Most solar panels projects don't fail because a contractor made one dramatic error — they fail because small, cheap-looking decisions stack up.
These are the mistakes we see most often on Houston jobs, and the ones we vet every scope against before we start.
1. No structural review of the roof
Not every roof carries solar. Skip this and you get warranty and safety problems.
2. Cheap panels without production warranty
Bargain panels fade fast. Tier-1 panels with 25-year production warranties are the standard.
3. String inverter on a shaded Houston roof
Trees kill string-inverter output. Microinverters or optimizers are the right pick.
4. Under-flashed roof penetrations
Dozens of holes in your roof. Manufacturer-flashed feet are the correct spec.
5. Skipping monitoring
Panel-level monitoring catches issues years earlier than utility bills do.
6. No battery-ready hybrid inverter
Adding a battery later means rewiring. Hybrid inverters cost little more up front.
7. Undersized wire and conduit
Oversizing runs now is cheap; retrofitting for expansion is not.
8. Ignoring the interconnection agreement
Net-metering terms change ROI dramatically. Read the REP contract carefully.
9. Non-compliant fire setbacks
Ridge setbacks and rapid-shutdown rules apply. Non-compliance fails inspection.
10. Subbed-out electrical
Solar installs go sideways when the electrical is subbed. In-house electricians own the outcome.
How to vet your contractor
Read your solar panels bid line by line and ask which of these mistakes are being avoided — in writing. A contractor who welcomes the question is the one you want; a contractor who deflects is the one to walk away from.
If you'd like a second set of eyes on a scope of work or an existing bid, we're happy to walk through it with you.
