Stepping into solar

By Emma Peterson. 

Check out three ways that contractors can get involved in the rising solar industry and expand their businesses. 

Solar power is growing as a popular choice in both residential and commercial applications and presents a valuable market for contractors. In an interview, Pete Cleveland, vice president of the solar division for EagleView, highlighted some of the reasons and ways to get involved with this market.  

First, he highlighted that solar goes hand-in-hand with pre-established contractor jobs, like reroofs. “20-40% of residential solar projects should have a new roof installed at the time of the, the solar system, there's natural crossover,” according to Pete.  

Then he pointed out that both the roofing industry and solar market are shifting towards a financing approach. For contractors who do both the roof and the solar system, there is a good opportunity to have the financing for both bundled into one package, which makes it a more attractive investment to the homeowner.  

Last but not least, he noted that working with an integrated system, like solar, builds the adaptability that contracting companies need to make it long-term in a competitive industry. So, how do contractors get involved with solar? Pete shared three different routes you could take: 

1 - Referrals 

Rather than being the one installing the solar, and responsible for the training, overhead and supplies needed for that, contractors can build lasting and mutually beneficial partnerships with established solar installers.  

Pete explained, “Find a local solar company, or EagleView can even help partner you up, and they would love that business and then you'll get some roofs in return.” 

2 - Selling 

Another option is to build a partnership where you, as the contractor, sell every aspect of the system. Pete explained, “So partner up with another solar company who can do the install and you could sell on their behalf and instead of just making a referral fee, you'll make the sales commission.” The benefit of this method is that the financing can be bundled as it is all sold by the same business. 

3 - On the roof 

While it takes training and monetary investment, contractors should consider taking the leap to including solar installation in their portfolio. Pete explained, “You already have labor you’re using to renovate the rooftop. If you get some experience on the electrical side and then sell and install for yourself, you can make about three times the average price tag of just a rooftop asphalt shingle install.” 

EagleView’s SolarReady™ solution makes getting involved at any level easy! This is a data service that determines if a roof is suitable for solar in an efficient and easy-to-use way. Pete elaborated, “We use generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) to determine how much sunlight hits the roof and how much electricity can be produced.” 

Learn more about the SolarReady™ program and how you can incorporate solar into your business!