Path-Q Solar

How should I compare installation timelines when one quote depends on utility approval first?

Answer

Separate installer-controlled work from utility-controlled approval, compare the full critical path, and require each quote to state assumptions, milestones, and responsibility for delay.

Key points

  • List design, permitting, equipment procurement, installation, inspection, utility review, meter or interconnection work, and permission to operate separately.
  • Compare estimated durations and the conditions that start or stop each period.
  • Ask whether the price, financing, incentives, or cancellation rights change if approval is delayed or denied.

What it depends on

  • The utility's interconnection process and queue
  • Permit and inspection requirements
  • Equipment availability and installer scheduling

Risks and trade-offs

  • A shorter advertised installation period may exclude utility approval and permission to operate.
  • Ordering equipment before approval can create cancellation, storage, or redesign risk.
  • Delaying installation until approval may reduce some risk but extend the project.

Information you may need

  • A milestone schedule with responsible party for each step
  • Approval dependencies and estimated ranges
  • Delay remedies, cancellation rights, and financing start date
  • Confirmation of the conditions for system operation

Your next step

What to do next

Ask both installers to provide a common critical-path schedule that separately identifies utility, permitting, procurement, and installer-controlled time.

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SQ02110