Pitfalls to Avoid while Getting Solar

Multiple installers present their proposals in different formats, with different assumptions on system size, panel brand, and included services — making it genuinely difficult to compare them side by side. See how to get and compare quotes for a structured way to normalize quotes to a price-per-kW basis before comparing.

The lowest quote is not always the best option available to you. A significantly cheaper quote often means a lower-tier panel or inverter brand, a shorter or vaguer warranty, or no included support for subsidy and net metering documentation — costs that show up later rather than upfront.

Finding and applying for central and state subsidies involves multiple portals, document uploads, and DISCOM approval steps that can take weeks. Choosing a DISCOM-empanelled installer who manages this on your behalf avoids most of this friction — confirm this before signing rather than assuming it's included.

It's tempting to negotiate purely on the headline price, but this can mean losing leverage on warranties, AMC terms, and add-on services in the process. Understand the full proposal — components, warranties, and services — before you start negotiating, not after.

Not every installer who can complete an installation is properly empanelled to handle documentation and servicing. Finding installers who are genuinely DISCOM-empanelled, and checking their track record with existing customers, takes real diligence — skipping this step is one of the most common ways buyers end up with subsidy delays or unresolved service issues.

With dozens of possible combinations of panel technology (Mono PERC, TOPCon, HJT), connection type (on-grid, off-grid, hybrid), and roof/mounting type, it's easy to lose track of which specific configuration an installer is actually quoting you. Ask each installer to state clearly which panel type, connection type, and mounting structure their quote assumes — see is solar right for you for a plain comparison of these choices.