A Sunrun Solar Company proposal should be judged by the system it designs for your home and the contract behind it—not by a headline savings estimate. Check the proposed solar production against your electricity use, find out what a battery will actually back up, and compare the total cost under the payment option offered. Also clarify who handles installation, repairs, roof work and system removal or transfer if you move. Sunrun’s products and contract terms can vary by location, utility and project, so request the details for your specific home in writing before you sign.
Start with the written proposal and any attached contract documents. The proposal should describe the planned equipment and estimated performance; the agreement determines what you pay, who owns the equipment and what service you can expect. If a salesperson’s explanation differs from the paperwork, ask for the discrepancy to be resolved in writing.
Look for the proposed system size, panel and inverter make and model, roof layout, estimated annual production and any battery equipment. The estimate should also state the assumptions behind its savings projection, including how it treats your utility’s charges and credits for electricity sent back to the grid.
A system’s estimated annual production is not the same as a guaranteed reduction in your bill. Your utility may continue to charge fixed fees, and exported electricity may be credited at a rate different from the price of electricity you buy. Ask Sunrun to show how the estimate translates into expected utility bills and payments under the proposed agreement.
Depending on your location and the offer, a Sunrun proposal may involve purchasing a system or paying for its use or output under a contract. These arrangements shift ownership, costs and responsibilities in different ways. Confirm which structure you are being offered rather than assuming every option is available in your area.
| Payment structure | What you pay | Who owns the system | What to examine closely |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | Upfront project price | Generally the homeowner | Total installed price, included work, warranties and any incentives you have independently confirmed you qualify for |
| Solar loan | Loan payments, plus any remaining utility charges | Generally the homeowner, subject to the loan agreement | Amount financed, interest, fees, term, total repayment and conditions for transferring or paying off the loan |
| Lease | Payments set by the lease agreement, plus any remaining utility charges | The lessor | Payment changes, maintenance responsibilities, transfer conditions and end-of-term choices |
| Power purchase agreement (PPA) | Charges for electricity generated under the agreement, plus any remaining utility charges | The provider or another contract party | How generation is measured, the price per unit, any price increases, service terms and end-of-term choices |
For a fair comparison, look beyond the advertised monthly payment. A low initial payment may be paired with a long term, scheduled increases or a separate utility bill. Request the total payments over the contract term, the schedule of any increases and the conditions that apply if you sell your home or want to end the agreement early.
Ownership can affect access to tax benefits or other incentives, but eligibility depends on the rules in force, the project structure and your circumstances. Do not subtract an incentive from the quoted cost until you have confirmed that it applies to you. A provider’s projected benefit is not a substitute for checking the relevant program terms or getting tax advice where needed.
Compare the estimated production in the Sunrun proposal with at least a year of your electricity bills. Bills show how much electricity your household uses and, in many cases, how that use changes by season. If you expect a major change—such as adding an electric vehicle, changing heating or cooling, or expanding your household—tell the designer before the system size is finalised.
Ask how the design accounts for roof direction, shade, usable roof area and local conditions. A proposed system may not offset all of your annual consumption, and even a system with annual production close to your annual use may not eliminate grid purchases. Solar generation varies over time, while household demand and utility billing rules determine when exported electricity is valuable.
Ask Sunrun to explain the production estimate in plain terms and identify what could make actual output differ. Confirm whether the estimate assumes particular equipment, roof conditions or tree growth, and whether the contract guarantees a production level or only provides an estimate. If there is a guarantee, read the remedy, exclusions and claim process rather than relying on the headline figure.
A battery can store some solar electricity for later use and may provide backup during an outage when the system is designed and configured for it. Those are separate benefits: a battery that shifts solar power into evening hours does not automatically provide whole-home backup. The proposal needs to spell out what will remain powered and how the equipment operates when the grid is down.
Ask for the battery’s usable storage capacity and power output, as well as a list of the circuits or loads included in backup. Capacity describes how much energy can be stored; power indicates how much can be supplied at once. A short list of essential circuits—such as selected lights, refrigeration or communications equipment—can require a different design from an attempt to run major appliances across the whole home.
Have Sunrun explain whether solar panels can recharge the battery during an outage with the proposed equipment, and what conditions or settings affect that function. Also ask about battery and inverter warranties, monitoring, service responsibilities and replacement arrangements. If your main goal is reducing bills rather than backup, compare the battery’s added cost with the value you expect from storing and using the energy.
Do not accept a proposal that identifies equipment only by broad labels such as “premium panels” or “battery storage.” Request the actual panel, inverter and battery make and model, then check that the contract matches the proposal. The inverter design matters because it converts solar electricity for household use, and the equipment selected affects monitoring, system operation and future service options.
Roof condition can change the project’s cost and timing. Ask whether the site assessment has identified repairs, electrical upgrades, tree work, trenching or other work that is excluded from the quoted price. If the roof may need replacement soon, compare the cost and disruption of addressing it before installation with the terms for removing and reinstalling the solar equipment later.
Clarify who is responsible for each project stage: permits, utility interconnection, inspections, installation, system activation and ongoing service. Ask which work is included, who will perform it, and how you will be told about delays or required changes. Local approval and utility requirements can affect the schedule, so treat a proposed start or activation date as provisional unless the agreement makes it binding.
Warranty language can cover different things. Equipment warranties, workmanship coverage, roof-penetration coverage and a production guarantee are not interchangeable. For each one, identify who provides it, how long it applies, what it excludes and whom you contact to make a claim. If a lease or PPA assigns maintenance to the provider, check what that responsibility includes and how service requests are handled.
If you might sell the home before the agreement ends, ask for the exact transfer process and any conditions a buyer must meet. Depending on the contract, a sale may involve transferring an agreement, paying it off, buying the system or another specified process. Do not assume a buyer can simply take over the payments. Get any fees, approval requirements and possible timing issues in writing.
Also find the contract’s options at the end of its term. The choices and deadlines are agreement-specific; do not assume you will automatically own the equipment or that removal will be free. Understanding these terms now can prevent a payment or property-transfer surprise later.
Compare proposals on the same assumptions. If one quote includes a battery, electrical work or roof repairs and another does not, their totals are not directly comparable. Ask each provider to clarify its scope before deciding.
A second proposal from another installer can help reveal whether a system’s size, equipment, scope or pricing assumptions differ. It is most useful when you compare the same roof conditions, battery requirements, payment structure and included work—not when you compare only the monthly payment or projected savings.
No solar provider or payment structure suits every home. A Sunrun offer may fit if its design, total cost, contract terms and service responsibilities align with your needs, but a roof constraint, unsuitable payment plan or unclear transfer terms may make another option worth considering. Compare the written offer with your bills and at least one like-for-like alternative.
Not necessarily. Your home may still draw electricity from the utility when solar production is low, and fixed charges or other fees may remain even when the system exports energy. Ask for an estimate of both solar payments and remaining utility charges under the billing rules that apply to your home.
That depends on the battery design, electrical configuration and loads included in the installation. Ask for the backed-up circuits and expected operating setup in writing; the word “battery” alone does not establish that major appliances or the entire home will stay powered.
The contract controls the available process. It may specify transfer conditions, buyer approval, payoff requirements or other steps, so review those provisions before signing and ask Sunrun to explain any unclear language in writing.
Use it as an estimate to examine, not as a guaranteed outcome unless the contract explicitly provides a guarantee and explains its remedy. Check the assumed system production, utility rates, export credits and payment increases, then compare the projected utility bill and solar payment with your current costs.
Before committing to a Sunrun Solar Company offer, make sure the equipment, expected production, full payment terms, battery function and service obligations are clear in the documents. If any of those details remain vague, ask for a revised proposal and compare it with another quote on the same basis.
