How it works
How SunEstimate builds your estimate
No black box. Here's exactly what we look at, where the numbers come from, and what happens with your information at every step.
Build My Free Estimate
Free, no obligation. An installer only reaches out when you ask.
The short version
Three steps, about five minutes
Most people go from address to a complete estimate in under five minutes. Here's the whole path before we break down each part.
You enter your address
We pull up your exact roof and analyze it.
You add your energy details
We size a system around how you actually use power.
You get your estimate
System, equipment, cost, savings range, and the reasoning behind it, ready to review on your own time.
No one calls you to make this happen. No one climbs onto your roof. You're in control of every step, including whether you ever speak to an installer.
Step one · Reading your roof
We start with your actual rooftop
When you enter your address, we run Google Maps Platform's sunlight and roof data on your specific home. That tells us the things that decide how much solar your roof can hold and how much power it will produce:
- How much usable space your roof has
- Which directions your roof faces, and at what pitch
- Where shade falls across the day and the year
This is where most estimators cut corners. They use a satellite photo and a zip-code average, then guess. We work from your roof's real geometry, which is why our starting numbers hold up better when an installer eventually takes a look.
Step two · Understanding your energy use
Your system is sized for your home, not an average household
A roof tells us what's possible. Your energy use tells us what you actually need. So we ask for your real numbers: what you pay and how much power you use.
That matters because two homes with identical roofs can need very different systems. A household with an EV and electric heat uses far more power than a couple in a small home, and sizing a system off a regional average gets both of them wrong. Working from your real usage is how we land on a system that fits your life instead of a generic profile.
The more you can share, the sharper your estimate gets. But you'll get a useful result even with just the basics.
Your estimate
Decision-grade7.04 kW
Recommended system
$18,240
Net cost after credit
Panels16 x 440W
BatteryRecommended · 1 unit
Annual production10,900 kWh / yr
Savings rangeShown with payback period
Step three · Your estimate
A complete picture, with the assumptions shown
Once we have your roof and your usage, we build your estimate. You see the whole thing at once:
- Recommended system size and the specific equipment
- Battery options, with the reasoning for whether a battery helps your home
- Total cost, the federal tax credit, and your net cost
- Estimated annual production
- A long-term savings range and payback period
This is a decision-grade estimate. It's detailed enough to plan around and accurate enough to make a real decision on. Final pricing and engineering get confirmed when an installer visits and validates the site.
Being straight with you
Where the estimate is strong, and where it isn't
We'd rather be clear about this up front than have you find out later.
What it tells you well
System size, equipment fit, cost before and after incentives, expected production, and a realistic savings range. Enough to understand your options and decide whether to move forward.
What it can't tell you yet
Final engineered pricing, the exact panel layout after a structural check, and anything that depends on a physical inspection of your roof, electrical panel, and site. Those get confirmed during an installer's site review.
An estimate that pretends to be the final word isn't being honest with you. Ours is built to get you confidently to the next step, not to replace it.
Your Data
Your information, and what we do with it
You can run a full estimate and review it without anyone contacting you.
When you do ask to move forward, we share your estimate with a vetted installer who works in your area, so they can pick up where you left off instead of starting from a blank form.
The complete detail on how we collect, use, and share your information lives in our Privacy Policy and Terms. We'd encourage you to read them.
How installer matching works
Matched on fit, not on who paid the most
When you're ready, we connect you with a vetted local installer. "Vetted" means something specific here. We look at:
- Whether they're properly licensed
- Whether they actually serve your area
- Whether they have real experience with the kind of system you need, including batteries
Your estimate travels with you to that installer, so your first conversation starts with your full picture already in hand. That's a better experience than the usual cold lead, for you and for them.
You decide when that handoff happens. Until you ask, the estimate is yours alone.
Your roof. Your numbers. Your decision.
See what solar really looks like for your home
Skip the averages. Get an estimate built on your roof, your bill, and real equipment, in about the time it takes to drink a coffee.
Build My Free Estimate
Free, no obligation. An installer only reaches out when you ask.