San Diego- Need advice, sizing and orientation - SDGE

[albert436]

In my experience, both Baker and Cosmic do good work. I've seen more of Baker's work in my HOA since ~ 2010 or so and IMO, it's good. I've only seen a couple of cosmic installs but they seemed quite good as well as being organized in their job execution.

I'm reasonably sure Baker is not worth $5K more. Screw their 85 year history. It ain't worth that much - maybe a grand IMO only. But they may be worth a formal request for proposal and a site visit.
Just be sure you know what you want and how it all works before you talk to any more vendors. Customer ignorance is like fresh and free meat to them and the good peddlers are all meat eaters.

If it was me (and it was in 2013), I'd tell Baker they were high - but meant as a friendly piece of advice, keep all the prices to yourself- which is what I did. The price match game is a trap for customers. Think like a vendor. You'll never get a lower price than $1 less than your lowest if you rat out all the vendors and share quotes. I've been on the other side of the table a lot and know how the game is run. Everything is negotiable. Besides, you have nothing to lose by keeping prices to yourself. Usually, wimpy and solar ignorant customers pussy out and get stampeded during negotiations (if they can be called that) and pay more as well as make things tougher for folks who know PV and know what to do in a negotiation.

However, the current reality is it's a seller's market just now and Baker wouldn't budge on price for me back in 2013 in a seller's market. Just sayin'.

FWIW, they were ~ 12 % higher than my aggressive price target price target back in the day and wouldn't budge at all and they lost a sale.

A story short: After some discussions, Milholland beat my price target by $0.05/STC W and got the business. Their system has operated flawlessly and I believe I got a bit more than I paid for, some of which I feel is due to a lot of vendor surveillance on my part during install, including sitting on the roof in an out of the way spot and just watching. I also got the lowest price/STC W for a Sunpower turnkey system installed in CA up to that time (by $0.05/STC W).
See the CSI data base SDG & E interconnection agreement # : SDGE-INT-47227. CSI reservation # SD-CSI-17646 for particulars.

I guess Milholland must be swamped, I haven't heard a thing back from them yet after submitting info on their website about a week ago. They did the install on my neighbors and they are happy. Also they have great reviews ! ! !

From the looks of their website, they use exclusively Sunpower panels. I thought those tended to be significantly higher priced than comparable panels?

In any case, I will continue putting one foot in front of the other.

[albert436]

My best bid so far is 5.2kw for $21,500. Thats out of 5 companies. All picture framed, nobody will do stanchions.

What's the latest on your project ? Or did you post that in another thread?

[Acheron800]

What's the latest on your project ? Or did you post that in another thread?

I haven't moved forward. The comp out roof makes the ROI unfavorable. I still git a few months. Maybe if these guys get hungry I'll move forward. Otherwise I'll be at SDGEs mercy.

[CharlieEscCA]

I haven't moved forward. The comp out roof makes the ROI unfavorable. I still git a few months. Maybe if these guys get hungry I'll move forward. Otherwise I'll be at SDGEs mercy.

You fully need to do what makes sense for your situation.

Having said that, between now and the deadline for an application to beat the NEM 3.0 deadline, I suspect that all but the worst companies will have more than enough business to avoid any "get hungry" situation.

And even after that deadline, many/most will have work booked that needs to be installed to keep them out of a "get hungry" state.

Now, after all that booked backlog is worked off, then they may be getting hungry.

But then, the ROI is in the toilet and solar installs will fall dramatically from today's levels.

[Acheron800]

You fully need to do what makes sense for your situation.

Having said that, between now and the deadline for an application to beat the NEM 3.0 deadline, I suspect that all but the worst companies will have more than enough business to avoid any "get hungry" situation.

And even after that deadline, many/most will have work booked that needs to be installed to keep them out of a "get hungry" state.

Now, after all that booked backlog is worked off, then they may be getting hungry.

But then, the ROI is in the toilet and solar installs will fall dramatically from today's levels.

Unless I apply myself...

I am almost done with my application and from what I can tell I have a year and a half to install.

[CharlieEscCA]

Unless I apply myself...

I am almost done with my application and from what I can tell I have a year and a half to install.

Ok, got it. That strategy may indeed work.

Is it just a submitted application or an approved application? How much details are in the application in terms of size of system? And if details, how bound to those details are you? I haven't been following what's required for an application since I'm installed and "done" since PTO Jan 2022.

[Acheron800]

Ok, got it. That strategy may indeed work.

Is it just a submitted application or an approved application? How much details are in the application in terms of size of system? And if details, how bound to those details are you? I haven't been following what's required for an application since I'm installed and "done" since PTO Jan 2022.

I've fudged worse,

They ask for all sorts of details, those will have to be abided by I'm sure. They also ask who's doing the install.

The application has to be approved.

[albert436]

Ok, got it. That strategy may indeed work.

Is it just a submitted application or an approved application? How much details are in the application in terms of size of system? And if details, how bound to those details are you? I haven't been following what's required for an application since I'm installed and "done" since PTO Jan 2022.

FWIW the "solar broker" guy I talked to said that he is cutting off taking any new orders on April 7, a week before the deadline. I suppose if you know all the ins and outs it could be done quickly but that presumes having the experience of working in the field.

I want to get mine up and underway in case there are any hiccups. I don't trust SDGE anyway.

[albert436]

I can only provide my knowledge and experience in dealing with Cosmic. I did a substantial investigation when installing solar at my old property in 2017, and Cosmic was my choice. The owner was an engineer that moved down here from the Bay area as recall, and I liked it was a family run business. All their references checked out, and the price was very competitive. I also got a quote from Baker as well, and I recall it was 7K or 8K higher.

When we bought land in Valley Center and built in 2019 (2020 occupancy), I only got a written bid from Cosmic (though I did get other prices via email - there was no house to survey, only plans). Cosmic coordinated with my roofer to install the mounts for the racking while underlayment was going in, and then coming back to install the panels after the roof was on the detached garage. Once again, the install was excellent quality.

I have recommended Cosmic to others on FB and to my friends. I did have one friend who went with them last summer and had some panel work and roof work done as well as solar, and she was very happy. I do not work for Cosmic, but I happily vouch for them, and in full disclosure I did receive a small referral from them for last year's friend installation as she provided my name as a referral.

But to you're question, unless Baker can explain what they are doing that Cosmic doesn't do in the two bids, I don't think Baker's install quality would be 5K better than Cosmic. But, only you can answer that question.

Hey So Cal, thanks for the recommendation. I talked to 3 or 4 companies. I have to say that the rep from Cosmic was just very diligent about staying in communication with me, and came up with a good solution and at a reasonable price. I posted details in my San DIego Coastal thread.

[Acheron800]

Just a little update.

Completely forgot about this whole thing. Life goes and things get put on the back burner.

I ended up submitting an app back in 2023 which cost about $125. Then forgot about it.

Got an email back in Feb about my NEM2 application had to be built out by April 15. Well lets look at the bill. And of course rates have kept increasing.

I get on the horn, a great vendor who I got two bids from in the past was willing and able to do it.

My original app had 13-400w panels and Iq8+ inverters, SDGE allowed me to last minute change the app to 13-440w with Iq8HC inverters. Got that done in a week.

Went with micros because of some 50ft Washigtonia palms I have in my front yard causing early morning shading.

Signed the contract, got my roofer to comp out and Aloha Solar (Gabe, is great) came in and knocked it out. PTO 3 days after install. We went online March 18. Install is clean, did not do a combiner and buried the boxes to keep with my clean garage.

Overproducing a ton, future proofed. Maybe EVs when the kids get older but I enjoy my dinosaur burners. At least I don't have to bow to SDGE any longer even though they were pretty good to work with. Peaking at 5.0kwh production.

Moral of the story, NEM2 in March 2026, got done in a month from bid to PTO. Paid $3/w.

[CharlieEscCA]

Great! Glad you got it done. And under NEM 2.0 - excellent.