The cost of solar when building a new home.

When building a brand new home, a lot of cost, time, and sweat is involved. Because of this, the idea of also building a brand new solar panel system on top of that can seem like a massive burden. However, you’ve looked over all the benefits of doing it and think it’s the right choice for you. But you’re still left wondering: how much is all this going to end up costing me? You’ll of course want your  power system to be as budget-friendly as possible. While solar can add substantial capital value to a new home, you should certainly know every financial detail going in. That way, you can plan for solar with complete confidence. When building solar, there are four key factors you’ll want to consider as you dedicate your time and money to it.

The base cost of solar panel systems.

The cost for solar energy systems have come down quite a bit over the past decade. A fully-installed system in 2008 could cost you as much as $40,000. These days, prices are only a fraction of that amount. The cost for a solar system starts around $5,990 and most will run you around $10,000-13,000 after all costs are considered.

While that’s a rough idea of what a homeowner could pay, costs depend on a variety of factors, such as quality, panel type, and brand. It’s important to talk to solar consultants to learn exactly how big a system you will need. Solar experts can design a system that’s unique to your home’s wiring and other features, allowing you to benefit from the maximum amount of savings possible.

Other factors can affect the price of your system.

While solar systems have a base cost, there are a lot of other variables that could affect the overall price of your system. In particular, the direction your house is facing and the angle of your roof can affect pricing, as you may need tilt frames for the solar panel array to take full advantage of the sunlight. Specific mounting systems might also be required if you have a flat roof that will cost you extra. If you’re dealing with shade from trees or buildings that will partly block sunshine from hitting your panels, and if there’s no way to avoid them, you may need a special inverter, which will factor into your system’s base price.

Don’t be worried about hidden fees.

Depending on the solar installer you choose, some of the always-required steps — such as installing a solar meter, filing paperwork for local network approvals, and conducting an inspection — often surprise homeowners who weren’t aware those costs were included in the installation of solar panels. For the best experience, choose a solar company that includes these fees in the base price and that will communicate you from start to finish on every aspect of the installation. That way, you won’t be caught off guard by fees you weren’t anticipating to see.

A solar system can pay for itself in as little as seven years.

If you get an efficient solar system from a quality brand, and if the system is perfectly fitted to your home and average energy usage, the return on investment will start at the optimal time for you as a homeowner. Generally, when you install it on a brand new home, you can look forward to a payback period of 5-8 years. Keep in mind, however, that the payback period is affected by how you use energy at home, and that if you use much more than you expected, it will take you longer to pay it all back.

Want to learn more about calculating solar costs and financing your perfect solar system? Check out the HahaSmart blog for tons more resources and information!

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