Solar Journey: Blue Raven Roadmap for Going Solar

How long does it take to put solar panels on a roof? Although one might think it takes a couple hours or maybe a few days, the reality is going solar is more complicated and detailed than a quick installation. It is a journey involving homeowners, solar specialists, electricians, city inspection teams, skilled installers, loan providers, and many other teams. 

Through years of experience and thousands of solar installations, Blue Raven Solar has become one of the only solar companies to have all these teams in-house. We provide the highest quality and quickest installations with seamless communication. Let’s look at how a Blue Raven Solar customer goes from an interested homeowner to a personal power plant.  

Step 1: The Research Phase

Because of its higher price tag, residential solar is a big decision. Sometimes the curious homeowner will give us a call or talk to a door-to-door representative to see what rooftop solar is and how much they can save. However, many of our customers have spent hours researching companies, panels, pricing, and more before they engage with our solar experts. 

During the homeowner’s research phase, it is our goal to get our name in front of them. Whether it is by having them see an advertisement, talk to one of our direct sales representatives, search us on Google, get referred by a friend, or find us through a review platform — we do our best to get our brand out to homeowners who want to go solar. That way, we can start them on an award-winning, 5-star solar journey. 

After the initial contact, homeowners will receive a call from a member of our appointment team, who will walk them through a quick list of questions (these questions verify solar energy is a viable and economical decision for their unique situation and home). If solar makes sense, then an appointment will be scheduled as either an in-person or virtual meeting with one of our solar specialists, who is local to the homeowner’s area. 

Step 2: Meeting with Solar Specialist

With an appointment set, our prospective solar owner will be asked to send in documentation of their past 12 months of power bills. This information is essential to create an accurate, customized proposal for the specialist to present to the homeowner. 

Before the proposal can be presented, we ensure it is accurate. Our team will take the power bills, satellite imaging of the house, and information about the roof’s sun absorption to create a custom solar design. This design will include how many panels you will need and optimal placement to achieve 100% offset. When the time comes for the appointment, our solar specialist will answer any questions, help the homeowner understand the proposal, and make any adjustments if necessary. They will also explain Blue Raven Solar’s exclusive financing options and estimate the savings of going solar. 

After this, homeowners will have a better idea of how beneficial solar can be for their home. If the homeowner would like to proceed, our team will create a final design and send out a home improvement contract for the homeowner to approve. 

Step 3: The Decision Phase

While customers wait for their final design, they will have time to review the proposal and make the final decision. During this time, there are no added costs or hidden fees for homeowners who decide they are not quite ready to install solar panels. If they have additional questions about Blue Raven Solar, we recommend they check out online customer reviews, compare packages and financing options, or speak to the representative they have been in contact with. 

After one or two days, customers will receive their home improvement contract for their review and approval. Once this agreement is approved, a site surveyor will come and evaluate the property to help the design and permitting teams.  

With the research, meeting, and decision phase out of the way, the new Blue Raven Solar customer is well on their way to getting a new solar system installed and producing power. 

Step 4: The Approval Period

Once the site survey and installation agreements have been approved and signed, our new Blue Raven Solar customer will receive a finalized design by email. If everything appears to be correct, the customer can approve the final design and our permitting team will start working on the required city and state permits to go solar in that area. 

Depending on the city, this process can take a few hours to several weeks. Once approved, the city will reach out to us and let us know the permits are good to go. With the proper permitting approved, we can reach out to our future solar owners and schedule a time for our installation crew to come to their home and install panels. 

Step 5: Installation

Our installation team prefers to schedule early installation times so they can have everything installed in one day. Each installation crew will have a team of three to four highly trained technicians. With proper tools and materials, our teams guarantee the highest quality installations. Safety harnesses are also required for all installers and allow our crews to be safe. Implementing precautions and avoiding causing any damage to our customers’ homes is the Blue Raven Solar approach. 

After having the solar panels placed on the roof and running wiring throughout the house, city inspectors and the local utility company will conduct additional inspections before the homeowner can turn on the panels. 

Step 6: Getting Energized

After the system is installed, a city inspector will come out to the newly installed solar system and make sure everything meets city requirements, laws, and regulations. Once this inspection is passed, the utility company can inspect the system and install a net meter on the home. 

From here, the customer’s panels will be turned on and start producing electricity. To monitor a system’s production, all Blue Raven Solar customers are given access to the Enlighten app by Enphase, or the SunPower app for customers with SunPower systems, which provides them with several statistics on their solar panel production. If your panels are not performing as expected from your proposal, we offer a 24-month production guarantee. We also offer a 10-year workmanship warranty. 

Lastly, our equipment manufacturers include a 25-year warranty allowing our customers to replace any defective equipment. 

Why Choose Blue Raven Solar?

Blue Raven Solar has quickly become one of the largest residential solar installers in the United States because of its world-class installation process and all in-house team. We go out of our way for each customer. In a matter of weeks, homeowners can be saving hundreds of dollars on electricity bills and have the peace of mind they are making a positive impact. 

To see what a custom, rooftop solar array would look like on your home and to find out how much you can save, request a free solar quote!