How to Compare Solar Quotes: What to Look For Before You Choose

Final winter, we saved our home at 60 levels and our electrical invoice was STILL $280. I’ve been curious about photo voltaic for a very long time, however on the lengthy checklist of home initiatives (particularly once you’re restoring a 200 12 months previous home on the historic registry) some are extra urgent than others.

However with a number of of these main initiatives wrapping up, and a frightening invoice earlier than me, I figured now was the time for a fast google search on photo voltaic panels, and let me inform you….. It may be very overwhelming. 

Determining the principles (cough, cough, historic society), incentives or rebates if relevant, how a lot it will value, how a lot we might save, and so on. felt somewhat like a part-time job. However, one web site made it very easy to check issues, and I’m comfortable to be partnering with Aurora Photo voltaic to share that web site with you. 

As a result of I believe it is best to be capable to simply run the numbers on your own home with out a number of problem!

This submit is sponsored by Aurora Photo voltaic, however all ideas and opinions are my very own. 

In case you’ve ever gotten a photo voltaic quote, there’s an excellent probability that Aurora Photo voltaic was concerned. Aurora was based in 2013 after its co-founders spent seven months attempting to design a photo voltaic power system utilizing a patchwork of various instruments. 

Afterall, designing a photo voltaic system shouldn’t be more durable than really putting in one. So that they constructed software program particularly for photo voltaic professionals. Immediately, more than 7,000 solar organizations use Aurora, and greater than 20 million photo voltaic initiatives have been designed utilizing the platform. They’re additionally the largest solar software provider in the world. Their software program is utilized by roughly 80% of the highest 75 residential photo voltaic firms within the U.S.

All of this tech has been primarily utilized by skilled installers to map your roof after which create a proposal, however now Aurora is providing this tech to us to assist evaluate quotes. 

So as a substitute of getting to name a bunch of various installers, I might use the Aurora Solar Marketplace to grasp my photo voltaic potential, evaluate estimates, perceive my doable financial savings, look into battery storage and different house electrification incentives, and map out completely different financing choices.

1. understand how a lot electrical energy the system will really produce

Earlier than you even get into the worth, be sure you perceive what you’re really being quoted.

Two photo voltaic methods can have very completely different costs as a result of they will not be the identical measurement or produce the identical quantity of electrical energy. A less expensive system would possibly merely have fewer panels and offset much less of your electrical invoice.

With Aurora, you’ll be able to evaluate photo voltaic estimates and see the system measurement, power manufacturing, and the way a lot electrical energy the system ought to offset.

You too can add your utility invoice to get a solar estimate based more closely on your actual energy usage, to make the quote correct for you rather than a ‘generic family’.

2. perceive the photo voltaic payback interval

Aurora calculates issues like payback period and lifetime savings, which makes it a lot simpler to grasp the long-term funds.

The photo voltaic payback interval is principally how lengthy it takes on your estimated financial savings to make up for what you spent on the system, and that is the quantity that stunned me most!

One estimate had a payback interval of round 7 years, and one other was nearer to 11 years! Over 25 years, two of the estimates I checked out had nearly a $13,000 distinction in projected financial savings.

After all, these are nonetheless projections as electrical energy charges can change (HELLO 2026) however once you’re attempting to check two choices for a similar home, realizing that one is projected to pay for itself 4 years sooner is fairly helpful info.

3. look past the month-to-month fee

Relying on the installer, chances are you’ll be taking a look at a money buy, photo voltaic mortgage, lease, or energy buy settlement. 

However fortunately with Aurora you’ll be able to compare the different financing options side-by-side which makes it so much simpler to see the trade-offs. One possibility might have a decrease upfront value, one other might have a decrease month-to-month fee, and one other might offer you higher long-term financial savings.

4. discover out which photo voltaic incentives really apply to you

The minute you begin Googling photo voltaic, you will discover federal incentives, state incentives, utility packages, rebates, web metering, and an entire bunch of data which will or might not even apply to the place you reside.

And a few of the articles rating on the prime of Google are a number of years previous! (RIP to the federal incentives canceled on the finish of 2025.) However, Aurora can account for solar incentives when calculating the cost and savings of a system, together with state, native, and utility-specific packages.

I’d nonetheless double examine any incentive or tax profit you’re planning to make use of earlier than signing a contract, particularly as a result of packages and eligibility can change, however having all of the related info in the identical place makes the analysis course of a lot much less overwhelming.

5. analysis the installer, tools, and warranties

Aurora permits you to evaluate photo voltaic installers primarily based on issues like critiques, fame, pricing, and financing choices, which I believe is simply as necessary because the precise quote.