20-item Solar Quote Checklist
Mark a line only after the written proposal, current product documentation or the installer makes it explicit. Checked items are browser-tab notes, not Home Solar Atlas verification.
Complete the missing proposal fields before relying on headline comparisons
Next item to verify: DC system size (kW). Confirm the proposed DC system size in kW and make sure it matches the panel count and module wattage.
System & equipment
Production assumptions
Pricing & financing
Installation scope
Warranties & contract
20 items still unconfirmed
- DC system size (kW)
- Panel model, wattage and count
- Inverter / optimizer / microinverter model
- Battery model and full-unit count if included
- Year-1 annual production estimate
- Production model and assumptions
- Shade, roof orientation and usable-roof assumptions
- Solar offset assumption
- Cash price
- Non-solar add-ons itemized
- Financing APR and term
- Dealer fee / financed-price premium
- Incentive and tax-credit assumptions
- Main service / electrical-panel work
- Permits, inspection and utility interconnection
- Roof mounting and penetration scope
- Monitoring and communications
- Manufacturer equipment warranties
- Installer workmanship / service warranty
- Change orders, cancellation and PTO responsibility
When browser session storage is available, checked item IDs are stored only for the current tab/session so a reload can restore the checklist. This checklist does not store installer prices, names, email/phone data or uploaded proposal files.
Print the current 20-item checklist or save it as a PDF. The printed view includes current checkmarks, proposal-readiness categories and the next item to verify.
Print the current checklist for the installer meeting
The print view uses the current browser-session checkmarks and readiness state. It keeps the 20 review items, five category-completeness blocks and next item to verify, while hiding navigation and editing controls so the result is useful on paper or as a browser-saved PDF.
The PDF is generated by the browser. Home Solar Atlas does not create or store a separate checklist report file on the server.
Readiness is a completeness view, not another solar score
The interactive checklist summarizes five groups separately: system and equipment, production assumptions, pricing and financing, installation scope, and warranties or contract terms. A category marked complete only means every tracked item in that group is checked.
The Next item to verify follows the fixed checklist order, beginning with system identity and moving through production, pricing, scope and contract review. This is a workflow aid, not a statement that one installer or proposal is better than another.
Why checklist completeness matters before solar $/W
Solar-only dollars per watt is useful only when the numerator and system scope are clear. A proposal that bundles battery storage, roofing or electrical upgrades into one total can look artificially expensive if those non-solar items are not separated. Financing can create a different distortion when the financed amount includes a dealer fee or other premium over the cash price.
The checklist therefore asks for system identity, production assumptions and contract scope before treating one headline number as comparable.
Keep production claims separate from guarantees
Annual kWh estimates depend on modeled irradiance, roof orientation, shade, equipment, losses and degradation assumptions. A proposal should make its production basis understandable enough that you can compare one installer's assumptions with another's.
Likewise, incentive or tax-credit assumptions should not be read as a guarantee that a specific homeowner qualifies. Final eligibility depends on the applicable program or tax rules and the homeowner's circumstances.
After the checklist: analyze and compare
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before signing a solar quote?
Confirm system size, exact panel and inverter models, battery details if included, annual production assumptions, solar offset, cash price, non-solar add-ons, financing APR and dealer-fee treatment, incentive assumptions, electrical upgrades, permits and interconnection, monitoring, equipment warranties, installer workmanship coverage and change-order or permission-to-operate responsibilities.
What does Solar Proposal Readiness mean?
It is a checklist-completeness summary, not a quality score. The tool separately shows confirmed items for system and equipment, production assumptions, pricing and financing, installation scope, and warranties or contract terms. It also surfaces the next unconfirmed checklist item in the fixed 20-item review order.
Can I print the Solar Quote Checklist for an installer meeting?
Yes. Print or Save as PDF uses the browser to create a current-session checklist showing the present checkmarks, five readiness categories and next item to verify. Home Solar Atlas does not create or store a separate checklist PDF on the server.
Does completing the solar quote checklist mean the proposal is good?
No. Completion means the tracked fields were reviewed. It is not an installer rating, fair-price determination, engineering approval or contract certification. A complete proposal can still be expensive, use weak assumptions or be a poor fit for the property.
Does the checklist save my solar quote or personal information?
No. The checklist does not ask for installer prices, names, email addresses, phone numbers or uploaded PDF files. When browser session storage is available, it saves only the IDs of checklist items marked confirmed for the current browser tab or session so a reload can restore the checkmarks.
Can I copy the items I still need to ask the solar installer about?
Yes. Copy missing items creates a neutral verification list from unchecked fields. It does not add an installer name, proposal price, email address, phone number or other contact information.
What should I do after I review the solar proposal checklist?
Use Quote Analyzer to normalize solar-only dollars per watt and review equipment, production and financing. If you have two or three proposals, use Quote Compare to put them side by side and keep battery pricing separate from solar-only price where possible.