Yet Another SD Install 4.5Kw LG 300's SE 5000 in La Costa CA

[mungosocal]

Try to stay patient. I went with one of the popular local San Diego companies and got my roof replaced with another company. Signed a contract in mid-July that had a similar period of performance running to the end of the year. I wasn't thrilled about it but rationalized it as risk mgmt on their part, and if I was really worried about it, then I was choosing the wrong company. To make a long story short, install finishing up next week, scheduled power outage on Wednesday to install new electrical panel. Expectation from solar project manager is approval to operate Sept 3. All of this was pretty undefined until they got their appt date from SDGE for the power cutoff, but with that it all seems to be falling into place. Don't be surprised to feel neglected until you get your power cutoff appt date.

[hcubed]

You did it about the same way I did it. Took a bit of coord. and communication on my part, but I believe it was worth it.

Yep. I think the biggest thing for me was that both my contractors were willing to communicate with each other. I really didn't have to ride either of them to make sure the right thing happened.

[J.P.M.]

I hope you weren't "communicating" with your 12 gauge.

Nope. Was in project management (carrot/stick as needed/appropriate) mode the entire time. 12 gage mode tends to limit available labor pool for the project and hurts the schedule.

[SunEagle]

You did it about the same way I did it. Took a bit of coord. and communication on my part, but I believe it was worth it.

I hope you weren't "communicating" with your 12 gauge.

[J.P.M.]

I am doing my solar install in conjunction with re-doing my roof. I finalized my choice of roofers in the middle of June and signed my solar contract on June 24th and got them rolling on the process. My installer was planning on dropping the plans off at the Carlsbad planning department on July 13 and was actually shocked that they took him at the counter and approved them on the spot. Net metering application with SDGE was submitted on July 14 and approved on July 15.

My roof work was supposed to start on Aug. 5 but the weekend of rain in July screwed up my roofer's schedule. The work actually started on Aug. 12 and will complete this Friday. My solar installer put in all the stanchions and my roofer did all the flashings for them. The current plan is that my solar installer will be back on Monday (Aug. 24) to finish the install.

I have been very happy with my roofer and solar installer and they have been working together very well. I will say the two companies never worked together before this job.

You did it about the same way I did it. Took a bit of coord. and communication on my part, but I believe it was worth it.

[Carl_NH]

Its a single, sloped S/SW roof, nothing challenging, so I think my solar co. is just backed up. . . and doing nothing on my particular job.

I signed the contract in early Sept 2014 acknowledging they "may" not meet the Dec 31 2014 install date, as it was weather permitting and in NE we get snow in Nov/Dec so this was understandable. Not meeting the date would have tax liabilities as such the vendor agreed to the same price in mid 2015 to do the install. I paid 20% down and then x on installation and then x on utility connection.

It's resources that gate the installers timeframe more than permits, and its business - so yes they want a backlog of 10-12 weeks work to get people to sign now, also they leverage this into buying materials. Imagine if you can predict say 2000 panels for x period, of course buying power gets them a better price.

So it's a number of factors - installer resources, supply chain delivery time (typ 8-10 weeks) and when everything is aligned without weather delays they deliver on schedule.

At the end of the day our installer was here Dec 18-19 and we were approved Dec 28, and connected Dec 30th. So it all worked out, but 12 weeks seems to be the norm for reasons stated above.

Carl

[JBinCBad]

Thanx Hcubed, sounds about right for how a quick, easy job should be done. my roofer and installer supposedly work well together as well, but my roof has been done for almost 3 weeks, and haven't seen the installer since then. Mounts are already up, last response from installer was that engineering had to draft a plan to submit for permitting. Its a single, sloped S/SW roof, nothing challenging, so I think my solar co. is just backed up. . . and doing nothing on my particular job.

[hcubed]

Timeline for my install in La Costa

Before I signed my install contract, I asked regarding the 3-month window the installer put in the contract. It was explained to me that due to matters outside their control (eg the city issuing permits, I understood it mean), the 3 mos. was a reasonable time, but it may go much faster. Now I'm a bit concerned, as to whether its just a business opportunity to sign as many contracts as possible, and put them in the "get to it later" pile.

Can others chime in on their timing from contract to install? My mounts are already installed when the roof was done (2 wks ago), but haven't had any progress since. It'd be nice to have them installed overnight, but I think getting the permit application submitted within a few weeks is reasonable, no?

I'm seeing a lot of productive sun days pass without capture, and am getting a bit impatient, but I didn't change the date in the contract, so I guess its my bad for not ensuring the installer made reasonable and timely efforts to get it done.

I am doing my solar install in conjunction with re-doing my roof. I finalized my choice of roofers in the middle of June and signed my solar contract on June 24th and got them rolling on the process. My installer was planning on dropping the plans off at the Carlsbad planning department on July 13 and was actually shocked that they took him at the counter and approved them on the spot. Net metering application with SDGE was submitted on July 14 and approved on July 15.

My roof work was supposed to start on Aug. 5 but the weekend of rain in July screwed up my roofer's schedule. The work actually started on Aug. 12 and will complete this Friday. My solar installer put in all the stanchions and my roofer did all the flashings for them. The current plan is that my solar installer will be back on Monday (Aug. 24) to finish the install.

I have been very happy with my roofer and solar installer and they have been working together very well. I will say the two companies never worked together before this job.

[J.P.M.]

Thanks guys, I probably should have squeezed him on the date before signing. Its tough to try not to be a d*ck but get the best, quickest deal and install. I believe there is some language about compensation if the delay is beyond the contract and within their control, I just didn't see much concern until the crickets started chirping. The roof install, my entire roof, only took 3 days, they were on and off like flies on, you know. . .

For my part, you're welcome. More FWIW, sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease, as long as you're not a PITA butthole about it. Grease their pole a little bit and throw'em a few referrals, one at a time and waive the referral fee. It's just business.

[JBinCBad]

Thanks guys, I probably should have squeezed him on the date before signing. Its tough to try not to be a d*ck but get the best, quickest deal and install. I believe there is some language about compensation if the delay is beyond the contract and within their control, I just didn't see much concern until the crickets started chirping. The roof install, my entire roof, only took 3 days, they were on and off like flies on, you know. . .

[J.P.M.]

FWIW, Maybe too late for the JCinCBad but for others, I put a clause in my contract that if the installer missed the agreed on date, he would pick up my entire electric bill until startup. He beat the committed date by 1 day.

[sensij]

3 months is on the high side, but is not unheard of. There is nothing in the process that requires that much time, the city usually turns around permits pretty fast... typically 1 to 2 weeks, although it can be faster if your installer is good at preparing the application. So yeah, they are running their business, but I wouldn't consider it malicious or a sign of bad faith.

[JBinCBad]

General Timeline in San Diego Installs?

Before I signed my install contract, I asked regarding the 3-month window the installer put in the contract. It was explained to me that due to matters outside their control (eg the city issuing permits, I understood it mean), the 3 mos. was a reasonable time, but it may go much faster. Now I'm a bit concerned, as to whether its just a business opportunity to sign as many contracts as possible, and put them in the "get to it later" pile.

Can others chime in on their timing from contract to install? My mounts are already installed when the roof was done (2 wks ago), but haven't had any progress since. It'd be nice to have them installed overnight, but I think getting the permit application submitted within a few weeks is reasonable, no?

I'm seeing a lot of productive sun days pass without capture, and am getting a bit impatient, but I didn't change the date in the contract, so I guess its my bad for not ensuring the installer made reasonable and timely efforts to get it done.

[jakepv]

Joel - would you mind sharing who you went with? Please PM me.

[J.P.M.]

Another quick thought: The vendors getting referrals here obviously benefit from this board, and get business they wouldn't have gotten without the board, so the fact that it creates a more aggressive market is a cost of getting that increase in business. More installs, but probably at a thinner margin, is still good business sense, and everyone benefits.

Maybe another part of what's going on is, real, or imagined, or contrived by parties with skin in the game, as the 5% caps get closer, there will be a scarcity of installation capacity due to the scrambling...................... Scarcity of a needed commodity causes the price to go up...................... I'd expect some supply/demand price pressure from that................................. If I was a vendor, I'd sell to the market. That is, it makes little sense for me as a vendor to install quality for $3.50/Watt, when everyone else is getting $4.00 -$4.50 for about the same stuff. In that case, I'd probably sell to the market and bid, say, $3.90/Watt................................... This forum may be a good example of how knowledge can be power - at least in terms of quality and pricing...................................... On the other hand, there are a lot of folks in San Diego anyway, who know nothing of this forum and like the sheeple they are, get shorn. More than a few of them live in my HOA. Those are the kinds of customers I'd look for if I was a vendor. They're also called low hanging fruit. It's just business.