These are the questions I answer on almost every site visit. I'd rather you read them before we talk — you'll ask better questions, and you'll spot a bad proposal faster.
Two things changed recently that most solar content hasn't caught up with: the federal tax credit for homeowners who buy a system ended on January 1, 2026, and NEM 2 grandfathering closed for good in April 2026. Everything here is written for how things actually work now, and dated so you can tell.
The honest 2026 answer for PG&E customers, including the federal credit change most articles still miss.
Real pricing ranges, what drives a quote up or down, and how to tell whether the one you were handed is fair.
Usually yes under NEM 3, and here's the arithmetic why — plus the cases where I talk people out of one.
This got genuinely harder in 2026. What the expired credit changed, and what to read before signing either kind of contract.
Contract to permission to operate is usually 30–45 days. Where the time goes, and where projects get stuck.
Why these have to be replaced before solar, how to identify one, and whether a full upgrade is really necessary.
How the three batteries I install most actually differ, and which suits which house.
Solar isn't the same job in every East Bay city. Different roofs, different permit counters, and in one case a different utility entirely.
Two very different solar markets — the flatlands and the hills.
Hills shade, older wiring, and the BESO rules that changed in January 2026.
Design review, tile and slate roofs, and loads big enough that the math is the easy part.
Served by Alameda Municipal Power, not PG&E — so NEM 3 doesn't apply.
Post-war ranch roofs, good sun, and some of the easiest projects in the East Bay.
There's a shorter FAQ on the services page, and if the question isn't answered anywhere here, call or text me at (510) 926-8332. I'd rather answer it than have you guess.
A free 45-minute visit, a look at your bill and your roof, and a straight answer about whether solar makes sense for your home.
Or call or text (510) 926-8332