Solar Installation Cost Estimator

Use this estimator to turn a system size into a rough price range before you collect quotes. Enter the system size in kilowatts (kW DC), choose the closest installation type or type your own low and high cost per kW, and add any fixed extras such as a main panel upgrade, tree removal or roof repair that quotes often list separately.

Formula: low total = size x low cost per kW + fixed extras; high total = size x high cost per kW + fixed extras. Because installers often quote in dollars per watt, remember that $2.50 per watt equals $2,500 per kW.

Worked example (illustrative): an 8 kW system at $2,500 to $3,500 per kW gives 8 x 2,500 = $20,000 to 8 x 3,500 = $28,000. Adding $2,000 for an electrical panel upgrade makes the range $22,000 to $30,000.

Limits: the default numbers are illustrative inputs, not current market prices. Real quotes vary by state, roof, equipment and installer. The result is a price before any tax credit, rebate or incentive, and it excludes financing costs. Use it to sanity-check proposals, not to replace them.