Solar Pricing in VA
- Thread starter Magna86
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dcg9381
Well-known member
Within a state, it can vary quite a bit due to differing requirements within municipalities. $40k for 8kw isn't unheard of. It's also depending on what you're installing - straight grid tie should be the easiest/cheapest.
An 8kw system, with rails, would probably cost me about $12,000 give or take (parts only). Margins here for solar are 100% or more.
An 8kw system, with rails, would probably cost me about $12,000 give or take (parts only). Margins here for solar are 100% or more.
vavet
Well-known member
We had it installed just over 2 years ago. We paid about $34k for a 10kw system.
I found a local company. I appreciated the sales rep's enthusiasm and the way he explained everything. I wanted to work with him, but his pricing was not competitive. I used energysage.com to find other vendors and then went back to the first guy. I asked him to provide a better quote if he could. I was willing to finance or pay cash, whichever got me the best deal. He came back with a better price. It still wasn't the lowest, but we went with it because they were local.
Two problems since installation: had some water leaking through the roof. I emailed the salesman over the weekend. The installation team was at the house first thing Monday morning before going to their install job for the day. Second problem about 10 months later: one of the microinverters failed. The repair tech came out, diagnosed it, got warranty replacement approval from the manufacturer, and we were back up the same day.
No one is perfect and don't expect perfect service or products, but I expect a willingness to stand behind it. The company we used absolutely stood behind it and did so quickly in both instances. That was why I wanted a local company. Unfortunately, they've since gone out of business, but our sales rep has started his own solar installation company.
I'll put in a shameless plug for energysage.com. They can help you find vendors, but they also provide a lot of specs for the panels and inverters so you can compare what different companies are offering you.
I found a local company. I appreciated the sales rep's enthusiasm and the way he explained everything. I wanted to work with him, but his pricing was not competitive. I used energysage.com to find other vendors and then went back to the first guy. I asked him to provide a better quote if he could. I was willing to finance or pay cash, whichever got me the best deal. He came back with a better price. It still wasn't the lowest, but we went with it because they were local.
Two problems since installation: had some water leaking through the roof. I emailed the salesman over the weekend. The installation team was at the house first thing Monday morning before going to their install job for the day. Second problem about 10 months later: one of the microinverters failed. The repair tech came out, diagnosed it, got warranty replacement approval from the manufacturer, and we were back up the same day.
No one is perfect and don't expect perfect service or products, but I expect a willingness to stand behind it. The company we used absolutely stood behind it and did so quickly in both instances. That was why I wanted a local company. Unfortunately, they've since gone out of business, but our sales rep has started his own solar installation company.
I'll put in a shameless plug for energysage.com. They can help you find vendors, but they also provide a lot of specs for the panels and inverters so you can compare what different companies are offering you.
sleek98
Well-known member
My mom got a quote last week, her pricing was 42k for a 15kw system using 450w panels. Unless you have something very special going on I think 40k for an 8kw system is pretty high. Her 12kw system was around 36k.
I paid 36k for a 12kw system but that was almost 4 years ago. (We got 1/2 of it paid for through incentives, and they were the lowest bid by far back then)
I paid 36k for a 12kw system but that was almost 4 years ago. (We got 1/2 of it paid for through incentives, and they were the lowest bid by far back then)
dcg9381
Well-known member
There are interesting things going on in the solar tariff space these days, might be worth paying attention to. My understanding is that the US was pushing up prices on panels out of China (most are out of China). China was working around by shipping into non-tariff countries and tying country of origin to the alternate country. I believe the US has "lifted" the tariff for certain countries until this can be sorted out. Republican administration was basically trying to make the US solar market competitive with China by pushing up prices, but the current administration seems to have other plans.
Definitely get alternate bids and report back. Also, if your system bid includes battery options, that may be why the price is high.
Here, the local power company completely flipped economics on solar. We went from a monthly net-metered scenario (which basically nets out power production/consumption credit dollar for dollar) to a "we'll only pay 50% of wholesale". This completely destroyed the long term economics of solar. One way to work around is to install a battery based system that can discharge to the home rather than the grid... This option (for me) adds another $6k in hardware costs... I assume another $10-$12k if I had it installed turn key.
Definitely get alternate bids and report back. Also, if your system bid includes battery options, that may be why the price is high.
Here, the local power company completely flipped economics on solar. We went from a monthly net-metered scenario (which basically nets out power production/consumption credit dollar for dollar) to a "we'll only pay 50% of wholesale". This completely destroyed the long term economics of solar. One way to work around is to install a battery based system that can discharge to the home rather than the grid... This option (for me) adds another $6k in hardware costs... I assume another $10-$12k if I had it installed turn key.
I am curious - Lead acid, standard lithium, or LiFePo4 batteries? I have been looking at LiFePo4 batteries and they look interesting…. If you used them every night, maybe a 6-10 year lifetime?
RivennHewn
Well-known member
I looked into it here in Washington state.
I didn’t really see any benefit.
It seems to me that if you finance the panels/install, your monthly payment is about equal to your electric bill. So what’s the gain?
The companies I talked to didn’t want to talk about paying in full.
They only want to make loans.
I didn’t really see any benefit.
It seems to me that if you finance the panels/install, your monthly payment is about equal to your electric bill. So what’s the gain?
The companies I talked to didn’t want to talk about paying in full.
They only want to make loans.
From what I can tell monetary value ($$) would come from State, Fed, power company incentives and buy backs
dcg9381
Well-known member
In theory (I'm not necessarily a proponent): energy costs over the next 20 years change. They're not going down. And you're decreasing the load on grid infrastructure.
RivennHewn
Well-known member
I may be dead in 5
.If the grid goes down, I’ll run out of ammo before the zombies stop coming for my power
My experience had incentives factored in.
Buy backs will go the way of
.dcg9381
Well-known member
I may be dead in 5
If the grid goes down, I’ll run out of ammo before the zombies stop coming for my power
The solution to this is clear: Buy more ammo.
Remind me to put up zombie proof fences around my water supply and generators.
See you in the latter days of the apocalypse!
Buy backs will go the way of.
Yea, that happened to me recently. Unfortunately. I'm working to make sure that the anti-solar people don't get re-elected to our power utility board.
American Locomotive
Well-known member
It's not the panel cost that's affecting solar install prices. Solar panels are cheap. 8KW of Panasonic Evervolt 370W panels (top of the line) will run you about $8,500 retail. The Solar installers are basically thieves, and as long as there are so many state/federal incentives to install it - they will continue charging their absolutely absurd installation prices.
$20,000-30,000 labor to do a day's work with a crew of 4. I'd certainly like to get paid $930+/hr.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Solar installer (thief) here.
It's a relatively niche market and being able to install in the nearest big city requires a $1M bond to the local utility. Go slightly outside that jurisdiction and there are basically no requirements other than a line drawing and a basic inspection.
Margins are high.. I really don't know why other than electricians don't have solar experience and around here, doing roof work in the summer is absolutely brutal..
I don't do this full time, but doing it on and off for a few home builders, I was easily clearing $100/hr - but it's hard work.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
why do you have 2 of the same thread?
Years ago tariffs and quotes were the norm for most goods .... in all countries. Used to protect native industries and to support growth on new ones.
Dumping has always been a problem ... more so in the USA due to our huge market. The transfer of good to other countries to circumvent rules is as old as time
Because my phone must have double posted when I created this. These quotes don't include any batteries. Right now just holding off. Maybe end of next year and we'll see how pricing goes.
This has some good diy information. I know very little about solar but the only way I'd have it done is if I bought everything wholesale and installed myself.
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