A solar installation is a significant project with many moving parts going on behind the scenes. There’s the initial consultation, design process, permitting, installation, and inspection, all of which have to happen in stages.
One of the first questions our customers often ask is, “How long does it take to install solar panels?” At Cascadia Solar, we prefer to give honest expectations about timelines. While there are many factors at play, including our own lead time, you can expect:
- One to six months from contract signing to installation.
- One to five working days for the actual installation (without a battery system).
- Three to seven working days if there is a battery system.
Factors That Affect Your Solar Installation Timeline
Our Lead Times
Cascadia Solar’s lead time varies by demand and season. Our process includes a virtual site evaluation, an in-person site evaluation, and an official design, all of which take time. Sometimes we have a backlog to fill. At other times, we can jump right into your project.
At the earliest, we can start an installation within one month of signing a contract. During periods of high demand, it can take closer to four months. Call us at (360) 531-6163 to get a current estimate of lead times.
Permitting Lead Times
Once we’ve applied for all necessary permits, your solar project’s progress depends on the speed of local government. We need to obtain a WA State L&I permit for electrical work, an application process and interconnection agreement with your local utility, and a building permit. The timeline of receiving a building permit varies; every city and county on the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas has its own levels of complexity and lead times.
Size of Your Solar Array
The size of your array can add or subtract a few days to the installation itself. The more solar racking and panels you need, the longer it takes our team to complete everything.
Battery Backup Systems
Many customers in Kitsap County choose to install a battery backup system alongside their solar array. They use their solar to charge the batteries, keeping a reserve of electricity to use during power outages. This makes the solar installation more complex and can add a few days to the on-site work.
Final Inspections and Permission to Operate (PTO)
After we’ve completed our work, there’s another waiting period. Labor and Industries (L&I) must inspect our work to make sure it complies with electrical code. This inspection takes between 2 and 10 business days to complete. Once the system passes L&I inspection, we request an inspection from the City or County building department, as well as the utility for net metering.
Once inspections are approved, your net meter is installed, and we have permission to operate (PTO) from the utility company, we can then officially turn your system on.
How Long Do Solar Panels Take to Install?
The actual solar installation itself is the quickest part of the process. Once permits are approved, you can expect our team to take one to five working days for systems without battery backup.
How long does it take to get solar panels installed with a battery system? More complex projects like these generally take three to seven working days.
As a local, independent company with a long legacy in Kitsap County, Jefferson County, and Clallam County, we do not subcontract our work. Our licensed, experienced electricians handle every part of the installation in-house.
Risks of Waiting Too Long to Install Solar
At Cascadia Solar, we don’t use high-pressure sales tactics or push certain projects. However, it’s important to acknowledge that you’ll benefit more from solar when you install it sooner, rather than later. The risks of waiting include:
- Loss of 1:1 Net Metering: There has been talks about changing Washington State’s net metering policy away from a 1:1 system. If it changes or goes away, households who install beforehand are likely to be grandfathered in, at least for a certain number of years.
- Paying More for Electricity: Electricity rates continue to climb year after year. PSE’s proposed rate increase for 2027 is 16.75%! The longer you wait to install solar, the longer you’ll pay increasingly higher electricity rates.
Get Started With Cascadia Solar Today
When our lead times are short and the permitting process moves quickly, your solar installation could be completed in as soon as one month. When lead times and permitting are longer, it could take upwards of six months.
Regardless of the timeline, solar is a long-term investment that starts saving you money on your very first electricity bill. Since 2008, Cascadia Solar has been providing residential and commercial solar throughout the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas. We are the solar team of Frederickson Electric, a 50+ year company in the area, so you can trust that we’re not going anywhere.
