What is the First Step in Installing Solar on My Home?
Quick answer: Start with your electric bills. Knowing your yearly usage and what you pay per kWh lets you size a system and judge quotes. Then check your roof’s age and sun exposure, your utility’s export rules and local incentives before getting at least three quotes.
It’s tempting to start by calling installers, but a little homework first puts you in a much better position to judge their quotes. Here’s the order that tends to work best.
1. Pull your last 12 months of electric bills
Note your total yearly kWh and what you actually pay per kWh, including delivery charges. These two numbers drive everything else: how big a system you need and how much it can save. If you’re planning an electric car, heat pump or other big new load, factor that in now.
2. Look at your roof
- Age and condition. If the roof has less than about 10 to 15 years left, replace it before installing solar.
- Direction. South-facing is best, east and west work well, north usually isn’t worth it.
- Shade. Trees, chimneys and neighboring buildings all cut output.
Our articles on roof strength and solar and trees go deeper.
3. Get a rough estimate on your own
Enter your address in NREL’s free PVWatts calculator to see how much a system would produce, then follow our guide on how many solar panels you need. Having your own ballpark numbers makes it much easier to spot a quote that’s oversized or overpriced.
4. Check your utility’s rules
Find out whether your utility offers net metering or net billing for new solar customers, and whether it caps system size. This can change how big a system makes sense and whether a battery is worth adding. Search your utility’s name plus “net metering” or “interconnection.”
5. See what incentives apply
The 30% federal tax credit for homeowners ended for systems installed after 2025, so state and utility programs matter more now. Check DSIRE and our guide to solar rebates and incentives.
6. Check HOA rules, if you have one
Many states limit how much an HOA can restrict solar, but you may still need architectural approval. See HOA and permit approvals.
7. Get at least three quotes
Compare them on:
- Price per watt (total price divided by system size in watts).
- The exact panels, inverters and any battery.
- Estimated yearly production, and how it compares with PVWatts for your address.
- Equipment warranties and the installer’s workmanship warranty.
- Who handles permits, utility paperwork and any roof repairs.
Check reviews and your state’s contractor license lookup. Be cautious with any company that pressures you to sign that day, won’t give a cash price, or promises a federal tax credit on a system installed in 2026.
8. Decide how to pay
Cash usually gets the lowest total cost. Loans can work, but ask for the cash price and the financed price side by side, since dealer fees often add 10% to 30%. Leases and PPAs need no money upfront but lock you into a 20- to 25-year contract. Our article on “free” solar offers explains the trade-offs.
9. Permits, installation and permission to operate
After you sign, the installer designs the system, pulls permits and files your utility application. Installation itself often takes one to three days. After the city’s final inspection, the utility gives permission to operate, and only then should the system be switched on. The whole process commonly takes one to three months.
What about doing it yourself?
DIY solar can save money, but a grid-tied home system isn’t a weekend project. You’ll still need building and electrical permits, inspections and a utility interconnection agreement, and many areas require a licensed electrician to make the final connection. Some manufacturer warranties also require professional installation. Small off-grid setups, like a shed or an RV, are a better place to start if you want to learn hands-on.
