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How we get these numbers

contractors.fyi shows what solar costs and saves for your home, using public records and your utility's own rates. We are not a contractor. We don't install solar, sell it, or sign contracts. You deal with the installer directly.

Who runs this

contractors.fyi is run by one person, Jimmy Gambier. He built it so homeowners can check a solar quote against what their neighbors paid. Write to support@contractors.fyi with any question.

Prices

Prices come from what homeowners near you paid, from public solar records. We compare your system with homes the same size and show the middle of the range.

Bills and savings

We rebuild your bill from your utility's rate plan, hour by hour, before and after solar. Savings are at today's rates unless we say otherwise.

Sun

How much power panels make comes from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's models for your ZIP code.

Roof check

The roof check uses Google's satellite data to find the spots on your roof and how much sun each one gets. We keep a spot only if a panel there would pay for itself within 25 years at today's rates. Power prices set that line, so it differs by utility: in Seattle a spot needs about three quarters of full sun, and with LADWP a fifth is enough. Your installer measures the roof and confirms the count.

How we pick installers

We pick up to 3 installers who work in your area, send them your request, and email you their names. Before we send an installer a request, we check that their license is active with the state: the CSLB in California, or L&I in Washington. We don't check their work, prices or reviews, so check each one yourself before you sign.

How we make money

Installers pay us a fee for each request we send them. You pay us nothing. The fee doesn't change the price ranges we show. We share your details only with the up to 3 installers we send your request to.

Data and dates

For your home: