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Buddy asking if his quote is "reasonable"

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beckkl

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A friend of mine just received some quotes for 18 390W panels with enphase microinverters. $17K installed after all of the tax credits. He felt it was very expensive (WI), but when you add in racking, cabling, permits, labor, etc, it did not seem super crazy to me. I've not engaged a solar installer previously so I was curious what others might think.
 
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A bit more. The market is certainly saying its an appropriate cost. I just wonder if you are collectively seeing some big labor markups now because they are busy. I guess that's just free markets doing their thing. I wish I could help him out to save some money but in our area you will be executed by the local inspection inquisitor if you try to replace a light bulb without a permit. I kid, but it is crazy compared to where my camp is, which you can do anything as long as it passes inspection.
 
The easiest way for him to determine this is to get more than one quote.
 
Some simple napkin math:
18 x 390W panels @ $350 ea = $6,300
18 x IQ7A microinverters @ $175 ea = $3,150
Total of $9,450 just for those 2 items without including any of the extras you mentioned above.

17K after tax credit works out to about 22K actual price. Its not the deal of the century by any means but doesn't seem they are overcharging either.
 
Before-tax credit, that's $3.41/Watt DC! That's a very high price, IMO. Installed, without batteries, should be around $2.65/Wdc BITC, but I don't live in WI. I think anything over $3/W is very high, without batteries. Is this a ground mount? That would justify the price. Otherwise, he is absolutely right. It's very high.
 
Safe to assume this is roof mount? Was almost thinking it was ground with the tag.
 
He got three quotes. All were similar. I apparently am in the wrong business.
 
I figure hardware for a string inverter system costs about $1/watt. Rapid shutdown adds some, and microinverters cost a bit more.
His quote was $2.42 per STC watt of panels. Assuming 26% tax credit included, $3.27 per watt.

What is AC wattage rating of microinverters? That, and expected panel wattage under normal conditions, will push cost a bit higher.

I think these prices are in the normal range. Labor and whatnot costs money.
He needs to consider utility rate schedules, how they will be changed the moment he installs solar, what is coming down the regulatory pipeline soon after.
Look at it in terms of payback time and savings. If there are not significant savings vs. buying from utility, don't do it.

Will he want battery backup later? Buy a system supporting the backup (functionality and price) you want.
 
Hedges said:
I figure hardware for a string inverter system costs about $1/watt. Rapid shutdown adds some, and microinverters cost a bit more.
His quote was $2.42 per STC watt of panels. Assuming 26% tax credit included, $3.27 per watt.

What is AC wattage rating of microinverters? That, and expected panel wattage under normal conditions, will push cost a bit higher.

I think these prices are in the normal range. Labor and whatnot costs money.
He needs to consider utility rate schedules, how they will be changed the moment he installs solar, what is coming down the regulatory pipeline soon after.
Look at it in terms of payback time and savings. If there are not significant savings vs. buying from utility, don't do it.

Will he want battery backup later? Buy a system supporting the backup (functionality and price) you want.
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This is the primary reason I have not installed solar on my home. The only way it works out financially is if I source and install the components myself, which is pretty much impossible in my city. If my roof was walkable I would just panel the shit out of it and install a separate panel in the basement to run off battery.

The only other possibility is to find a roofer or someone to install the panels and then bring in a solar contractor only when the majority of the labor has been completed without the massive markup.

In my area there are three or so very large installers and with the amount of advertising they do on the radio, ads at the ballpark, etc, you know you the equipment cost must be lower than 20% of the quoted price.
 
In NC, any electrical contractor can install solar. You can do all the work yourself and just hire the electrician to make the final interconnection, and inspection, before final inspection. Are you sure you can't just hire an electrician to do it?
 
ncsolarelectric said:
In NC, any electrical contractor can install solar. You can do all the work yourself and just hire the electrician to make the final interconnection, and inspection, before final inspection. Are you sure you can't just hire an electrician to do it?
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Yeah, possibly. The few I talked do said "I don't do solar", but maybe I should try a few more.
 
According to THIS website, you don't even need an electrician's license to install solar on your own home in Wisconsin. You can DIY it if your town allows it. There are no special license requirements. Usually, all that is required is that you own the home, are not renting to anyone living there, have no intent to rent or sell it in the near future, and are qualified with the appropriate OSHA/Electrical safety training. This would be called out specifically by the board of electrical contractors in WI.
 
But if you are a landlord, you can't perform your own work?

In California, I think we can build a home so long as we aren't planning to immediately sell it. I don't think building for rental kicks in the restriction.

Also, formal safety training required for DIY? Does that apply to all permitted work, or was it made special for PV?
 
Not in my city:

"An electrical permit is required to install any fixture, circuit, device, appliance or component, or to alter any aspect of the electrical system. A licensed electrical contractor must perform all electrical work. EXCEPTION: A homeowner (who resides at the property) may replace switches, receptacles, fixtures and appliances without a permit provided that no alteration to the existing electrical system is needed. "
 
Hedges said:
But if you are a landlord, you can't perform your own work?

In California, I think we can build a home so long as we aren't planning to immediately sell it. I don't think building for rental kicks in the restriction.

Also, formal safety training required for DIY? Does that apply to all permitted work, or was it made special for PV?
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It's in the NEC. If you're not qualified, it's a code violation.
 
beckkl said:
Not in my city:

"An electrical permit is required to install any fixture, circuit, device, appliance or component, or to alter any aspect of the electrical system. A licensed electrical contractor must perform all electrical work. EXCEPTION: A homeowner (who resides at the property) may replace switches, receptacles, fixtures and appliances without a permit provided that no alteration to the existing electrical system is needed. "
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Usually, cord-connected appliances and equipment are exempt from that. When you use microinverters, it's all cord, plug, and receptacle connections, all the way to the main panel/switch/meter. The only part that needs an electrician is the interconnection. The rest can all be done DIY, with a permit.
 
That's pretty reasonable, honestly. Like others said, it's not the best deal ever but it's definitely not on the overly expensive side.
 
About $24k pre-incentives for about 7 kW nameplate rating? That's in the ballpark of what my similar system (Canadian Solar panels, Enphase micro inverters, roughly same capacity) was in 2019.
 
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