The next step in our solar panel installation project was the site survey. Michael showed up last Thursday to gather the information the Renu team will need to correctly install our panels and battery.
It went pretty smoothly and I liked Michael. He took a lot of pictures and measured the current draw from our major electricity consumers (oven, clothes dryer, HVAC) as well as plotting out where the panels will be installed.
One crazy thing involved the trench from the panel array to the house. I was told the company they use used to charge $35/foot and now they want $65/foot. For a 200 foot run that would be $13,000. Crazy. The guy I use for trenching/grading etc. asks $2.50 a foot, which is much more reasonable.
Now that the data has been gathered, here’s what I was told to expect moving forward:
Electrician Review: Our electrician will conduct a comprehensive review of the project from an installation perspective to ensure all details are accounted for before installation begins. If any open items are identified, either I or your sales representative will reach out to discuss the scope of the issue and any necessary steps with you directly.
Customer Approval: Once the design plan is complete, I will send you a copy for your approval.
Permitting and Utility Approvals: Please note that permitting and utility office timelines vary by jurisdiction. We will provide updates as frequently as possible regarding their progress.
Once all approvals are secured, we will reach out to schedule your installation
All in all the process is starting to get smoother. One hiccup was that I got a marketing e-mail from Renu touting the advantages of adding a battery to my solar install when a battery was already included. Just because I could, I wrote back feigning ignorance and asked what happened to the battery for which I had already paid a handsome deposit. They replied that the e-mail was a mistake due to sloppy marketing, but it did ruin what confidence Michael had built that Renu knows what they are doing.
Still, fingers crossed that we are still on schedule to have a working install by the middle of November. Once I get the engineering drawing I can call a local company to get the private utilities marked and the trench dug, and then the rest should be up to them.