Solar is one of the best investments a homeowner can make – but it is also one of the easiest to get wrong. The industry is full of high-pressure salespeople, predatory loan products, and companies that won’t be around to honor their warranties. This guide exists because we believe an educated homeowner makes a better decision. Take your time. Ask hard questions. And don’t let anyone rush you.
Before you talk to a single installer, spend 20 minutes on PVWatts.gov – a free tool from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Enter your address and it will estimate how much solar energy your roof can produce based on your location, roof pitch, and orientation.
Then pull 12 months of utility bills. You want to know your annual kWh consumption – not just last month’s bill. Most utilities print this on the bill or show it in your online account. Your goal is to size a system that offsets 80-100% of that number. Oversizing costs more and may be restricted by your utility; undersizing means you’re still paying a significant electric bill.
Rule of thumb for Texas: roughly 1 kW of solar produces about 1,400-1,500 kWh per year in Houston and 1,500-1,600 kWh per year in Dallas. A 10 kW system in Houston produces approximately 14,000-15,000 kWh annually.
You don’t need to be an engineer, but understanding the basics helps you evaluate proposals and avoid being oversold.
The equipment on your roof will last 25+ years. The company that installs it may not. Choosing the wrong installer is the single biggest mistake homeowners make in solar.
Solar panel efficiency has improved dramatically in recent years. The most important specs to compare:
Installed solar system costs in Texas currently range from roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per watt for a quality residential system. A 10 kW system should run $25,000-$35,000 before incentives. Adding battery storage adds $8,000-$20,000 depending on capacity.
If a quote is significantly below that range, ask why. It may mean lower-quality equipment, unlicensed labor, skipped permits, or a high-interest financing product baked into the price. If it’s significantly above that range, get competing bids.
Get at least three proposals from different installers. Ask each to specify exact equipment model numbers so you’re comparing apples to apples.
Most homeowners don’t know this is an option – but in many cases, you can purchase solar equipment directly from a distributor like Solwel and have your installer use it for your project.
The traditional path. Your installer sources equipment, marks it up (typically 15-40%), and includes it in the total project price. Simple, one-stop. The installer takes responsibility for equipment compatibility and warranty coordination.
You purchase panels, inverter, batteries, and racking directly from us at distributor pricing, then provide the equipment to your installer for labor. This works best when:
The tradeoff: you own the equipment directly, so warranty claims go through you to the manufacturer rather than through your installer. For most major brands this is straightforward, but it’s worth understanding before you go that route.
Not sure which path is right for your project? Call us at (346) 432-4228 – we’re happy to walk through both options with no pressure.
The most valuable incentive available. You receive a tax credit equal to 30% of the total installed cost of your solar system – including panels, inverter, battery, labor, and permitting. This is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your federal income tax liability, not a deduction.
Important: The ITC requires you to own your system. If you lease your solar or enter a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), the installer or finance company claims the credit – not you. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of solar financing.
The 30% rate is set through 2032, then steps down. Consult a tax professional to confirm eligibility based on your specific situation.
Texas exempts the added value of a solar system from your property tax assessment. Your home’s value will likely increase with solar, but that increase won’t raise your property taxes.
Some Texas utilities offer rebates for solar and battery storage. CPS Energy (San Antonio) and Austin Energy have historically had programs. Most deregulated areas like Houston and Dallas do not have utility rebates – but always check with your specific utility before assuming.
Property Assessed Clean Energy financing lets you finance solar through a lien on your property, repaid through your property tax bill. Available in some Texas counties. It transfers with the home if you sell – worth fully understanding before using.
Solwel is a solar equipment distributor, not an installation company. We don’t make money by pushing you into a larger system or a financing product. We stock quality equipment from brands we’ve vetted, and we sell to homeowners and installers who want to do the job right.
If you’re early in the process and just have questions, call us. If you’ve already got proposals and want a second opinion on the equipment specs, call us. If you’re ready to buy, we have panels, inverters, batteries, and mounting hardware in stock at our Houston and Dallas/Irving locations and can ship anywhere in Texas.
KPRC 2 Houston recently covered a story that hits close to home for us – a Katy homeowner whose solar company vanished, leaving her unable to pay her bills and with no one to service her system. It is a situation we are hearing more and more often.
If you find yourself in this situation as a Texas resident, here are the steps to take:
The Texas AG’s Consumer Protection Division investigates deceptive trade practices, including contractors who abandon customers or misrepresent their services. File online at texasattorneygeneral.gov. The more complaints filed against a company, the more likely the AG’s office is to take action.
Solar installers performing electrical work in Texas must hold a valid TECL (Texas Electrical Contractor License) through TDLR. If your installer was unlicensed or abandoned the job, file a complaint at tdlr.texas.gov/complaints. TDLR can revoke licenses and issue fines.
If you financed your system and it was never completed or is not functioning, contact your lender immediately. Under federal consumer protection law, you may have the right to dispute charges for services not rendered. Do this in writing and keep copies of everything.
A BBB complaint creates a public record that protects other homeowners from the same company. File at bbb.org/file-a-complaint.
Search the company name on PACER.uscourts.gov – the federal court’s public records system. If they have filed for bankruptcy, there will be an active case number and a trustee assigned. You can file a proof of claim in the bankruptcy proceedings to get in line as a creditor, which is often the only way to recover any money owed. Acting quickly matters – bankruptcy courts set deadlines for filing claims and missing that window means forfeiting your right to any recovery.
From day one, keep a paper trail: your contract, all emails and texts with the installer, photos of the installation at every stage, permit documents, and any warranty paperwork. If things go wrong, this documentation is what gives you standing to pursue a claim.
New kits, restocks, and TikTok-only discount codes. No spam, just watts.
