SOLAR SIMPLIFIED

The Process

Getting solar installed can seem like a daunting task, and it would be, without the right team of experienced professionals to help get the job done. We make sure your home qualifies and work with the county or city you live in, the utility company you are serviced by, and your homeowner’s association (HOA), if you have one. We make everything as simple as possible so that all you have to do is allow us access to your home a few times to do our work.

Below is an outline of the process, so you know what to expect from start to finish. Keep in mind that every home, municipality, and utility company is different, and there will be outliers. Some will be quicker and some will be slower, depending on your local process. Also, customer availability can make a big difference on the overall timeframe.

Initial Consultation

Meet with an energy consultant to determine if your home is likely to qualify well for solar and to get an understanding of how it would all work. The consultant will schedule an appointment to return 1-4 days later, after working up a potential system design, and will leave paperwork with you to review.

Design Review Appointment

The consultant returns to answer any questions and to review the design. Any last minute adjustments are made, if necessary. When you are happy with your design and sign off on it, you are scheduled for a site survey to do a thorough inspection of the home.

Schedule Site Survey

Usually scheduled within 1-5 days from the design review appointment, your home is inspected for solar-readiness. You must be present for this.

Permits/Utility Approval/HOA

If the site survey determines the home to be solar-ready, we will submit requests for utility and HOA approval, as well as permits. These can take anywhere from 2 weeks to several months to receive approval.

Installation

As soon as all approvals are received, we will contact you to schedule the installation. We are generally booked out 1-4 weeks, and depending on the size of the system, the installation can take 1-2 days. You will need to be home for at least the first day of installation work.

Inspection

The system must pass inspection in order for the permit to be closed out. You will need to be present for this. It’s on the local inspector’s timeline, and we have very little control over it. Inspections usually take place within a week of installation. Inspections pass on the first attempt the majority of the time, but it isn’t abnormal for some adjustments to be made and to have a reinspection.

Permission to Operate

Once the inspection passes, we send the final application to the utility company for them to swap the current meter to a net meter. You do not need to be present for this step. Once the meter is swapped, they will send us a letter granting authorization to turn the system on. As soon as the system is turned on, your home starts producing its own solar power.