Frequently Asked Questions – Solar Valuation Report

Have questions about solar valuation reports? Below are clear answers to the most common questions we receive from homeowners, real-estate professionals, lenders, and commercial property owners.

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1. What is the Solar Valuation Report?
The Solar Valuation Report is a professional, data-backed PDF that estimates the current market and economic value of an existing residential or commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system. It uses three recognized appraisal approaches — cost, income, and market — combined with local utility rates, production modeling, and industry databases. The report is designed to be used with appraisers, lenders, real-estate agents, insurance adjusters, and tax professionals.

 

2. How much does a Solar Valuation Report cost?
Residential reports start at $99 for systems 0–20 kW without batteries. Systems over 20 kW or those that include battery storage start at $149–$249 depending on the package. Commercial reports start at $149. Premium options that include detailed what-if scenarios are also available. Exact pricing is shown on the Features & Pricing page and on the order forms.

 

3. How long does it take to receive my report?
Most reports are completed and delivered by email within 2 days after you submit the order form and any required system details or photos. Complex commercial systems may occasionally take slightly longer; we will notify you if that is the case.

 

4. What information do I need to provide to order a report?
You will need basic property details (address, year built), solar system information (approximate age, ownership type — owned or leased, panel and inverter brands if known, whether batteries are included, and system condition). Optional photo or document uploads help improve accuracy. The online order forms guide you through every field.

 

5. Does the report work for both owned and leased solar systems?
Yes. Owned systems are valued as part of the real property and can contribute to home or building value. Leased systems or those under a power-purchase agreement (PPA) are treated as personal property; the report clearly documents the ownership structure and explains any impact (or lack of impact) on the real-estate appraisal and financing.

 

6. Why do standard home appraisals often undervalue or ignore solar systems?
Many appraisers still rely primarily on paired sales comparables. When few nearby homes with solar have sold recently, they frequently assign zero or only token value. A dedicated Solar Valuation Report fills this “appraisal gap” by applying income and cost approaches supported by production data, local electricity rates, and industry databases — giving appraisers, lenders, and underwriters a defensible number they can use.

 

7. Can I use the Solar Valuation Report for a home sale, refinance, insurance claim, or tax purposes?
Yes. Clients regularly use the report with real-estate agents and buyers during a sale, with lenders and underwriters during refinancing or purchase financing, with public adjusters and insurance companies for claims, and with CPAs for depreciation or tax planning. It provides clear, third-party documentation of the system’s value.

 

8. What valuation methods does the report use?
We combine three approaches:

• Cost approach — current replacement cost adjusted for age, condition, and depreciation

• Income approach — present value of expected future energy savings or revenue

• Market approach — analysis of comparable solar-equipped properties when data is available
  The final value reflects a reasoned weighting of these methods based on the specific property and available data.​

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9. How do you source and analyze the data used in the report?
We take a best-of-breed approach by drawing on the broadest possible set of high-quality industry data sets available for solar production, costs, market trends, and local conditions. Our proprietary algorithm then blends and cross-validates these multiple data sources to produce the most accurate and balanced valuation possible for each individual system. We use eight different solar databases plus geomapping data to provide our customers with the best data-sourced valuations publicly available today.

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10. Do you cover both residential and commercial solar systems?
Yes. We offer dedicated Residential and Commercial Solar Valuation Reports. Commercial reports account for larger system sizes, different ownership structures, portfolio considerations, and the financial metrics lenders and investors typically require.

 

11. Is the report valid in my city or state?
Yes. We prepare reports for properties across the United States. Our modeling incorporates location-specific weather data, utility rates, incentives, and market conditions. We already maintain dedicated city pages for dozens of major markets and can handle any U.S. address.

 

12. What if I need changes or am not satisfied with the report?
We offer free revisions if additional information becomes available or if clarification is needed. If you are not 100% satisfied, contact us — we stand behind the work with a satisfaction guarantee.13. How is my personal and system data protected?
All information submitted through the order forms is encrypted and used solely to prepare your report. We do not sell or share your data with third parties.