Path-Q Solar

What information should I collect before comparing solar systems for two different homes?

Answer

Collect the same property, energy-use, ownership, equipment, roof, electrical, and financial information for both homes before comparing systems. Compare each property’s total expected cost and performance rather than assuming the same system size or design is appropriate for both.

Key points

  • Gather bills or interval data, roof plans, shading, roof condition, service details, ownership status, and site-access constraints for each home.
  • Request comparable proposals with the same production, warranty, maintenance, financing, and battery assumptions.
  • Separate property-specific feasibility from household preferences and future-load expectations.

What it depends on

  • Property-specific roof and electrical conditions
  • Historical and expected electricity use at each home
  • Ownership, occupancy, financing, and intended holding period

Risks and trade-offs

  • A larger system is not necessarily better if one property has lower use or more shading.
  • Different ownership or financing terms can make headline prices misleading.
  • Incomplete records for one property can create an unfair comparison.

Information you may need

  • At least a year of bills or interval data for each home
  • Site plans, roof and electrical information, and ownership documents
  • Itemized quotes using matched assumptions and scope

Your next step

What to do next

Create a side-by-side comparison sheet and ask installers to complete identical fields for both properties before selecting a system.

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