Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

Valdemar
Valdemar Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Is there a method to gauge if I'm getting a fair deal on a solar install? Does $ per W system work? I haven't determined the total size yet but my guess the output will need to be somewhere around 7kW, or slightly more.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    Around $5 per Watt installed/turnkey seems to be pretty competitive at the moment for a "generic" install (before any rebates/credits). And some folks seem to have gotten it for less. Where you are in the country and local business climates will have a big impact too (cost of labor+permits, taxes, cost of living, etc.).

    But that is just what I have read here--I am not in the solar business or an installer.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    The bottom price I have heard around here for a professional install is about $4 a watt. Be aware that they have to clip the quality to the bone at every turn to get that. If you need or want microinverters it will be more, if it is a ground mount it will be more, if you need any service entrance work it is more.

    I just had to have some service work to repair conduit problems from one of those type of installs after about 3 years of operation.
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  • Valdemar
    Valdemar Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭
    #4
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    I'm in SoCal, Los Angeles region. There is an installer in Bay Area that advertizes $3.39/watt for a 5.0kW+ system with Canadian Solar panels/Enphase M215 inverters (before any incentives). Is this a realistic price?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #5
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    Check to see what the price would be if it included permits/local fees/sign-off with the utility, and the Enphase EMU.

    Also may depend on your roof structure (proper tilt, including engineering drawings + wet stamp for building permit, etc.).

    That is a pretty low price.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?
    Valdemar wrote: »
    I'm in SoCal, Los Angeles region. There is an installer in Bay Area that advertizes $3.39/watt for a 5.0kW+ system with Canadian Solar panels/Enphase M215 inverters (before any incentives). Is this a realistic price?

    Dirt cheap, the components for panels and inverters alone are over $2 at retail. Of course if they are buy large lot at wholesale then they may get a break to pass on to you. Certainly find out about racking style, and all the goodies Bill mentioned.
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  • Valdemar
    Valdemar Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭
    #7
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?
    BB. wrote: »
    Check to see what the price would be if it included permits/local fees/sign-off with the utility, and the Enphase EMU.

    Also may depend on your roof structure (proper tilt, including engineering drawings + wet stamp for building permit, etc.).

    That is a pretty low price.

    -Bill

    Enphase EMU is included, but no word about permits on their web-site, so likely it will be extra.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    I think the installers are shooting for a $3.50-$3.80 price, for simple roof mount systems, around the St. Louis area, trying to get in on the Ameren $2 a watt rebate program. I hear many of them have jobs lined up for a month+ so that price is likely to go up... Supply and demand...
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • SolarPowered
    SolarPowered Solar Expert Posts: 626 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?
    Photowhit wrote: »
    I think the installers are shooting for a $3.50-$3.80 price, for simple roof mount systems, around the St. Louis area, trying to get in on the Ameren $2 a watt rebate program. I hear many of them have jobs lined up for a month+ so that price is likely to go up... Supply and demand...

    I'm a GC and I charge $1.20 per watt for install however I self perform and have a qualified NABCEP technician (new Hire Trainee) with me that I pay $16.00 an hour for, in California for residential. Then again solar in California is highly competitive. That $1.20 is based on a single story home with roof shingle or bitchumen composite only. With tile roofs, and any elevation above a single story home the price goes up.

    On a Commercial scale Electrical scope of work typically is .80 per watt, while structural scopes of work range from .65 to .85 per watt depending if it is roof mount, ground mount, or Parking structure.

    Your best bet is to out right purchase the system yourself and lock a contractor in at $1.20, the only way that price would go up is if you have to upgrade your service panel from 100 amp to 200 amp from exceeding the 120% above name plate ampacity rule of interconnection according to NEC code.
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  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    A regional PV firm in Me and NH is in the $3.8 to $4 range for a "clean install". This is with enphase microinverters. "Clean" is easy access flat roof, no special snow or wind loads, enough capacity in the main panel. This also assumes no need for PE stamps on plans or a lot of paperwork in general

    If you are heading to 7KW, you may run afoul of the 20% rule on the main panel and require a line size tap or other method that will bump up the cost. I spent around $500 extra to deal with the 20% rule on my system.

    The other thing to consider is that you need a lot of roof space, generally the lower cost per watt of panels, the less efficient they are . This isnt a problem unless you run out of roof, but if you do, you will need to go with higher efficiency panels at a higher cost per watt.
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  • solarix
    solarix Solar Expert Posts: 713 ✭✭
    #11
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?

    In this area of Arizona, which is a pretty competitive market, the going rate (not including leased systems which dominate the sales) is below $3/watt out the door pricing.
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  • Valdemar
    Valdemar Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭
    #12
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?
    peakbagger wrote: »
    A regional PV firm in Me and NH is in the $3.8 to $4 range for a "clean install". This is with enphase microinverters. "Clean" is easy access flat roof, no special snow or wind loads, enough capacity in the main panel. This also assumes no need for PE stamps on plans or a lot of paperwork in general

    If you are heading to 7KW, you may run afoul of the 20% rule on the main panel and require a line size tap or other method that will bump up the cost. I spent around $500 extra to deal with the 20% rule on my system.

    The other thing to consider is that you need a lot of roof space, generally the lower cost per watt of panels, the less efficient they are . This isnt a problem unless you run out of roof, but if you do, you will need to go with higher efficiency panels at a higher cost per watt.

    Yeah, the main panel will be a problem, I have a separate thread on that, a new one will be needed and it is a separate expense around $2000 I'm already aware of, so this question is just for solar alone (panel, inverters, mounts, electrical parts, installation labor, etc.). Lots of South-East facing moderately sloped roof space, so lower efficiency should be okay.
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  • CVN-71
    CVN-71 Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: Fair price for a grid-tied solar system install?
    peakbagger wrote: »
    A regional PV firm in Me and NH is in the $3.8 to $4 range for a "clean install". This is with enphase microinverters. "Clean" is easy access flat roof, no special snow or wind loads, enough capacity in the main panel. This also assumes no need for PE stamps on plans or a lot of paperwork in general

    If you are heading to 7KW, you may run afoul of the 20% rule on the main panel and require a line size tap or other method that will bump up the cost. I spent around $500 extra to deal with the 20% rule on my system.

    The other thing to consider is that you need a lot of roof space, generally the lower cost per watt of panels, the less efficient they are . This isnt a problem unless you run out of roof, but if you do, you will need to go with higher efficiency panels at a higher cost per watt.

    Do you have the name of this installer? A friend is looking for a good reliable installer in NH. Thanks.
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