Solar site survey checklist: the photos and readings to get on the first visit

Printable detailed site survey: PDFWordExcel

Site photos

• Front of the home with the house number.
• Driveway, right side, left side and back of the home. One wide shot each.
• Where the materials will be dropped off, so the delivery and the crew know where to go.
• Trees that shade the roof, and whether trimming is needed before the install.
• Existing damage to the property: driveway cracks, siding, gutters, landscaping. Photograph it now so it is never blamed on the crew.

Roof

• The entire roof before any work, every plane the array might use.
• A close-up of the roof's condition. Granule loss, curling, soft spots and old repairs. If the roof needs replacing within a few years, now is the time to say so.
• Roof material and approximate age.
• Orientation and pitch of each usable plane. Say or write the pitch you measured and how you measured it.
• Obstructions: vents, chimneys, skylights and satellite dishes that limit the layout.

Attic and structure

• Rafter or truss size and spacing, with a tape measure in the photo.
• Decking condition and any signs of past leaks.
• How you got in, and whether the crew will need access on install day.

Electrical

• Utility meter, one close-up that shows the meter number and one step back that shows where it sits on the house.
• Service wire condition. If you are unsure, take several photos and get them to a manager the same day.
• Main service panel location, with the door closed and with it open.
• Close-ups of every breaker and of the panel label.
• Main breaker size and the bus rating. Together they decide how much solar the panel can take. In many places the National Electrical Code's 120% rule (NEC 705.12; try the 120% rule calculator) limits a backfed breaker by the bus rating, so get both numbers clearly in the photo.
• Open spaces in the panel and any subpanels.
• Grounding and bonding where you can see them.
• The route for conduit from the array to the inverter and the panel, and where the inverter, disconnect and any battery would go.

System details

• Number of modules and total system size as proposed.
• Racking type the roof will take.
• Anything the designer should know: HOA rules, a planned roof replacement, a homeowner who wants panels off the street side.

How to shoot the main panel

The main panel is where most second visits come from. Take it in this order:

• The panel from a step back, so the designer can see what is around it and how much space there is.
• The door closed, then open.
• The label inside the door, readable, with the bus rating and the manufacturer.
• The main breaker, close enough to read the rating.
• Every breaker, in rows, close enough to read.
• Any subpanel, the same way.

Check the photos before you leave. A blurry label is the same as no label.

What most often causes a second visit

• No readable photo of the panel label or the main breaker.
• No attic photos, so the rafters and their spacing are a guess.
• Shading from trees or a neighbor's house not documented.
• Roof condition not flagged, so the problem shows up on install day.
• No photo of the meter from a step back, so nobody knows where the equipment can go.

Before you leave the site

• Go through the checklist and make sure every photo item has a photo.
• Tell the homeowner anything that could change the job: roof condition, tree trimming, a possible panel upgrade.
• Note what you couldn't get to, and why.

After the install

Many installers take a second set of photos before the panels go on: the bases or mounts fully installed, the racking with the wiring finished, and any labels or identifiers the program or the inspector asks for. They are much harder to get once the panels hide them.

Doing it in FieldPix

FieldPix has two built-in survey checklists. The standard Site Survey covers site photos, system details, roof and electrical. Solar Site Survey: Detailed adds each roof plane's pitch and azimuth, the attic and rafters, horizon photos for shading and the electrical service down to the busbar rating; it is the printable checklist above. Use either as it is or build your own. Talk through what you find during a walkthrough and FieldPix writes the survey notes and a to-do list for the install crew. See FieldPix for solar installers.

Source for the 120% rule: NEC 705.12, from the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70). Your local edition and inspector have the final say.