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Most solar quotes hide information in fine print. Here is exactly what to look for, what each number means, and the red flags that experienced buyers catch.
Solar companies present quotes differently. One shows monthly payment. Another shows total cost. A third shows cost after incentives that may not apply anymore. Without a standard comparison framework, you cannot tell if a $25,000 quote is better or worse than a $35,000 quote.
The federal 25D residential solar tax credit expired December 31, 2025. Any quote showing a 30% federal tax credit for a cash or loan purchase is wrong. The only way to access federal tax credits in 2026 is through a third-party-owned lease or PPA, where the financing company (not you) claims the Section 48 commercial ITC.
Total installed cost divided by system size in watts. This is the single most important number for comparing quotes.
$3.00-$3.40/W for standard systems. Includes all equipment, labor, permitting, and interconnection.
Below $2.80/W (likely hiding dealer fees or using subpar equipment). Above $4.00/W without premium panels.
NuWatt quotes show $/W prominently with all costs included. No hidden fees. $3.16/W average in MA.
Make sure the $/W includes dealer fees. A quote showing $3.20/W that adds a 25% dealer fee to the loan actually costs $4.00/W in total financing. Ask: "What is the total cost I will pay, including all fees, divided by the system size?"
The solar panel manufacturer, model, wattage, and efficiency rating. Panels last 25-30 years — quality matters.
Tier 1 manufacturer, 20%+ efficiency, 25-year product + performance warranty, FEOC-qualified (if applicable).
Unknown brand, sub-19% efficiency, 10-12 year product warranty, no US service center, "equivalent" panel language.
Hyundai 440W (entry, 21.0%), Silfab 440W (FEOC-qualified, 21.4%), or REC 460W (premium, 22.3%). All Tier 1 with 25-year warranties.
Some quotes say "or equivalent" next to the panel model. This means they may substitute a cheaper panel at install. Insist the contract specifies the exact make and model. Also check: is the panel FEOC-qualified? This matters for third-party financing where the owner claims the commercial ITC.
The inverter converts DC power from panels to AC power for your home. The type affects monitoring, shade performance, and warranty.
Microinverters (Enphase IQ8+) with 25-year warranty, or SolarEdge with optimizers and 12-year warranty (extendable to 25).
Central string inverter with no optimizers on a shaded roof. Off-brand inverter. 5-year warranty. No panel-level monitoring.
Enphase IQ8+ microinverters standard on all residential systems. 25-year warranty. Panel-level monitoring via Enphase app.
In Massachusetts, most roofs have some shade from trees. Microinverters handle shade much better than string inverters because each panel operates independently. A shaded panel with a microinverter loses only that panel's production. With a string inverter, one shaded panel can drag down the entire string by 20-40%.
A contractual promise that your system will produce at least X% of the estimated annual kWh. If it underproduces, the installer compensates you.
85-90% of estimated production guaranteed in writing. Compensation for shortfall in cash or credits.
No production guarantee. Guarantee based on "ideal conditions." Guarantee excludes utility curtailment or outages.
NuWatt guarantees 90% of estimated Year 1 production. If your system underproduces, we pay the difference at your utility rate.
The production estimate itself matters as much as the guarantee percentage. An installer using inflated production numbers with an 85% guarantee may actually promise less than an honest installer with 90%. Ask for the solar access percentage (shade factor) and the production modeling tool used (Aurora, Helioscope, etc.).
Solar systems have three layers of warranty: panel manufacturer, inverter manufacturer, and installer workmanship. All three matter.
25-year panel product + performance warranty. 25-year inverter warranty. 10-25 year installer workmanship warranty covering roof penetrations.
10-year panel warranty. No workmanship warranty. Installer has been in business <3 years. No mention of roof leak coverage.
25-year panel warranty, 25-year Enphase warranty, 15-year NuWatt workmanship warranty including roof penetration coverage.
The workmanship warranty is the one most people overlook. If your roof leaks at a panel mount point 5 years after install, who pays? The panel manufacturer will say it is an installation issue. Your roofer will say the solar installer caused it. A good workmanship warranty covers exactly this scenario. Make sure it is transferable if you sell your home.
Beyond the 5 main checklist items, here are costs that legitimate installers include but shady ones hide.
$200-$500
Some installers charge extra for pulling permits. NuWatt includes this.
$0-$250
Utility charges to connect your system. Usually included in good quotes.
$0-$10/mo
Enphase monitoring is free. Some companies charge for their own app.
$300-$2,000
If trees shade your roof. Should be quoted separately, not a surprise.
$1,500-$3,500
Needed if you have a 100A panel. Should be identified before signing.
$500-$5,000
Damage found during install. Reputable installers inspect first.
Fill in each column with the information from your solar proposals. The best quote will have the strongest marks across all 5 categories.
| Category | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C | NuWatt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Size (kW) | ______ | ______ | ______ | Custom-sized to your usage |
| Total Cost (before incentives) | ______ | ______ | ______ | $3.16/W avg in MA |
| Price Per Watt ($/W) | ______ | ______ | ______ | $3.00-$3.40/W |
| Dealer Fee % | ______ | ______ | ______ | None (0%) |
| True $/W (incl. fees) | ______ | ______ | ______ | Same as quoted $/W |
| Panel Brand + Model | ______ | ______ | ______ | Hyundai/Silfab/REC (your choice) |
| Panel Efficiency | ______ | ______ | ______ | 21.0-22.3% |
| Panel Warranty | ______ | ______ | ______ | 25-year product + performance |
| Inverter Type | ______ | ______ | ______ | Enphase IQ8+ microinverters |
| Inverter Warranty | ______ | ______ | ______ | 25 years |
| Est. Year 1 Production (kWh) | ______ | ______ | ______ | Satellite-modeled, shade-adjusted |
| Production Guarantee | ______ | ______ | ______ | 90% of estimate |
| Workmanship Warranty | ______ | ______ | ______ | 15 years (roof penetrations) |
| Financing Options | ______ | ______ | ______ | Cash, Loan, Lease/PPA |
| Federal Tax Credit? | ______ | ______ | ______ | $0 (25D expired). Lease/PPA: 48 ITC |
A good price per watt for residential solar in Massachusetts in 2026 is $3.00-$3.40/W for a standard system with Tier 1 panels and microinverters. Below $2.80/W may signal low-quality equipment or hidden fees. Above $3.60/W is premium territory (REC, SunPower) or complex installations. Always compare $/W after dealer fees are included.
Dealer fees are charges that solar financing companies add to the loan amount to cover their costs. They typically range from 15-30% of the system cost and are often hidden in the loan APR. A $35,000 system with a 25% dealer fee becomes a $43,750 loan. Always ask for the dealer fee percentage and calculate the true $/W including the fee.
For most Massachusetts homes, microinverters (Enphase IQ8+) are the better choice. They provide panel-level monitoring, better shade tolerance (important in tree-heavy New England), and no single point of failure. String inverters (SolarEdge) cost less but have a 12-year warranty vs. 25 years for Enphase. Central/string inverters only make sense for large, unshaded, south-facing arrays.
A reputable MA installer should guarantee at least 85% of estimated Year 1 production. NuWatt guarantees 90%. If your system underproduces by more than the guaranteed percentage, the installer pays the difference. Watch out for guarantees tied to "ideal conditions" — your guarantee should be based on real, shade-adjusted production estimates from satellite imagery.
Get at least 3 quotes from different installers. Compare them using the 5-point checklist: $/W, panel tier, inverter type, production guarantee, and warranty terms. Do not compare based on monthly payment alone — that hides dealer fees and loan terms. A quote that is significantly cheaper than others (20%+ lower) deserves extra scrutiny.
Look for Tier 1 panels with at least 20% efficiency and a 25-year product warranty. Strong choices include REC Alpha (22.3%), Silfab (21.4%, FEOC-qualified), Hyundai (21.0%), Canadian Solar (21.3%), and Jinko (21.5%). Avoid off-brand panels without US warranty support or panels with only 10-12 year product warranties.
A loan means you own the system and keep all benefits (net metering credits, SMART income, property value increase). A lease or PPA means a third-party company owns the system on your roof — they claim the Section 48 commercial ITC and pass savings to you as a lower rate. Leases have fixed monthly payments; PPAs charge per kWh. With no 25D residential ITC, third-party ownership (lease/PPA) can actually cost less than owning because they claim the 48 ITC.
NuWatt quotes show every detail upfront. No dealer fees, no hidden costs, no expired tax credit claims. Compare us against any other quote using this checklist.
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