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Evaluating Installation Quotes 

Adrienne SorensenOctober 3, 2018 1026 0

Evaluating Installation Quotes

It is a major financial decision to install residential solar panels. If you plan on installing solar for your home, comparing different solar quotes will ensure that you get a better deal, before you commit to a solar panel installer. By simply looking at different options, you can save a lot more than if you just pick the first or biggest solar panel installer.

 

While you are in the exploration phase and you aren’t even sure you want to make the leap, take the time to review different solar energy quotes in detail and don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions.

Price Per Watt

When looking at systems, you need to compare apples to apples. The best way to do that is to get the price of a system per watt. For example, if you are quoted a lump sum of $16,000 for a solar panel system (before tax rebates), to figure out how much it costs per watt, you first need to know the maximum wattage of your system.

 

If your system has 20 panels at 300 watts each, that means you have a 6 kW system or 6,000 watts. At $16,000, the price per watt comes out to $2.66. It may also be helpful to ask your solar company for an itemized price list so that you can see what that $16,000 actually includes, and make sure the company doesn’t stick you with any hidden fees.

Comparing Costs

Just like you should compare the cost of solar equipment, you should also compare the cost of installation services from various installers. You don’t want that $3 per watt price to rise to $5 or $6 dollars a watt because of hidden costs from an installer.

 

Though it is true that the more installers you talk to the more options you will have to compare, a good number to aim for is three to four installers. If you talk to just one installation company, especially if you let them know that you are talking to just one, you are giving that installer free reign to increase the cost of their services however high they can go, as they are not competing for business.

 

If those solar installers are competing for your business, they will change their price, or at least differentiate why they are a better choice. If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool.

 

Factor 30% Solar Tax Credit

Tax credits are accessible from the federal government. Claiming the tax credit with save 30% off the final installation costs. Ensure to consider the tax credit when evaluating at price of a lease or purchase. It’s crucial that the solar tax credit is only available for solar purchases. Solar leases apply the tax credit in exchange for a reduced upfront cost. In California, the average system size is a 5.0 kW system. By the CSI data, the average price for fully installed solar is $5.82 a watt. Using this average pricing data, 30% of that 5 kW system cost is $8,730 that is the potential tax credit for this scenario.

 

Choosing a solar lease, that entire amount is given up directly to the solar lease company. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years. For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.

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