Absolutely yes! A solar energy system is an investment that adds both immediate and long-term value to your home or business.

Studies have estimated that there are about $1,000 a year in energy savings, which translates to $20,000 increase in the value of a home. If you ever decide to sell your home, research shows that buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home with a solar energy system installed. With a customized renewable energy system in place from Urban Design Solar, the Return on Investment (ROI) ranges from 10-30% depending on system size, building structure and available incentives.

You can dramatically reduce your utility energy bills from the very first day your solar energy system is installed and for years to come. Solar users still draw some power from the utility grid, but at a much lower-priced rate. When you switch to solar power, you are hedging against rising utility energy rates. You can lock in low, predictable energy costs for years into the future with solar energy.

Now is really the best time to invest in a solar energy system. You can receive 30% of your solar energy system cost off your federal income taxes credit; these credits can carry forward for five years. Urban Design Solar identifies all of the qualifying programs for your solar energy system and files the required paperwork for you. Utility incentives are being rapidly allocated and federal incentives are set to expire soon. So now is the time to install a solar energy system and take advantage of current subsidies for the best immediate and long-term savings.

The single biggest mistake is choosing a solar company based only on the lowest price, without vetting their longevity or commitment to post-installation support.

This common mistake leads to two critical and costly problems for Northern California property owners:

1. The Problem of the Disappearing Contractor (The Longevity Trap)

The NorCal solar market is volatile. Many low-cost installers close or leave the area, leaving customers stranded when repairs are needed.

• The Risk: Your expensive 25-year warranty becomes worthless if the company is gone. You are left with a broken system and no one to service it.

• The Urban Design Difference: We have been an established and trusted NorCal service contractor for nearly 20 years. We are 5-Star Rated and have won multiple “Best of Chico” awards. Our motto is “The Northern California contractor that stays and fixes the problems others leave behind.” We are here for the long haul.

2. The Danger of Unpermitted Work (The Safety Trap)

Low-cost companies often cut corners by skipping required permits and inspections.

• The Risk: Unpermitted work is inherently unsafe (risking electrical fires or structural damage), can lead to costly fines, and will severely complicate the sale of your home down the road.

• The Urban Design Difference: As a licensed, multi-vertical trade service specializing in Electrical and Plumbing, we are uncompromising on safety. We ensure every installation is fully permitted, inspected, and compliant with all local building and fire codes across NorCal.

The Bottom Line: Do not choose on price. Choose on Proven, Long-Term Local Reliability.

We are rarely the least expensive option in Northern California, and we are proud of that.

We are transparent: Our price is a reflection of a commitment to long-term quality, safety, and accountability that eliminates the hidden costs of cheap installation.

When you see a significantly lower quote from a competitor, it’s not because they found a secret panel deal; it’s because they are making cuts in one of three critical areas:

1. The Quality of the Workmanship (The $0 Insurance Trap)

A low price often signals corners being cut on the back-end—specifically, in proper licensing, comprehensive insurance, and skilled labor.

• The Hidden Cost: If an un-insured installer damages your roof or a cheap electrical connection causes an issue, the liability falls entirely on you. The cost of a major roof or electrical repair will quickly erase any initial “savings” on the install price.

• Our Standard: As an established, multi-vertical company specializing in Plumbing and Electrical (Proprietary Knowledge #2), we guarantee quality, fully-insured, and code-compliant installations. We do the job right the first time, protecting your property and your wallet for decades.

2. The Use of Proper Permits and Inspections (The Future Sale Trap)

Your insight is crucial here. We find that many low-cost NorCal installers intentionally skip or fast-track the local permitting process to minimize “soft costs” (time, labor, and municipal fees).

• The Hidden Cost: Unpermitted work is a ticking time bomb. It risks fines, puts your system safety in question, and will become a major, costly liability that can delay or derail the sale of your home down the road.

• Our Standard: We handle all permitting and inspections correctly and locally, ensuring every installation meets the highest safety standards across all NorCal service areas. We have the small-town integrity to follow the rules, no matter what.

3. The Commitment to Longevity (The Abandonment Trap)

The absolute lowest-priced providers are often the “fly-by-night” operations that move on or close down within a few years.

• The Hidden Cost: Your 25-year panel warranty is useless if the company who installed it has disappeared. Who do you call for a repair? That’s the core crisis we see in Northern California.

• Our Standard: Urban Design has been trusted for nearly 20 years in Northern California. We are the company that “stays and fixes the problems others leave behind.” Our pricing includes our pledge to be here tomorrow to service the system we install today.

In summary, we offer the best value and the lowest long-term risk in Northern California, not the lowest initial price.

As the NorCal contractor built on small-town integrity, we’re not just here to sell you panels—we’re here to sell you a long-term solution. Sometimes, that means advising against solar until certain conditions are met.

In our experience across Northern California, solar is typically not a good fit in the following three scenarios:

1. The Roof is Physically Unsuitable (The “Shade” or “Structure” Problem)

Solar panels need direct, unobstructed sunlight for the majority of the day to generate a strong return on investment.

• Excessive Shading: If large, mature trees (which cannot be trimmed) or taller neighboring buildings cast significant shade on your primary roof areas, especially between 9 AM and 3 PM, the system’s efficiency will be severely reduced.

• Poor Orientation: A roof that primarily faces North will not capture enough sun in the Northern Hemisphere to justify the installation cost. Optimal performance is achieved on South, Southwest, or West-facing roof planes.

• Aged or Fragile Roofing: Solar systems are designed to last 25+ years. If your roof is made of a fragile material (like old slate or wood shake) or is already 10+ years old and nearing the end of its life, we will not install panels. You would need to pay to remove and reinstall the entire system just a few years later when the roof needs replacement. As licensed roofing, plumbing, and electrical experts, we insist on structural integrity first.

2. The Financial Equation Doesn’t Balance (The “Low Usage” or “Short Stay” Problem)

The value of solar is directly tied to how much utility power you offset and how long you own the system.

• Extremely Low Energy Bills: If your household uses a minimal amount of electricity (e.g., less than 500 kWh per month) because you are rarely home or have an exceptionally energy-efficient house, the lifetime savings may not be enough to cover the initial cost and maintenance fees in a reasonable payback period.

• Planning to Move Soon: The average payback period for a system is 6 to 9 years in California. While solar typically increases your home value, if you are planning to sell the property within the next 2-3 years, you may not stay long enough to realize the full savings potential and return on investment.

3. You Don’t Own the Property

This is the simplest constraint. You must be the legal property owner to authorize a permanent structural and electrical modification like a solar installation. If you are a renter, you cannot install a system on the home.

When your solar system generates more power than your home or business is currently using (which typically happens during the middle of the day in Northern California), that excess energy does not go to waste. It flows back into the utility grid, and you receive a credit for it.

This crucial financial process is handled through a system called Net Energy Metering (NEM), which is monitored by your smart meter.

How the Credit System Works

1. Meter Runs Backward (Effectively): When you consume electricity from the grid, your meter runs forward. When your solar panels push excess power back into the grid, the meter runs backward (or registers a credit).

2. Banking Your Energy: This excess power is essentially “banked” as credits for future use. You typically use these credits at night, when your solar panels aren’t generating power, but your home still requires electricity.

3. Maximum Value: You are generating this excess power during the sunniest, “peak rate” hours of the day, effectively replacing the most expensive utility power with your own free, credited power. This is where the biggest financial advantage of solar comes from.

The Urban Design Difference (Maximum Offset):

We engineer every system to maximize this offset, ensuring you get the most financial benefit from Net Energy Metering. With nearly 20 years of experience serving the greater Northern California region, we specialize in designing systems that significantly reduce or eliminate the costly electrical repairs that stem from other contractors’ shoddy workmanship. Our goal is to set up a robust, long-term system that maximizes your credits and guarantees a strong return on your investment.

To make a solar energy system worthwhile, you generally need to ensure your primary roof space receives at least 4 to 6 hours of direct, unobstructed sunlight per day, especially during the peak generating window of 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

The goal is to maximize your Return on Investment (ROI). The more quality sun exposure you have, the quicker your system will pay for itself and the more money you will save over its 25+ year lifespan.

Three Factors That Determine ROI

We evaluate every property across Northern California based on these three critical factors:

1. Orientation (Facing South/Southwest): In the Northern Hemisphere, surfaces facing South or Southwest receive the most intense solar radiation throughout the day, leading to optimal power generation. North-facing roofs are usually deemed unsuitable.

2. Shading (Unobstructed Access): Heavy shading from large, mature trees or nearby taller structures will drastically reduce your system’s efficiency and may make the investment questionable. Continuous, heavy shade is the biggest reason solar won’t pay off.

3. Local Weather and Climate: While occasional rain and clouds won’t stop production, the typically sunny climate of Butte County and the rest of the Sacramento Valley makes solar a powerful, proven investment across the region.

The Urban Design Authority Check

We believe in small-town integrity and won’t install a system that won’t give you a strong ROI.

As the contractor that stays and fixes the problems others leave behind, we ensure your investment is solid. We personally check your roof and shading conditions during our FREE, no-obligation site evaluation. This allows us to use expert modeling software to project your system’s output and verify that solar is indeed a cost-effective, great fit for your home before any commitment is made.