A DIY-installed solar system with a licensed electrician handling the critical connections is often the best of both worlds — real cost savings on labor, without the safety and code risks of doing 100% of the work yourself.
What You Can Safely DIY
Panel mounting, racking installation, and running low-voltage DC cable between panels and a combiner box are all reasonable DIY tasks for someone comfortable with basic tools and following manufacturer instructions carefully. This is also where most of the labor-hour savings actually are — mounting and wiring the array is time-consuming but not the most dangerous part of the job.
What to Leave to an Electrician
Inverter wiring, connecting to your battery bank’s high-current DC side, and any interconnection with your home’s AC electrical panel involve real shock and fire risk if done incorrectly — this is where a licensed electrician earns their fee. Many jurisdictions also require an electrician’s sign-off for permitting and insurance purposes regardless of your own skill level, so check local code before assuming you can skip this step entirely.
Sizing the System First
Before buying equipment, size the system against your actual power draw rather than a rule of thumb — an oversized system wastes money, an undersized one leaves you short. Our solar calculator and battery runtime calculator handle that sizing based on your household’s real usage.
Where the Real Savings Come From
Labor typically makes up a meaningful share of a fully professional solar installation’s total cost — doing the mounting and non-critical wiring yourself, then paying an electrician only for the final critical connections and inspection, captures most of that savings without taking on the risk of the dangerous parts.
For the full walkthrough — sizing, component selection, wiring diagrams, and a complete real-world case study — check out our book, Practical Off-Grid Solar, available now in ebook and paperback.