How Much Is A Solar Panel For Home

How Can You Find The Right Solar Installation Company

At SolarReviews, we recommend going with a reputable local solar installer. Generally, youll want the installer to meet these requirements:

• Been in business for over 5 years
• Hires their own installation crew
• Has between 15 and 20 employees
• At least one NABCEP-certified installer

But remember, you also want to make sure the company is charging a fair price for their services. If its too cheap, you might have to worry about a shoddy installation or low-quality equipment. If its too expensive, you might be paying an extra premium for no added benefits.

You need to find a happy medium of a solid price from a trusted company that uses high-quality materials. The best way to connect with companies in your area is by using our state-of-the-art solar calculator, which will not only give you a detailed cost and savings estimate catered to your specific home, but will also put you in contact with our vetted solar installers.

Learn more: Guide to the top-rated solar installers in your area

Estimate Residential Solar Panel Cost

The brunt of the expense with solar panels is in installation and the purchase of the actual panels.

» MORE: Compare solar loans and apply

Minimal long-term expenses can make up for the upfront costs. Most systems dont require much maintenance and are designed to last for 20 years or more with little change to the amount of electricity produced, Nilsen says.

When calculating the total price, consider how much energy you regularly consume your usage is listed on your monthly utility bill and what size system will generate the amount needed. Some tools, like the SolarReviews calculator, estimate the system size for you.

With installation, an average residential 5kW size system costs between $3 and $5 per watt, according to the CSE, which results in the $15,000 to $25,000 range. That cost is before any tax credits and incentives.

If you know your current energy usage, you can calculate how much youll need to pay for solar panels.

» MORE: Calculate your monthly payments on a solar loan

Then comparison shop for solar panels as you would other big-ticket items, such as a car or TV, says Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of the solar marketplace EnergySage. Some companies lower installation costs through rebates and other programs.

Aggarwal recommends getting quotes from three to five contractors. EnergySage compiles solar companies customer reviews, certifications, Better Business Bureau profiles and other information to help you find reputable providers.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost For An Average Home In 2022

The average residential solar panel installation cost today is between $13,098 and $16,872 after claiming the 26% federal solar tax credit . This works out to an average of less than $3.00 per watt installed, which is more than 70% cheaper than the cost of solar just 10 years ago!

*Based on 350-watt panels

Solar panels have next to no long-term maintenance costs, so solar is mostly a one-time investment. Solar prices have leveled out over the last two years and we are not forecasting any further falls to solar panel prices over the course of 2022.

Also Check: How To Check Solar Panels Are Working

What Factors Affect Solar System Cost

A single solar panel costs between $2.67 and $3.43 to buy and install.4 The price of the whole system is based on its capacity, measured in watts. How big a system you need will be based on how much energy you use, your roofs sunlight exposure and panel efficiency.

The amount you save will rely on several factors, including:18

• Regions sunlight exposure

Source:

How Many Solar Panels Will You Need

To know how many solar panels you will need, you will want to determine how much electricity you use in your home and the solar panel types installed.

The average house in the United States uses about 900 kilowatt hours a monthroughly 11,000 kWh a year. You can easily calculate your actual usage by looking back at your electricity bills. As a general rule of thumb

• A 3-kWh solar panel system will generate about 3,600 kWh 4,800 kWh per year.
• A 5-kWh system produces about 6,000 8,000 kWh per year.
• A 10-kWh system can produce about 12,000 kWh 16,000 kWh per year.

Depending on the size of the system, the solar panels cost would be between $4,000 and $16,000. Add in another $3,000 to $10,000 for other necessary components, such as racks for the panels, wiring, solar inverter costs, and the total solar panel installation cost would now be closer to $20,000.

Talk to Contractors

Also Check: How Much Does A 10kw Solar System Produce

What Are The Upfront Costs Of Getting Solar Installed And Is Finance Worth It

These days there are loads of companies that offer no deposit and zero-interest for the first couple of years on solar installation. That means you can walk right into a solar system with nothing down. The payments will be very similar or less than your current electricity bill, so there really is no reason not to get a system installed.

Home Resale Value Increase

Were often asked if solar panels increase property value. Since a solar energy system is an asset just like any other, it does add to the value of your home.

However, this is only true if you own the system, rather than lease it.

A well known Zillow study shows us that homes with solar installations tend to sell for about 4.1% more than homes without.3 The value added will depend on the system size, quality and age of the installation.

As a bonus, if your state offers a property tax exemption for a solar installation, you wont have to pay the additional property taxes on the boost in property value provided by solar.

Recommended Reading: How To Establish A Solo 401k

What Determines The Cost Of Solar Panels

While the actual costs of solar panels and inverters have come down significantly in the past decade, the so-called soft costs remain high. Such costs include permitting, inspection, interconnection, marketing, sales tax, supply chain costs, and overhead. The costs of PV solar systems differ from state to state largely due to the red tape surrounding permitting, inspection, and interconnection. Even within the same state, the cost of solar panels largely depends on a number of factors. In addition, federal, state, and local financial incentive programs can also determine the final cost of a PV solar system.

• Solar system size and electricity consumption. Residential solar panel costs can vary based on the size of the system specific to your households needs. The larger the solar system, the higher the installation costs. Your past electricity usage can determine how much solar panels will cost for you. Your electricity consumption every month and the rate your utility charges you for the amount of kW/h used from the power grid determine your electricity bill. To find out how much electricity you consume, you can use this simple formula:
• Calculate the watts each device uses per day.
• Convert watts to kW .
• Determine the kW an appliance uses per month.
• Figure out the cost by multiplying the kW per month by your electric rate.

• Types of solar panels. There are three major types of solar panels on the market with different characteristics that determine their prices.

Find Cost Savings On Solar In Your Area

As a homeowner, you may be wondering: How much do solar panels cost in your area? In this article, well discuss the average cost of a solar installation, how much you can save on energy for your home and what incentives are available in your region. If you want to jump straight to getting a quote for an installation, you can follow the links below to speak with a verified professional.

• Most efficient panels on the market
• National coverage
• Cradle to Cradle sustainability certification
• Great warranty coverage
• Customer service varies by local dealer

Services Offered

• Doesn’t offer solar batteries

Services Offered

• Concierge service ensures steady communication
• Representatives are experts on local policies
• Slightly limited service offerings
• Only available in 11 states

Services Offered

• Sleek, efficient and durable solar panels
• Best solar battery on the market
• Some reported issues with customer service
• Customer service varies by local dealer

Services Offered

Even though the cost of solar has dropped 80% in the last decade, the upfront cost of solar panels is still significant. When selecting the best solar company for your home installation, price is one of the largest factors.

If youre looking to work with a solar installer, we recommend getting quotes from a variety of providers.

Don’t Miss: What Can A 25 Watt Solar Panel Run

Are Solar Panels Worth It For Your Home

Solar panels are almost always a worthwhile investment, especially in places with solid net metering policies and local solar incentives.

Of course, there are certain scenarios in which rooftop solar panels arent a good fit, like if you have nowhere to put the system, you plan to move soon, or your energy costs are already low.

Learn more: 7 reasons why you should hold off on installing solar panels

To guarantee that you have access to net metering and the 26% tax credit, the best time to go solar is now. Plus youll get to see solar savings sooner, which puts more money in your pocket to use on things you actually care about – instead of your electric bill.

Installing solar panels not only allows you to save big on your electric bills, but it also helps you lower your carbon footprint while giving you more independence, especially when you pair solar with battery storage.

Although battery storage doesnt make sense financially everywhere just yet, as we see more states eliminating net metering and blackouts becoming more common, more homeowners will start adopting storage along with solar panels.

The best way to know if solar is right for you is to use our solar calculator. Our state-of-the-art calculator provides accurate cost and savings estimates for your specific home, so you can get a better idea of whether or not solar is a worthwhile investment for you.

See how much solar panels will save you over their 25-year lifespan

What Adds Up The Cost Of Solar Power System For A 1500 Square Foot House

There are many factors which could result in adding up cost to your solar panel installations. For example, if panels are to be installed at a roof space where direct sun light doesnt illuminate for a long time, larger solar array with more panels would be needed to fulfill your energy requirements and thus shooting the costs up.

Or maybe there is a tree or building nearby which blocks your panels from getting full sunshine exposure. This would also hinder your panels from working efficiently and adding up the cost.

Or maybe there is a tree or building nearby which blocks your panels from getting full sunshine exposure. This would also hinder your panels from working efficiently and adding up the cost.

Labor cost or solar company charges might also contribute to this cost. There would be little maintenance costs also for your solar panels. Maintenance is recommended two to three times a year and costs very little. Yet it is something to be considered before installing solar panels.

There are some other electronic components needed to make your solar panels be useful asset like power inverter, charge controller, solar battery etc. These all individual units add up the cost of overall solar system.

Don’t Miss: How To Build Your Own Solar Panels From Scratch

What Factors Can Affect The Cost Of Solar Panels For Your Home

Electricity consumption of your home

Basically, if you use more power, you are going to need a bigger system to keep up with demand. It kind of cons with the territory with larger families. More lights, televisions, fridges, etc. The more power you need, the more your solar power system will cost.

Home location

Depending on where you live in Australia, will have an effect on the price to install your solar PV system. Different states have different rebates so this affects the overall cost of system installation. Also, the amount of sunlight you get in Tasmania will be different from that in Darwin, so the number of panels can vary to produce the same amount of power.

The quality of panels and inverter you invest in

If you dont do your research, you can end up paying twice as much for the same quality solar system all depending on the brands of the panel and inverter your installer talks you into.

Ease of installation

Some homes are a bit of a nightmare to install panels on and it simply takes longer. For example, a 2 story house with a flat roof is going to take longer than a single-story home with a pitch that requires less work. Labour costs are a factor, but not as much as the hardware itself.

Hyundai Solar Panels Cost

Hyundai solar panels cost $3.02 a watt. This translates to $14,880 to $21,360 for a 6kW system fully installed. Many factors impact the total installation cost. This includes your location, amount of shade, roof pitch, and inverter type. Hyundai has a very large range of solar panels, including watts up to 405 per panel.

Read Also: How Much Does A 20kw Solar System Cost

How Does Sunlight Amount Affect Solar Panels

Different areas of the United States receive more or less sunlight compared to other areas. The amount of sunlight you receive directly correlates with how many solar panels you will need.

Typically, southern states get more sun than northern states. But southern states with higher altitudes and less cloud coverthink of Arizona and New Mexicoget more energy from the sun than states such as Florida or Georgia. So, for the same size house, you would generally need more solar panels in Georgia than you would in Arizona.

Remember, the sun may be shining, but if it is behind a cloud, youre not getting the same amount of solar energy absorbed by your solar PV system. This means that a solar panel in San Diego will produce more energy in a year than the same exact solar panel located in Seattle.

The image below will help you determine the solar energy, known as solar insolation, in your area. Exploring your sun number score should also be helpful. If your roof does not get a good amount of sunlight and you live on a good size amount of land, you may have other options for mounting solar panels elsewhere with better sunlight.

How To Really Tell What Solar Would Cost For Your Home

The best way to get a good idea of what solar would cost for your home, regardless of size, is to reach out to trusted solar installers and get competitive quotes. While a quote from Paradise Energy Solutions is always obligation-free, and our solar consultants wont take a pushy, high-pressure sales approach, we understand you may not be ready to take that step.

While we may not be able to give you a good idea of the cost of solar panels for your home based on size, you can get a general idea based on how much electricity you use.

Also Check: How To Ground Solar Panels

What Are The Different Types Of Solar Systems You Can Get For Your Home

Until recently, most solar systems that were installed on homes were simple grid-tied systems because this is the cheapest type of solar system. Their low cost means they offer the quickest payback. However, these systems switch off when the utility grid is down and so they do not offer backup power when the grid is out.

More and more people are now considering adding solar batteries to their solar system so that they have backup power if the electric grid is down. Residential solar systems with battery backup, that are also connected to the utility grid, are called hybrid solar systems.

There is a third type: off-grid solar systems. However, few people elect to go off-grid unless they live in a remote area because off-grid systems are expensive.

Solar Panel Cost For A 2500 Sqft Home

The cost range of installing solar panels for a 2,500 sq.ft. home ranges from $18,000 to $55,000. Many different factors determine the number of panels and cost. Homes this size require more panels than smaller homes even for basic needs. If you add in any major electrical systems, such as HVAC, your costs will be higher. If you want to reduce your dependency on the grid by a significant amount, your costs will be higher as well. If you have relatively low energy needs, your costs could be even lower than the average.

You May Like: How To Make A Camper Solar Powered

Initial Installation And Ongoing Maintenance Expenses

Sticker shock is common in solar, especially for those advertised misleading marketing like free solar panels or get paid to go solar.

The upfront expense of solar panels can be expensive, but its important to remember that going solar is often cheaper than doing nothing. When considering the upfront solar investment, remember to compare it to what you might spend on electricity over the next 25 years without solar.

After installation, its also important to remember that there will be maintenance fees that solar panel owners are responsible for.

Pros And Cons Of Solar Panels For Your Home

Like most things, solar power has its benefits and drawbacks. At the same time, some economic costs may be defrayed by the social benefits to the environment and lowering your carbon footprint, which exceeds pure monetary evaluation.

• Green energy that lowers your carbon footprint

• Net metering allows you to sell back excess energy produced

• You may be eligible for certain tax breaks

• Installation and maintenance costs still high

• Solar only works when the sun is out

• Parts of the system need to be replaced every few years

• Some tax breaks may have expired or will be expiring

Read Also: What Is The Tax Credit For Solar Panels In California