Quote A
Add the cash price and system size above to calculate price per watt.
Independent comparison worksheet
Compare solar quotes without letting the monthly payment hide the deal
Put each proposal on the same pre-incentive, solar-only footing. This free worksheet calculates the fields that can be compared honestly and tells you what still needs to be requested in writing.
Last verified July 22, 2026
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Put two proposals on the same footing
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Quote B
Add the cash price and system size above to calculate price per watt.
What this does not decide: A lower $/W is not automatically the better proposal. Compare exact equipment, roof scope, production assumptions, warranties, payment milestones, financing disclosures, and contract terms before choosing.
Start with the same definition of price
Ask every installer for the total cash price before incentives. If the proposal is financed, also record the amount financed, APR, finance charge, payment schedule, and total of payments. The CFPB's Regulation Z disclosure rules identify these as separate credit terms for covered transactions; a monthly payment alone does not describe the total cost.
Do not assume the difference between the cash price and amount financed is a dealer fee. It may reflect financing costs, changed equipment, discounts, or other contract differences. Ask for an itemized explanation and compare the same scope.
Compare solar price per watt, not bundled storage per watt
For a solar-only cash quote, divide the pre-incentive price by the DC system size in watts. A 9 kW system has 9,000 watts, so a $27,000 solar-only cash price equals $3.00 per watt. The calculation is a normalization tool, not a verdict: roof work, service upgrades, equipment, and contract scope can differ.
If a battery is included, subtract its itemized price first. If the installer will not itemize storage, the worksheet deliberately withholds $/W rather than comparing two different products as if they were the same.
Compare the hardware and scope
- Panel manufacturer, model, count, and rated wattage
- Inverter manufacturer, model, and architecture
- Battery model, usable capacity, and itemized price
- Roof, electrical, trenching, and permitting work included
- Panel, inverter, workmanship, and roof warranties
Compare the promises and terms
- Annual production estimate and the assumptions behind it
- Utility-rate and export-credit assumptions used for savings
- Cancellation, change-order, and payment-milestone terms
- Loan, lease, or PPA transfer and buyout provisions
- Every incentive included in the displayed net cost
Treat incentive math as a field to verify
The IRS says the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. If a current proposal still subtracts that federal credit, request the cash price, payment, and savings calculation without it and verify your situation through the IRS or a qualified tax professional. State, local, and utility programs have separate rules.
Seven questions to send every installer
- What is the complete cash price before incentives?
- What changes between the cash and financed versions of this proposal?
- Which exact panel, inverter, and battery models are included?
- What annual production is promised, estimated, or guaranteed, and under which assumptions?
- Which roof and electrical work is included or excluded?
- What are the cancellation, change-order, payment, transfer, and buyout terms?
- Which incentives does the net price assume, and where is eligibility documented?
Primary sources
Verified July 22, 2026
- Solar Power for Your HomeFederal Trade CommissionConsumer guidance on comparing offers, contracts, claims, and financing.
- Homeowner's Guide to Solar Financing: Leases, Loans and PPAsU.S. Department of EnergyOfficial overview of ownership, loans, leases, PPAs, and contract questions.
- 12 CFR § 1026.18 — Content of disclosuresConsumer Financial Protection BureauFederal disclosure requirements that include APR, finance charge, payment schedule, and total of payments for covered credit transactions.
- Residential Clean Energy CreditInternal Revenue ServiceCurrent federal guidance, including the end date for eligible expenditures.
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