Solar Consultation
Before spending $20,000+ on a solar system, a consultation tells you exactly what makes sense for your home, what it'll actually cost, and what you'll get back. No sales pressure -- just honest numbers.
Remote from $49.99, on-site assessment from $99.99.
South-facing roof. No shade. Great solar site. North-facing with three oak trees. Less great.
Have these ready for the consultation:
- •Last 12 months of utility bills (or access to your utility's online account)
- •Roof age and condition (or last inspection report)
- •Your home's address (for satellite view and solar irradiance data)
- •Whether you're interested in battery storage
- •Any existing quotes you've received from installers
What the consultation covers
Five areas, specific to your home and utility -- not generic solar sales talk.
Roof and site assessment -- is solar right for your home
Not every roof is equally suited to solar. South-facing roof sections with minimal shading produce the most power. East and west-facing panels produce 15--20% less but still make economic sense in many cases. North-facing panels rarely pencil out. We assess your roof's usable area, identify shading sources (trees, chimneys, neighboring structures), and determine how many panels can be productively installed. Roof condition matters too -- installing solar on a roof that needs replacement in 5 years means removing and reinstalling panels, which costs $1,500--$3,000.
System sizing -- how much solar you actually need
The right system size is based on your annual electricity consumption (from your utility bills), how much of your usage you want to offset, local solar production (your location's sun-hours per day), and whether you're adding battery storage. A typical US home uses 10,500 kWh/year. A 7--8 kW solar system in a sunny location produces approximately 10,000--11,000 kWh/year -- covering most of a typical home's consumption. We calculate your specific system size based on your actual bills, not national averages.
Grid-tied vs off-grid vs hybrid
Grid-tied (most common): Panels connect to the grid. You export excess power and get credit (net metering). When the sun isn't shining, you draw from the grid. No batteries required. Lowest cost. Works unless the grid goes down (most grid-tied systems shut off during outages for safety). Off-grid: Fully self-sufficient with a battery bank sized to cover nighttime and cloudy days. Highest cost. Required where grid power isn't available. Hybrid (grid-tied + battery): You have batteries for backup power and self-consumption optimization, but remain grid-connected. The fastest-growing segment -- makes sense with time-of-use rates and if backup power matters to you.
Incentives, rebates, and payback period
Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): 30% of total system cost (panels + installation + battery if included) as a tax credit for systems installed through 2032. State incentives: many states add additional rebates or credits. Utility rebates: some utilities offer per-watt installation rebates. Net metering: the rate your utility credits you for exported power varies significantly -- some pay retail rate, others pay wholesale. This dramatically affects payback period. Typical payback: 6--10 years in most US markets, 4--7 years in high-electricity-cost states (California, Hawaii, Massachusetts). A good consultation gives you a specific payback estimate for your address, utility rate, and incentive stack.
Getting competitive quotes and evaluating installers
Solar installer quotes vary enormously -- we've seen the same system quoted from $18,000 to $31,000. Key things to compare: total cost per watt (equipment + installation -- fair range is $2.50--$3.50/W in most markets), panel brand and wattage, inverter type (string vs microinverters vs power optimizers), warranty terms (panels typically 25 years, inverters 10--25 years, workmanship 5--25 years), financing vs cash purchase. The consultation gives you a framework for evaluating quotes and the specific questions to ask installers -- including questions most homeowners don't know to ask about permit handling, interconnection timelines, and monitoring setup.
Remote consult
Video call with satellite roof analysis, utility rate review, and written system recommendation.
From $49.99
On-site assessment
Physical roof inspection, shading analysis, and panel layout mockup included.
From $99.99
What you leave with
Know what you're buying before you sign anything.
Solar salespeople want to close. We want you to understand what you're getting and whether the numbers actually work for your home.
$49 remote or $99 on-site. Credited toward installation if you book through us.