Tesla Solar Panel Price

[SunCharged]

Does anyone have experience with building out a solar panel system and the final cost coming in at what is originally listed on the website?
For example, a 8.16 kW system plus 2 Powerwalls prices out at $24,716 with incentives. Does this account for all fees, taxes, and labor? I have another contractor telling me it doesn’t and their prices listed are not what is actually charged. The other contractor is quoting me $24,588 for a 6.8kW (“Tesla panels or whatever brand they use”) system with one Powerwall.

 

[holeydonut]

Every house is unique; some homes are prime solar and ESS candidates while others are a huge PITA.

In my case, my home is not a prime solar or battery candidate. So Tesla's original enticing offer got another $8k added to it when they really looked into my house. Then Tesla told me to pound sand when I asked for a certain racking type for the panels.

But others here on TMC have an original "online shopping cart" price that was the same as their installed price. Their homes were obviously way easier and better under Tesla's bargain-bin pricing model. The challenge for anyone giving you advice is they don't now if your house is easy or hard.

If you're looking to do the cheapest possible install, do not complain if the service and post-sale support are not to your satisfaction. Similarly, if you go with a highly rated local installer that does a baller job, don't complain you paid more than what Tesla was showing online.

 

[brian.c]

Mine was exactly as quoted... I did have a custom size, 9.5kw... but the price per kw was exactly the same as when I did the initial 8.16kw on the website. Only thing I found not true with Tesla is their timelines.

 

[sorka]

Does anyone have experience with building out a solar panel system and the final cost coming in at what is originally listed on the website?
For example, a 8.16 kW system plus 2 Powerwalls prices out at $24,716 with incentives. Does this account for all fees, taxes, and labor? I have another contractor telling me it doesn’t and their prices listed are not what is actually charged. The other contractor is quoting me $24,588 for a 6.8kW (“Tesla panels or whatever brand they use”) system with one Powerwall.

The price I paid is the exact price they quoted WITHOUT incentives except that the web quote did not include the sales tax on the powerwalls.

 

[taphil]

My price was exactly same as on website, plus $2000 in CA tax

 

[jhn_]

Exactly as quoted here as well.

 

[Redhill_qik]

The price I paid is the exact price they quoted WITHOUT incentives except that the web quote did not include the sales tax on the powerwalls.

Same here, I paid the price that I was quoted without the 26% incentive plus CA state tax that wasn't included.

The other vendor is throwing FUD at you. If you look at the Tesla quote it should say installation which is labor. What solar installer would give you as quote that didn't include labor to install the system?

The 26% incentive is a tax credit and it cannot exceed your total federal income tax for 2021. I your case it looks like it would be $8,684. If your total federal tax for 2021 is less than this then the credit will be limited to the smaller amount.

 

[Uncle Paul]

My quote broke out panel costs and labor costs. Exact to the penny what they quoted me.

 

[Redhill_qik]

My quote broke out panel costs and labor costs. Exact to the penny what they quoted me.

I didn't get that level of detail until I got the final invoice. The invoice total was the same as the original quote plus sales tax and that was the only thing that mattered to me.

 

[Laketime]

Mine was exactly to the penny. I asked the installer and site survey guy and they said almost all homes get done for the quoted amount. But we tend to have upgraded homes around here with 200amp internal mounted panel boxes. That seems to be where the additional costs come in. In mine we had to move the PWs to the other side of the garage from design which was another 50' of distance and they didn't bat an eye...

 

[brian.c]

Same here, I paid the price that I was quoted without the 26% incentive plus CA state tax that wasn't included.

The other vendor is throwing FUD at you. If you look at the Tesla quote it should say installation which is labor. What solar installer would give you as quote that didn't include labor to install the system?

The 26% incentive is a tax credit and it cannot exceed your total federal income tax for 2021. I your case it looks like it would be $8,684. If your total federal tax for 2021 is less than this then the credit will be limited to the smaller amount.

I was under the impression any unused tax credit can be rolled over to the following year?

 

[wjgjr]

I was under the impression any unused tax credit can be rolled over to the following year?

As I understand it, that is correct - IRS instructions for the form at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i5695.pdf seem to indicate as much as well.

 

[Btrotta]

I think your installer is making excuses for his price being so high.

I had multiple quotes from local and national companies within a few hundred dollars of that amount for an 8.5 kw system. You might want to seek out some more quotes.

 

[SunCharged]

I think your installer is making excuses for his price being so high.

I had multiple quotes from local and national companies within a few hundred dollars of that amount for an 8.5 kw system. You might want to seek out some more quotes.

That’s what I’m thinking too. I’ve got some more quotes coming in.

 

[brian.c]

I wish I would have gotten more quotes, regretting going with Tesla. I had seen enough posts online saying no one could match the pricing, and talked with others that had said the same thing. Now after realizing my system is likely going to sit on my roof for 6 months with no permission to operate, might not have been so bad. Project was already way behind schedule, now being told could be another 4-5 months for PTO. My advisor has never replied to a single email, only way to get any update has been to call the main line, sit on hold for 30 minutes, to be told no changes. Actually the only changes has been wait time for PTO seems to increase each time I call.

 

[sorka]

I wish I would have gotten more quotes, regretting going with Tesla. I had seen enough posts online saying no one could match the pricing, and talked with others that had said the same thing. Now after realizing my system is likely going to sit on my roof for 6 months with no permission to operate, might not have been so bad. Project was already way behind schedule, now being told could be another 4-5 months for PTO. My advisor has never replied to a single email, only way to get any update has been to call the main line, sit on hold for 30 minutes, to be told no changes. Actually the only changes has been wait time for PTO seems to increase each time I call.

Have you called PG&E directly? That's what I had to do to speed up PTO so it was only a few months.

 

[brian.c]

Have you called PG&E directly? That's what I had to do to speed up PTO so it was only a few months.

Each time I spoke with Tesla, they said no paperwork has been submitted. I have yet to sign, or even see an interconnection agreement. I will be calling PG&E soon, to see if I can submit the paperwork myself. I have already been looking into it, does not look to complicated, but will need the line drawings from Tesla.

BTW, what was your total time for PTO, and how long ago was your installation?

 

[sorka]

Each time I spoke with Tesla, they said no paperwork has been submitted. I have yet to sign, or even see an interconnection agreement. I will be calling PG&E soon, to see if I can submit the paperwork myself. I have already been looking into it, does not look to complicated, but will need the line drawings from Tesla.

BTW, what was your total time for PTO, and how long ago was your installation?

PTO came on 12/17 two months after install. The interconnection agreement was filed the next week after install but Tesla kept doing it wrong and PG&E kept rejecting it.

Did you pay for it yet? Do you have powerwalls?

 

[brian.c]

PTO came on 12/17 two months after install. The interconnection agreement was filed the next week after install but Tesla kept doing it wrong and PG&E kept rejecting it.

Did you pay for it yet? Do you have powerwalls?

It was paid in full day of inspection, no powerwalls. They just said they are backlogged... First couple calls they said they were waiting for paperwork, and expect 7-10 days to file. Then called again a few days later, the adviser said he has been notified that PTO applications are 90 days behind schedule. He also said PG&E is another 45 days behind schedule. Its been a month since install, and have not received any info unless I call. My install was completed 5/7, order was placed 3/2. When I ordered, said 1-5 weeks for install, and on the website, states 1-6 weeks for PTO. So was thinking I would be up and running mid may, now looking at Sept-Oct... I am hopeful they will get things moving along again, and that I do not need to try and file my own interconnection paperwork. I plan to give them another week or two. If nothing, will then see if I can do on my own.

 

[sorka]

I would be PISSED if I'd paid and then had to wait for PTO that long. It took them two months to bill me.