[jonwachob91]

If you are willing to put in some Project Management time yourself, you can get solar for a LOT cheaper than if you hire an outside solar company.

For the installation - most roofing companies will install the roof mounts and screw on the solar panels for $1.5k-$2k (might be different in your area, but still cheap). An electrician can be hired to make all the solar panel connections and the grid connection for a few hundred $$$.

As the Project Manager - you'll need to source the panels, file the permits, and hire the roofers and electricians. https://www.solarwholesale.com/jerry-rig-everything/ can assist (assist, not do) all of that for you for a cheap price. $10k-$15k with Solar Wholesale will get you the panels and cables you need, plus the engineering drawings, the permit paperwork, and etc. (thank you for the great Solar DIY series Jerry!)

For $20k and working as the Project Manager yourself, you can get what most solar companies will charge you $50k for. Which is ballpark inline with construction project management costs - typical residential construction project management cost 40-50% of the total project budget. A lot of those projects as complex enough to warrant those fees, unless you have a lot of experience, but in my opinion adding solar to your roof is not a complex process and does not warrant those fees.

[pjc50]

.. for how many panels? In the UK, ten years ago, I got 3.68kW for the equivalent of $7k. A $50k installation sounds wildly unprofitable.

(permitting requirements kick in above 3.68kW, see nice chart at https://www.energynetworks.org/assets/images/Resource%20libr... which gives the rules for ANY size of power station)

[mbesto]

I got 14.4 kW REC Pure Alphas (36 panels) for $46k installed in Texas.