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Required to purchase Sunpower system with new home

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  • #16
    Originally posted by TAZ427 View Post
    There are a number of municipalities in CA that require new construction to have Solar PV installed today,
    Haven't heard of that yet - which cities/towns?

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    • #17
      Originally posted by hdowar View Post

      The builder only told me it's model SunPower x21-335, 9 panels, 3kW.
      Yes, I did my research and it is $4.13/Watt, but some threads did indicate SunPower panels are expensive like that, so I just wanna see if that's a right price for the brand.

      ANYONE ELSE KNOWS HOW MUCH THEY CHARGED OUT THERE?
      My quotes have been for Panasonic N330, LG 335 (NeON 2), and SunPower 330 panels (24 panel ~8KW system.) And while I've had as high as $3.77 for initial quotes, I've been able to get them down to in the $3.10 - $3.15 range (before Tax Incentive.) All using SolarEdge P400 Optimizers and SolarEdge SE7600H Inverters. That seems to be the bottom dollar, but any decent installer should be able to get down in that range. 3 of 4 companies I've interviewed got down to that range, the other bowed out. I've also go them all to agree to toss in a consumption meter (so not just how much I'm producing, but what I'll be consuming from the grid.) I'm getting another 'Marketing Incentive' post closure as well to put me below $2.00 after Taxes and Incentive.

      Got it, thank you, I did my calculation wrong. I asked my tax guy, so basically I will get $3720 back for sure.


      It's still a $12400 borrowed amount added to my 30 years fix rate mortgage, just we will get the $3720 back next year. Still gotta pay that interest!
      You can take this and apply it to the principle, so you wouldn't be paying the extra interest on that $3720 after it's been paid back to the bank. To be honest, it's always a good idea to pay more on your loans than what you owe, so they will pay down early if you can afford to do so....

      I stayed in Tier 1 about 10 months a year, only July and August I will barely use Tier 2 energy. My bills from SCE is usually $40 in winter, $60 in summer.
      That's why I am saying I will never get my investment return in this lifetime. Sadness. Hey, but at least the new house looks nice. Thanks for replying! =)
      So that's roughly $540 per year, figure 3% increase in rates per year in 14yrs your payback would be $9225, which is beyond what you're net out (12400-3720 = 8680) so you would get it paid back, just a lot longer than most people would be willing. And the reality it sounds like it's outputting a lot more electricity than you're consuming based on those $ amounts. Need to dig in and find out what SCE Edison pays back at at the end of the year if you've got a lot more surplus produced. You could be making bank... Or, you could be ramping up that AC and living in comfort during the summers instead.

      I'd try to get that $/W down towards $3, 335's aren't ultra expensive panels today.

      BTW, what Power Optimizers and Inverters are they planning on installing. You want to make sure these are decent as well.

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      • #18
        I appreciate everyone's helpful inputs. I think I might just have to negotiate the cost with the builder, although, I don't think they are likely going to give me discount since if they give me discount, builders will risk themselves to give rest the of the new house buyers the same discount.

        Our family really likes this house a lot, so might just suck it up and considerate the high price as collateral damage. =/


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        • #19
          Originally posted by foo1bar View Post
          Haven't heard of that yet - which cities/towns?
          San Francisco for one. Here's an article, it doesn't list the 5 cities, but there are 5 cities requiring new construction to have it installed currently. https://projectearth.us/in-typical-f...qui-1798345376

          FWIW, I wasn't trying to say that's the situation this individual is in, it sounds like it's what his builder is doing. We've got a number of neighborhoods around here built that way in the past few years, and well, they'll all be required to pretty soon in CA.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by hdowar View Post
            I need some advices as well, my builder of the new house is contracted with SunPower, and requires buyers to purchase SunPower panels installed.
            Do you have to install solar, or is it more like "if you install solar it has to be Sunpower?" If so perhaps forego the installation now and try again later with another company.

            If the installation itself is mandatory, see if you can get him to reduce the size of the system by claiming you won't use that much power. (i.e. "we've never used A/C.") Then get a cheaper system added later if the numbers work out.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by hdowar View Post
              I appreciate everyone's helpful inputs. I think I might just have to negotiate the cost with the builder, although, I don't think they are likely going to give me discount since if they give me discount, builders will risk themselves to give rest the of the new house buyers the same discount.

              Our family really likes this house a lot, so might just suck it up and considerate the high price as collateral damage. =/

              This is backwards. And stupid. Here's a better way: First, you establish an estimate of your annual usage based on prior and current electrical usage. Then, you model system output using something like PVWatts and estimate/choose what (electrical) size system (if any) makes sense to YOU, not what some builder wants to shove down your throat. BTW - and know this - depending on your usage and how energy efficient your new home is, it may not make economic sense to install PV at all. That's one reason this solar ripoff is backwards. IF YOU decide it makes sense for you to have PV, then YOU call around for estimates based on what YOU decide based on your usage. You'll find that very fit for purpose, and that means sized to your needs and lifestyle, for a lot less $$ are available.

              Or, you can roll over and take it in the shorts from some builder. Paying more for something not sized/designed to be fit for purpose and calling it collateral damage is a new one on me. Maybe call it self inflicted collateral damage. There's always another house you know. Another example of emotion always causing more damage than logic.

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              • #22
                Originally posted by J.P.M. View Post
                There's always another house you know. Another example of emotion always causing more damage than logic.
                If I'm buying a house for $900K, and it's the house that I want, in the location that I want, with one of the builders that I want, then having to spend $12k on a solar system that is really only worth $8k (or $6k or whatever) may be the logical choice.
                It's true that there's always another house.
                But it's also true that you're always going to have some tradeoffs for any house you are considering. And this tradeoff may be less of a drawback than (for example) the house down the street that has orange formica countertops in the kitchen that look just like the ones from the Brady Bunch.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by hdowar View Post
                  I think I might just have to negotiate the cost with the builder,
                  Is it that you'd pay $12k directly to the Sunpower contractor?
                  Or that you'd pay it to the builder and it'd be itemized out?

                  My guess is the builder is getting either free labor from the Sunpower contractor or getting an actual payment from them if he has a contract to use them exclusively.
                  So if you choose not to install with the Sunpower contractor, he probably has $1-2k less profit on the house.
                  So to get him to not install solar may mean paying him more. (but obviously it should be significantly less than the $12k they'd want for adding solar.)

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by foo1bar View Post
                    If I'm buying a house for $900K, and it's the house that I want, in the location that I want, with one of the builders that I want, then having to spend $12k on a solar system that is really only worth $8k (or $6k or whatever) may be the logical choice.
                    It's true that there's always another house.
                    But it's also true that you're always going to have some tradeoffs for any house you are considering. And this tradeoff may be less of a drawback than (for example) the house down the street that has orange formica countertops in the kitchen that look just like the ones from the Brady Bunch.
                    IMO, all worth considering. Pay your money, take your choice. Just walk in with your eyes open.

                    Not my life/choice/$$, but from where I sit, the whole thing seems like a con perpetrated on the meek and solar ignorant, particularly using Sunpower stuff. Reads to me like the OP isn't aware of what a poor deal he's walking into, or that there are always alternatives, including some perhaps tough or less than easy negotiating that can save $$ and or future options.

                    Besides, any system now may limit future choices or cost more from lost/unavailable tax credits in the future if/when more appropriate sizing or different/more cost effective options become obvious.

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                    • #25
                      Well if I were a GC in CA I would have paid off my politicians big time to get the bill passed to require solar on new home construction. Both politician and GC will get quite rich and can retire comfortable (in another state of course) before CA becomes a state of Mexico after the state chases tax payers, businesses, and home owners off. Needs to be speed up IMO by taking down the fence/wall between San Diego and Tijuana. Mexico does not need a military to take over CA, just occupy it and keep Jerry in office.
                      Last edited by Sunking; 05-16-2018, 07:54 PM.
                      MSEE, PE

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by foo1bar View Post

                        Is it that you'd pay $12k directly to the Sunpower contractor?
                        Or that you'd pay it to the builder and it'd be itemized out?

                        My guess is the builder is getting either free labor from the Sunpower contractor or getting an actual payment from them if he has a contract to use them exclusively.
                        So if you choose not to install with the Sunpower contractor, he probably has $1-2k less profit on the house.
                        So to get him to not install solar may mean paying him more. (but obviously it should be significantly less than the $12k they'd want for adding solar.)
                        The 12k is pay directly to the builder. I spoke with the SunPower rep went over the system. They told me the builder decides the cost, not them. And they suggest to talk to the builder about the cost as well.

                        We really like the house, so yes, I think that left us no choice for install them at whatever price they want to charge us.

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