If you’ve got a 3-bedroom home here in Milwaukee or Waukesha County or anywhere in Southeastern Wisconsin, you’re looking at around $15,000 to $25,000 to get residential solar installed. That’s the full install price, before tax credits. And that price is for a system that’s going to offset your electric usage, not some undersized, cheap setup someone sells just to get the job.
After the federal 30% tax credit, you’re down to about $10,500 to $17,500, roughly. Still a big number. But that’s the honest range for a proper install done right.
Now, those numbers aren’t one-size-fits-all. They swing depending on:
- How much electricity does your home use
- Roof space and angle
- Shading from trees or other buildings
- Whether you’re adding a battery system or just panels
- Quality and brand of panels/inverters
You don’t need to go for the most expensive brand name, but don’t cheap out, either. If someone quotes you $9,000 fully installed and it sounds too good to be true, yeah, it is.
Why It Matters
Your energy bill is never going down. Let’s be real. Lehmann Electrical have been doing this long enough to see the trend: utility rates climb, people complain, nothing changes. Solar is a way to stabilize part of your home’s energy cost. Lock it in.
Plus, if you stay at home long-term, the system pays for itself. Not in 2 years, this isn’t a gimmick. But in 6 to 10 years, depending on usage and if you add battery storage.
Also, if you’re ever planning to sell, buyers now look for solar. It’s not some fringe thing anymore. We’ve seen homes move quicker and appraise higher with decent solar setups, especially with documentation that shows the savings.
When to Do It
If your roof is newer, less than 10 years old, do it now. If your electric bills are consistently above $100/month, also now.
If your roof needs replacing soon, do that first. Don’t install solar on a 20-year-old roof. We’ve ripped out too many systems just because someone didn’t want to delay the install a year or two. That’s money down the drain.
Also, if you’re already thinking about an EV or switching to electric heating, go solar sooner. Your electrical load’s going up. Plan for it.
How It’s Done (Short Version)
We come out, we take a look at your roof and electrical panel, check your usage history, and put together a system that fits. Not oversized. Not underpowered. We’re not guessing; there’s math involved, based on your utility bills and the actual sunlight your roof gets. This is called a “site-specific design.”
After that, it goes like this:
- Permits and utility approval (usually 2-4 weeks)
- Install (typically 1-2 days)
- Inspection (city or utility needs to sign off)
- System activation
From signed proposal to system on, you’re looking at 4 to 8 weeks, depending on city and utility timelines.
Common Mistakes
Here’s where people get it wrong:
- Going with the cheapest quote: It usually means crap equipment, bad wiring, or installers that cut corners. It’ll cost more to fix than to do it right the first time.
- Skipping the load analysis: If the system isn’t designed around your real usage, it won’t offset what it should. We see this all the time when out-of-state installers overpromise.
- Forgetting about the panel upgrade: Some older homes need a new electrical panel to safely handle the solar backfeed. That’s not “upselling,” that’s electrical code.
- Thinking you can DIY it: Please don’t. It’s not a YouTube project. Solar is still high-voltage, high-risk work. Permits matter. Code matters. Fire hazards are real. We do the hassle-free solar installation.
What Happens If You Don’t Do It Right
You’ll end up with a system that underperforms or, worse, breaks something. We’ve seen main panels fried because of bad installs. We’ve seen roofs leak because someone didn’t know how to seal the mounts properly. You don’t want to be that story.
Also, warranties often get voided if it wasn’t installed by a licensed contractor. So even if the equipment fails, you’re stuck footing the bill.
Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about solar, get an honest, site-specific quote. Not one of those phone estimates from someone who’s never even seen your house.
We inspect for free. We’ll tell you if your roof’s not a good fit. We’d rather you wait and do it right later than rush into a bad install now.
Solar’s not for everyone. But for the right home, at the right time, with a team that gives a damn it can be a real win.
Owner, Lehmann Electrical & Design
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