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Advisor Reachout
- Thread starter MrRant
- Start date
For the most part everything is automated and you could potentially go through the whole process without ever actually talking to someone, unless you call them. You should have done the home assessment and taken photos of your house, then normally within a few days you should get an email and/or text message notifying you that the panel layout is available. Once you sign off on the panel layout the next step is for them to finish the system design and obtain the permit. This can take a few weeks. Then you will be able to schedule the install.
Yep, got through the above and now it's just in the permit stage. I just would have figured something a tad bit more here and there lol.
Yeah, unfortunately they aren’t the most communicative. You can call 877-571-7652 to talk to an energy advisor, but frankly, they probably won’t really have a lot of info for you. Like I said, the permitting process can take a few weeks, especially because each jurisdiction is different in terms of what they require to request a permit as well as how long it takes for the permit to be approved once it is requested.
A lot of jurisdictions make permit information available online, so if you can find out who your permitting authority is (usually it would be your city or your county) you may be able to look at their website and see if a permit has been applied for yet and also see when it has been approved.
A lot of jurisdictions make permit information available online, so if you can find out who your permitting authority is (usually it would be your city or your county) you may be able to look at their website and see if a permit has been applied for yet and also see when it has been approved.
Then there is a good chance that they have filed for a permit. If your town/city has an online permit search go ahead and check with your address.
I don't know if its a "good chance" that they filed for a permit within days of an order.
It depends on where you are. In Los Angeles, I had:
(1) an onsite inspection by Tesla to confirm the layout. I now know that this was because the city of LA and LADWP require very detailed plans. Its possible other cities do not. Some posters on here said they never had an on-site inspection by Tesla.
(2) an onsite inspection by the utility. This is probably partially due to the size of my system (16.32 plus 3 powerwalls) but may be required depending on the utility.
(3) Tesla draws up detailed plans. Mine are about five pages of very technical electrical outlines, etc.
(4) In LA it is taking weeks to get those plans approved. Not surprising to me, especially with covid.
It was a week or so between each step.
It depends on where you are. In Los Angeles, I had:
(1) an onsite inspection by Tesla to confirm the layout. I now know that this was because the city of LA and LADWP require very detailed plans. Its possible other cities do not. Some posters on here said they never had an on-site inspection by Tesla.
(2) an onsite inspection by the utility. This is probably partially due to the size of my system (16.32 plus 3 powerwalls) but may be required depending on the utility.
(3) Tesla draws up detailed plans. Mine are about five pages of very technical electrical outlines, etc.
(4) In LA it is taking weeks to get those plans approved. Not surprising to me, especially with covid.
It was a week or so between each step.
ChicagoSox
Member
Home Assessment
- Permit
1-5 weeks depending on your location
- Installation
Schedule the install of your system
- Inspection
1-5 weeks after installation depending on your location
- Utility Approval
Permission to connect system to utility grid
- Power On!
Turn on your solar system
Definitely location dependent as there are some municipalities that have onerous processes.
In my case, Tesla filed for the permit five days after I signed off on the layout and two of those days were the weekend. Weirdly, the city approved the permit two days later, but it wasn't listed as approved on the permit site until five weeks later and it was just issued today one week after it was first listed as approved which I think was triggered by Tesla asking for it. Tesla texted me that I could schedule the installation one hour after the text from them that said the permit was received. First available date was 9/29 or 2.5 weeks out, which I quickly accepted. The next date that was available was in early November, which was really weird.
I would call them. I got my design, sent an email to my advisor asking next steps as I was good with the design and didn't get a response. So I called her number this afternoon, she was out of office so I ended up speaking to another representative at Tesla. Because they had to downsize my system due to roof space they had to update the purchase agreement. The person I spoke to was super nice, he generated the new purchase agreement and waited on the phone to make sure I received it. I told him I was going to approve it, so he stayed on the phone and made sure the system showed I approved it and then sent it off to the next stage of getting the detailed design and permits. He mentioned my location didn't need an onsite assessment so they would be able to process the permit through the city/county online.
I'm in the same boat. I've been checking my local permit site and not seeing anything. I sent an email to my advisor, who has again ignored my email. I have not received one response from her. Wish they would give an estimate of days between approving the design to when they submit the permit.
Imolared
Member
I got my PTO from PG&E earlier today. From placing the 8 kW panel only order July 15, only time I had direct call from Tesla was from the person who was meeting the city inspector onsite last week for the final sign off. Everything was automated/text message.
Stay on top of them, don't assume they're doing anything. They've submitted incorrect paper work, "lost" emails, mis-read emails, and overall have been terrible to work with. If I just sat back and let the process go by itself I'd be getting solar installed in 2022 sometime. I'm sure I've had a higher share of bad luck than most but there are plenty of stories of similar issues on the forums here. Unless you're 100% positive the wait is currently with your city\town or the utility provider do not feel bad about calling and asking to speak to another advisor other than your own to help put pressure on them.
I had 3 instances where I was told they were waiting for either my utility\town and that was not the case after following up with the town and utility provider. Who knows how long it would have delayed things if I had just waited for Tesla to figure it out. They're still doing a "deep dive" investigation as to why they ignored emails from my utility that I was CC'd on.
I had 3 instances where I was told they were waiting for either my utility\town and that was not the case after following up with the town and utility provider. Who knows how long it would have delayed things if I had just waited for Tesla to figure it out. They're still doing a "deep dive" investigation as to why they ignored emails from my utility that I was CC'd on.
