Discovery Call

Is your current system something you own outright, are still financing, or is it a lease or PPA?

Ownership shapes the whole path. An owned system usually means we are adding storage; a lease or PPA can mean a buyout or a different route. Common reasons people call: true-up bills creeping up, wanting a battery, expanding for an EV, or being unhappy with the original installer.

Roughly how long ago was it installed?

Older systems may be on NEM 1.0 or 2.0, which is valuable to protect. Adding a battery can usually be done without losing that grandfathered status, but it is worth confirming.

Do you happen to know how big your system is, in kilowatts or number of panels?

This matters more than it sounds. The usage data we pull shows net usage, what you draw after your panels offset it, so without the system size we cannot reconstruct your true consumption or tell whether you are under-producing. If they have a monitoring app like Enphase, SolarEdge, or Tesla, ask for their annual production and jot it in notes.

Do you already have a battery paired with your system?

If not, storage is usually the upgrade that makes the biggest difference on NEM 3.0 economics, and it gives them backup.

Greet first. Lead with a warm hello before anything else: "Hi [name], this is [your name], it's great to meet you. Thanks so much for making the time today. To get started, I'd just love to learn a little about your home and what you're hoping to accomplish, and together we'll see whether solar's the right fit. Sound good?"

Set the frame early. Let them know the reason for all the questions is so the proposal is built around their home's specific needs, their real energy usage pattern, and the right strategy for them, not a one size fits all quote.

So you're on [utility], bill's around [their band]. What's got you looking at solar right now?

Don't rush. Follow up: have you looked into solar before? Talked to other companies, how'd that go?

If this ends up making sense, what matters most to you?

Let them rank it. This anchors the whole design to their priority.

Authorize the data pull. If it's already connected from the booking reminder, just confirm.

We don't size from one bill. We pull your actual usage history straight from your utility so we see the whole year. I'll text you the secure link now, takes about a minute.

Anything coming up that'll change how much power you use?

The history is backward-looking. This sizes the system for where they're headed: EV, pool, heat pump, an addition, more people, going remote.

Often forgotten, and it really matters. People who fear their bill quietly ration power.

Do you ever hold back on the AC or appliances because you are worried about the bill?

If they ration energy because of cost, their true need is higher than their history shows. This tells us whether to oversize the system so they can finally use power comfortably, instead of designing to a number they have been suppressing.

Was anything unusual about your usage this past year?

A long trip, an empty house, a broken AC, so you don't size around a one-off in the pulled data.

On NEM 3.0 (PG&E, SCE, SDG&E), the battery is standard. Export credits are too low for solar-only to pencil. On the munis (SMUD, Roseville, MID, LADWP) it's more case-by-case. Frame it as a given, not an add-on: "We design the system with a battery so you actually use the power you make in the evening instead of selling it back for pennies, and you get backup as a bonus."

How much backup matters to you: keeping the whole house running in an outage, or just the essentials?

This sizes how much backup capacity to design in.

Anything that absolutely has to stay running during an outage?

Helps size the backup, and flags must-haves like medical equipment.

How long do you see yourselves in this home?

A long agreement that transfers to a buyer if they sell. A comfort check, not a payback calc.

How is the roof holding up, and any plans to replace it before long?

So the design doesn't land on a roof they're about to redo. The installer confirms the actual condition at the site survey; you just need their general read.

What kind of roof do you have: shingle, tile, or something else?

Most homeowners know the basic type, and tile vs shingle changes the install approach and cost. The installer confirms the specifics at the survey, so "Not sure" is perfectly fine.

Do you have an HOA, or anywhere you'd rather not see panels?

Note any placement preferences in Discovery Notes at the end.

How have the electric bills been feeling lately, climbing?

The data confirms the numbers; this is about their experience of the trajectory.

Honest heads-up, say it plainly: "With the federal tax credit gone for owned systems this year, a PPA is how most homeowners still capture that value. It comes through as a lower rate instead of a credit you'd file for." Explaining why PPA, not steering them into it.

Were you thinking about buying a system, financing one, or mostly after the lowest monthly payment?

About 95% land on PPA. This just catches the rare buyer without making it the default.

At a high level, is your credit excellent, good, fair, or still improving?

Soft, verbal, no hard pull. Just to match them to a provider they'll qualify with.

Besides yourself, who else likes to be involved in a decision like this?

If someone else is involved: "We'll want everyone there for the proposal review so you all hear the same thing and can ask questions together."