What a solar service agreement is for
Solar systems are low maintenance but not no maintenance: inverters fail, monitoring drops offline, birds nest under panels. A care plan with a yearly check, monitoring reviews and cleaning keeps production up and gives you steady income from installs you already did. Production drops quietly, so someone needs to watch the numbers.
What to put on a solar service agreement
- Yearly inspection and what it covers.
- Monitoring reviews.
- Panel cleaning.
- Priority service and member rates.
- What is covered by maker warranties.
- Price, billing and cancellation.
A worked example
A homeowner with a twenty-panel system wants a yearly check and cleaning.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly system inspection | 1 | visit | Your price |
| Monitoring review, quarterly | 4 | each | Your price |
| Panel cleaning | 1 | each | Your price |
Say which repairs fall under maker warranties. It is only a template and not legal advice, so look up your state's rules first.
Line items solar installers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels, installed | each | Brand, model and wattage per panel. |
| Inverter or microinverters | each | String inverter or one per panel. |
| Racking and roof attachments | set | Attachment type and flashing. |
| Electrical: conduit, disconnect, wiring | set | Run from array to panel. |
| Main panel upgrade | each | If the existing panel cannot take the backfeed. |
| Battery storage | each | Brand and capacity. |
| Monitoring system | each | App or portal for production. |
| Engineering and design | each | Plan set for permit. |
| Permit and inspection | each | Building and electrical. |
| Utility interconnection application | each | Paperwork to connect to the grid. |
| Roof repair before install | square | If the roof will not outlast the panels. |
| Panel removal and reinstall | each | For reroofing later. |
| Panel cleaning | each | Maintenance visit. |
Terms and deposit language for solar
- Deposit. A deposit at signing covers design and permit work. Equipment and installation payments follow milestones. Check your state's rules on deposits and any solar-specific consumer rules.
- Payment. Payments tied to milestones such as permit approval, installation complete and permission to operate from the utility.
- Warranty. Separate the panel and inverter makers' warranties from your workmanship and roof penetration warranty, with how long each runs.
- Production estimates are estimates; actual output depends on weather, shading and use.
- Incentives, credits and rebates are the customer's to claim and depend on their situation; you provide paperwork, not tax advice.
- Utility approval timelines are outside your control.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for solar
- Roof measurement tool
- Satellite measuring tool
- EV charger installation cost calculator
- Electrician labor rate calculator
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.