exceedingly rare in tiled roofs in QLD), so I opted not to have that done, then changed insurers.

              You do know that the panel racking isn't attached to the tiles right? There's no load on them, it's all borne by the battens & trusses underneath. Two holes were drilled (and properly sealed - I checked) to run flexible conduit, but for whatever reason - either kicking up the tiles to access the battens/trusses or being walked on, a tile was broken leaving a 2mm gap. This should have been picked up on, it was not, now I have a flooded ceiling, damaged cornice & walls and water in gang switches and god knows where else.

              Remind me to laugh the next time your home is damaged & a potentially hazardous electrical fault affects your wife & child.

              • Stewardo on 02/12/2022 - 11:44

                @Harry P Ness: You documented all the issues with the roof in your previous post. How did you test the seal on the holes they drilled?
                Sounds like you changed insurance companies cause the old one wouldn’t insure you. Do you think any of this may get flagged next time you do an insurance claim on the leaky roof?

                • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 12:23

                  @Stewardo:

                  You documented all the issues with the roof in your previous post.

                  The roof leaked in February because the tiles hadn't been cleaned in years & the sheer volume of water that fell overwhelmed them in places (per the insurance report), which is my fault for not noticing it needed doing, it wasn't an intrinsic design or construction flaw.

                  How did you test the seal on the holes they drilled?

                  The holes for the conduit are not leaking, so I - a lay person - can only assume they are appropriately sealed (on the exterior side), it's the not insignificant hole in the tile through which the water from a decent thunderstorm & yesterday's solid day of rain came. If the conduit holes were to leak, then that's another claim against the solar company. As someone else mentioned they have to have public liability / QBCC insurance for these sorts of occurrences.

                  Do you think any of this may get flagged

                  No, because the roof was properly "restored" in September. As long as you can show you performed appropriate maintenance there shouldn't be an issue with coverage. My (new) insurer has advised me to keep any invoices or work orders as proof for future claims, and also that they will pursue the solar company if they refuse to rectify the damage they caused. The roofer offers a 15 year workmanship guarantee (plus 25 years from the paint manufacturer), any ingress is their issue. I spoke to them this morning, they're coming to replace the tile & inspect the roof for further damage in order to preserve that guarantee.

    • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 09:57

      The issue is not that they broke it - you're right that tiles have finite lives - but that they failed to conduct appropriate QC in the work area, and that their negligence caused significant internal damage to my home.

  • Porker on 02/12/2022 - 09:57

    They're offering to fix it with their 'fix it' guy, and you're refusing the repair based on an assumption that he/she will do a poor job. I doubt you have much to stand on until they do that claimed/eluded poor job.

    Refusing their offer to address the issue could be construed as acceptance of the situation.

    I don't believe compensation is required, but might be made as a good will gesture. If you crash someone's car, you'd only expect to pay for the repairs - you'd likely refuse their request for further payment of car rental, loss of income for time, emotional distress, etc etc etc.

    • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 10:03

      An analogy that comes to mind is that if I damage your car & repair it myself, using non-genuine parts and my own labour, instead of employing professional panel beaters & mechanics and genuine OEM parts. Seeing as I paid a lot of money to have the house in its previous condition, isn't it only fair it be restored to that state? The paint & plaster could probably be done by a handyman but given the roof has a guarantee attached to it, unless it's done by the same company I assume that's voided, and besides I need the tile painted to match the others.

      • Porker on 02/12/2022 - 10:16
        +1

        Take your point with the car repair. I'm only raising it to highlight a different perspective, but you're only speculating that they won't do a good job. I doubt you have any professional experience with roofing, painting, plastering etc. This is what would likely come into question if you were to go to tribunal or similar about this - how do you know they won't do a good job?

        As for the roof guarantee, you might need to check as you might have voided it the second you put on solar panels, and not because of the subsequent damage or concern for repairs to the tile. The roof work and product was compromised by the solar panel installation, unless (like you're relying on) it was done by the roof installers approved solar panel contractor, if such a thing even exists.

        • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 10:21

          The roofers do have a clause about third party works "potentially" voiding their warranty. I've reached out to see if they will inspect the roof and replace / repaint the tile in order to maintain it (solar company can wear that bill). I don't think there will be an issue with getting everything rectified - the company in question has an excellent reputation, which I am sure they would like to retain, I guess I wanted to know where I stand in terms of how much I can control the outcome. It seems mightily unfair that I have to cede any authority on what gets repaired & by who, given this wasn't meant to happen. Thanks for insight you've given.

          • Porker on 02/12/2022 - 10:31
            +1

            @Harry P Ness: Indeed you could get the same contractors that did the original works and then send to solar panel company the invoices or costs. If they refused to pay, then you'll likely need to go to Magistrates Court, at which point you will need to counter their argument that they did offer to fix it, but you refused. It's not unreasonable to present that you got the original contractors simply because they were the most informed about the works/repairs.

            The compromise may be that they only pay you the amount that it would have cost them to fix using their methods… etc etc etc..

            Could go a few other ways too depending on other responses/information not included.

            I fully appreciate the situation you're in - I too have a relatively new house which is riddled with issues, and the volume builder only wishes to apply bandaid fixes, which is another story.

            Basically, just advising to cool the jets.

            • Harry P Ness on 02/12/2022 - 10:33

              @Porker: Sorry to hear about the issues in your house, and you're absolutely right about staying chill, I will endeavour to follow that advice! Thanks again for the thoughtful advice.

  • Harry P Ness on 03/05/2023 - 09:59

    Just received cash settlement + roof repaired by my choice of repairer. Very happy with the outcome.

    • ykwon10 on 03/05/2023 - 10:03

      good outcome!

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