How to Navigate Home Solar Installation: A 5-Step Expert Guide
Considering solar panels for your home? You’re not alone. Rooftop solar adoption continues to grow across Alameda and San Joaquin Counties. To help you navigate the process with confidence, we sat down with our friend Dan Lieberman, former Director of Marketing at Ava and a true solar pioneer.
Dan installed his first solar system in 2001 at his home in Albany—long before residential solar became mainstream. “That was really early days. There essentially were no solar companies,” Dan recalls.
“I bought a 1kW kit from Palo Alto Hardware, it was delivered on a pallet outside the house, and I worked with an electrician—and it was his first ever solar install.”
With experience as a former board member of the Northern California Solar Energy Association and previous work at SunEdison, Dan brings decades of solar expertise to the table. “When friends ask me about going solar, I try to give them the straightforward advice I wish I had when I started,” says Dan. Here, he breaks down how to navigate the process of understanding your needs, finding the right vendor, comparing options, and maintaining your solar system beyond installation.
Before You Begin: How Solar Changes Your Bill
When you install solar panels, your relationship with your electricity bill changes. Instead of simply paying for the electricity you use, you’ll produce some of your own energy and may send excess back to the grid when your panels generate more than you need. When you produce less electricity than you consume, you’re buying that electricity from Ava via PG&E’s electrical grid.
What Is a True-Up?
One concept many new solar owners find confusing is the “true-up.” Dan emphasizes it’s important to understand how this works before making the investment. The key takeaway: it’s not an extra charge.
- When your solar system produces more electricity than you use, that excess energy goes back to the grid and earns you credits.
- When you need more electricity than your system produces, you draw power from the grid.
- Your monthly PG&E bill shows your current charges and credits, but you pay a monthly minimum fee of around $12. Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Solar Bill Payment (SBP) customers can defer the balance of their payment until the annual true-up.
- Once a year, PG&E sends a true-up statement that reconciles all your energy production, consumption, and credits for the entire 12-month period
- As an Ava customer, you can choose a monthly or annual true-up. You continue to pay PG&E their minimum monthly delivery charge and have your annual true-up with PG&E on your interconnection anniversary date for the services they provide.
The specifics of your true-up depend on which net metering program applies to your system:
- NEM 1 and NEM 2 customers receive credits closer to retail electricity rates
- SBP customers (solar installed after April 15, 2023) receive significantly lower credits
Dan adds, “Understanding this concept before going solar helps you make better decisions about your system size and manage your energy use throughout the year.”
Step 1: Get Multiple Quotes
Dan recommends contacting at least three different solar vendors, and suggests including:
- A local installer with positive reviews or neighbor recommendations
- A national provider with an established track record
- An aggregator site (like EnergySage or Pick My Solar) that collects multiple proposals for you
Before your consultation, gather your recent electricity bills. Solar providers need to understand your typical usage to design a system that matches your needs. They’ll also ask you questions about your location, the age of your roof, and your main goals for going solar.
Step 2: Compare Proposals Wisely
When you receive multiple quotes, focus on these key factors:
“In my experience, oversizing your system primarily benefits the utility, not you.”
Check the System Size
Make sure the proposed system matches your actual needs based on:
- Your past year’s electricity consumption
- Any planned changes, like purchasing an electric vehicle or installing a heat pump
“In my experience, oversizing your system primarily benefits the utility, not you,” Dan says. In other words, a system that produces a lot more than your annual usage typically doesn’t make financial sense unless you’re planning major increases in electricity consumption soon.
Find the Total Cost Per Watt Installed (not including incentives)
“This is the most important comparison metric,” Dan advises. Each proposal may use different units (kW, annual kWh production estimates, or number of panels, for example). Calculating the cost per watt installed (not including incentives) helps you make apples-to-apples comparisons.
For example, if a 6 kW system (6,000 watts) costs $18,000 including all labor and materials, the cost per watt installed is $3.00 ($18,000 ÷ 6,000 watts). According to Energy Sage, as of March 2025, you’ll pay an average of $11,505 to install a 5 kW solar panel system in California, before incentives. That’s $2.30 per watt installed, not including incentives.
Step 3: Understand Your Equipment Options
Inverters: The Heart of Your Solar System
Inverters convert direct current (DC) electricity from your panels into alternating current (AC) electricity for your home. There are two main types:
- String inverters: One unit handles conversion for multiple panels
- Microinverters: Each panel has its own inverter, providing better performance if some panels are shaded
“I have a string inverter system at my home,” Dan shares. “String inverters are low cost and simple, but tend to be the first component that needs replacement. I’ve had to replace mine once. Microinverters have a longer warranty, but can have a higher up-front cost.”
Consider Battery Storage
Adding a battery storage system allows you to:
- Maintain power during grid outages
- Use your stored energy during peak hours when electricity rates are higher, so you save the most money per unit of electricity you generate
- Decrease the amount of energy you pull from the grid
While batteries add to your upfront cost, they enhance the value of your solar investment, especially in areas with frequent power interruptions.
Step 4: Choose Your Payment Option
After you’ve chosen a proposal, the next step is to determine how you want to pay for it. Solar financing comes in several forms, each with different implications:
Cash Purchase
- Highest upfront cost
- Maximum long-term savings
- Simplest ownership structure
Loan
- Spreads costs over time
- Maintains ownership benefits like tax incentives
- Various terms and interest rates available
Lease or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
- Minimal upfront cost
- Fixed monthly payment (lease) or pay only for electricity produced (PPA)
- The provider typically handles maintenance
When evaluating payment options, carefully consider:
- Contract length
- Escalator clauses on leases or PPAs that increase payment costs over time
- What happens if/when you sell your home
- End-of-term conditions (removal fees, buyout options)
Step 5: Installation and Maintenance
After selecting a provider:
- They’ll assess your roof condition and electrical panel.
- Your installer will handle permitting with your city and PG&E.
- Installation typically takes 1-2 days for residential systems.
- PG&E conducts a final inspection before system activation. If you pass, they give you permission to operate.
Minimal Maintenance Required
Solar systems need very little maintenance:
- An annual cleaning during the dry season removes dust and debris
- Rain naturally cleans panels throughout the year
- Most system issues involve inverters, which are replaceable components
“In my experience, maintenance has been surprisingly simple,” Dan says. “I do a quick cleaning once a year, and the rain takes care of the rest. My inverter lasted 20 years before needing replacement.”
Making Solar Work for You
Solar power is a long-term investment that can provide significant energy savings while reducing your carbon footprint.
“The best solar system isn’t necessarily the biggest or even one that covers all of your electricity usage,” Dan concludes. “It’s the one that’s properly sized for your needs and budget.”
