Solar might make sense for your home. A persuasive savings chart is not enough to know. Check the full price, your power use and the assumptions behind the pitch.
By ProjectSide · October 21, 2026
Start here.
The answer depends on your electricity use, roof or site, utility rules and complete cost. Compare a less optimistic savings scenario too. Backup power is a separate goal that needs its own equipment and price.
Use your bills as the starting point.
Gather a year of electricity use in kWh, not just a monthly payment. Note plans for an electric vehicle, a heat pump or other changes. Ask the installer to show how those assumptions affect the proposed system rather than treating future use as certain.
Separate three different goals.
Lowering electricity purchases, having backup during outages and owning equipment outright are different objectives. A bid should explain which goal it addresses. Ask for solar and battery costs separately if backup matters, so you can see what that capability adds.
What makes the solar savings estimate add up?
Ask which utility rate, export-credit assumptions, production estimate and ongoing costs are used. Compare cash and financed scenarios. A simple payback estimate based on the cash price does not describe the total cost of a long loan.
Try a less optimistic case.
Have the installer show what changes if production is lower, utility rates rise more slowly, or you move sooner than expected. This shows how much the result depends on the assumptions. If the proposal only looks attractive under one aggressive assumption, you should know that before committing.
Decide with a complete written offer.
Check roof condition, equipment, warranty responsibilities and installation exclusions alongside the financial picture. Verify incentives against current program rules before including them. We can gather options; Full Advocacy can help clarify competing proposals and negotiate the selected scope.
Get bids for free. Add comparison and negotiation if you need them.
Tell us what you need. We prepare a clear request, contact and screen contractors as we gather bids, and send you the written offers. You review them yourself. Bid coordination is free for homeowners.
Full Advocacy · $499
We compare the bids, get answers about missing details and put our recommendation in writing. Then we negotiate scope and price in one final round. Full Advocacy includes one local visit when needed, so we can step in for you and save you time on repeat consultations.
If you hire a participating contractor, they pay us a disclosed fixed success fee after you sign their agreement and they receive your initial deposit. You choose, hire and pay the contractor directly. Their fee is not added to your agreed contract price and does not change it. Savings are not guaranteed.
Start with a conversation
You do not need a bid to get started.
Bring your plans, questions or the bid you already have. We step in to organize the details and coordinate with contractors, so you spend less time repeating yourself. Optional $499 Full Advocacy adds comparison, negotiation and one local visit when needed. We’ll explain the help available before you commit.
Tell us about your project and where the property is. We’ll talk through your options on a free 5-minute call.
