The Complete Guide to Going Solar in California

Going solar involves one big decision and a lot of small details. This playbook walks a California homeowner through all of it, in order — from "is my roof even good for this?" to the first shrunken utility bill.

Step 1: Check whether your home is a good candidate

• Roof orientation. South-facing is ideal in California; west and east work well too. Pure north-facing planes rarely pay.
• Shade. Occasional shade is manageable with microinverters; heavy all-day tree cover is a real problem (sometimes solved with trimming).
• Roof age. If your roof needs replacement within ~5 years, do it first or bundle it — removing and reinstalling panels later costs thousands.
• Your bill. The bigger your electric bill, the better the return. Above ~$150/month in California, the math usually works comfortably.
• Ownership. You need to own the home. (Renters: your leverage is asking the landlord — and choosing community solar where available.)

Step 2: Understand your usage

Pull up 12 months of utility bills (your utility's website shows this) and find your annual kWh. This number — not square footage — determines system size. Planning an EV, pool, heat pump, or ADU? Say so during design; it's far cheaper to size for the future now than to expand later.

Step 3: Get and compare quotes

Reduce every proposal to five comparable facts:

• Price per watt (total price ÷ system watts) on equivalent equipment tiers;
• Production estimate (annual kWh) and the assumptions behind it;
• Equipment — panel model and efficiency, inverter type, battery brand;
• Warranties — product, performance, workmanship, and who stands behind them;
• Who installs — in-house crews or subcontractors.

Step 4: Choose how to pay

• Cash — strongest lifetime return, payback typically 6–10 years.
• $0-down loan — payment designed to undercut your current bill; you own the system and its warranties.
• Lease/PPA — $0 down, provider owns and maintains the system, and in 2026 this is the structure that still captures federal credits (passed through as lower rates).

Step 5: Design review — the details worth your attention

• Panel layout vs. your roof's best sun (ask to see the shade analysis);
• Battery sizing against your evening usage and backup priorities;
• Rate plan the design assumes — it should be the best solar TOU plan your utility offers;
• Main electrical panel: confirm whether an upgrade is included and priced.

Step 6: Permits, installation, inspection

A full-service installer handles city permits, HOA approval, utility interconnection, and inspection scheduling. Your job is to be home on install day (usually one day) and for the city inspection (often under an hour). After the utility grants Permission to Operate, your system switches on for good.

Step 7: Your first solar bill

Expect two changes: a small fixed connection charge you'll always pay, and an energy balance that reflects solar production, battery behavior, and any exports. Check your monitoring app against the design's production forecast — a healthy system should track it closely on an annual basis (month to month varies with weather).

Shortcut: let us run the first mile

Our instant estimator handles steps 1–2 in about a minute: your utility's rates, your bill, a right-sized system, and honest savings math. From there, a free satellite design shows you exactly what your roof can do — before you talk to anyone.