Jobs
Solar and battery tie-in
We wire the system and meet the utility steps with you. We do not sell panels or batteries.
A net-zero house makes about as much power over a year as it uses, and keeps the lights on when the grid is down. The panels get the attention. The wiring is what the inspector and the utility read.
We do the electrical side: the inverter, the disconnects, the battery and the connection to your panel.
When you need it
Signs this is the job
You are building a net-zero house
The wiring should be planned with the load, so the battery and panels fit the house.
You have panels and want a battery
Adding a battery changes the panel, the disconnects and the drawing.
The grid fails every winter
A battery with a back-up circuit keeps the well, the freezer and the heat running.
Your utility has paperwork
Interconnection applications have their own steps and a waiting time, so we start early.
The inspector wants a drawing
We make one that shows every source and every disconnect.
You are unsure what to buy
We tell you which brands we are willing to wire, before you order.
The visit
From site visit to switch-on
- 01
Step 1: Site visit
We look at the roof or the ground array site, the panel and the meter.
- 02
Step 2: Drawing and utility application
The one-line drawing, and the utility paperwork started with you.
- 03
Step 3: Wiring
Disconnects, the inverter, the battery and the tie-in to your panel.
- 04
Step 4: Inspection
The inspector reads the labels and the drawing at each source.
- 05
Step 5: Utility permission to run
The utility has the last word before the system is turned on.
How pricing works for this job
What decides the price
What changes the price of the wiring side of solar and a battery.
How many sources and how far apart
The size of the battery and inverter
Whether the panel must be replaced to take them
Permit, inspection and utility fees
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn't
The estimate is written and names what it covers: labor, wire, boxes, the panel and disconnects. It also names what it leaves out.
Left out unless the estimate says otherwise: trenching, drywall repair, painting
Panels, batteries and inverters are listed by line, whether we buy them or you do
Permit fees are passed through at cost, on their own line
What the design fee covers
For a whole-house or off-grid system we draw the one-line diagram and a load worksheet first. That drawing is the design fee.
One sheet: sources, switches, breakers and loads, with wire sizes
You keep the drawing, and your inspector gets a copy
The fee is credited to the work if you hire us to build it
Materials and who buys them
You can buy panels, batteries and an inverter yourself. We tell you before you order if a part is one we're not willing to install.
We write the list of parts with sizes and ratings
Lead times for batteries can be long, so we ask early
Anything you supply is listed on the estimate as owner-supplied
Questions about this job
Will the battery run my whole house?
It depends on the battery and on what you run. We write down what it carries, hour by hour, and say what it does not.
Are there rebates?
Some utilities and programs offer them, and they change. Ask your utility first, and we will tell you what paperwork each one asks for.
Who does the roof or ground work?
We wire. Your solar installer or you handle mounting. We will say what we need done before we arrive.
Tell us about the site
Where it is, how you get there, what is built so far.