Residential solar
Solar installation designed for your roof.
Custom solar systems for Southern California homes. Premium equipment, quality crews, satisfaction guaranteed.
Why now matters more than ever.
Three forces have shifted the calculus on solar in California — and they all favor homeowners who move thoughtfully.
Utility rates keep climbing
SCE, LADWP, and PG&E have raised residential rates 30%+ in the last 4 years. Locking in your own production protects you from the next rate hike — and the one after that.
NEM 3.0 changed the math
California's new net-metering rules make solar-only systems weaker, but solar + battery still wins big. We design for NEM 3.0 from day one — no surprise paybacks.
About 30% off — through financing, not the IRS
Congress ended the 30% residential solar tax credit on Dec 31, 2025. But our prepaid-lease option captures the federal commercial clean-energy credit and passes it through as roughly 30% off your cost up front — and you take title to the system in year 6.
NEM 3.0, explained without the sales pressure.
In April 2023, California switched residential solar from NEM 2.0 to NEM 3.0. The short version: the credit you get for exporting power to the grid dropped roughly 75%. That doesn't kill solar — it changes the smart design. Solar paired with battery storage now wins in almost every SoCal market, because you store your daytime production and use it during 4–9 PM peak hours instead of selling it cheap.
We model both NEM 3.0 scenarios — solar-only and solar+battery — and show you the honest difference. Most homeowners look at the numbers and choose the battery. Some don't. Either choice can be the right one for your specific home and bill.
What's included
Premium equipment, no shortcuts.
Every Helios install includes the same equipment tier — no bait-and-switch panels, no off-brand inverters, no skipping the warranty fine print.
Premium-tier panels
We install Tier-1 monocrystalline panels with 25-year power output warranties — REC, Q CELLS, or Silfab depending on roof and budget. No off-brand panels, ever.
Microinverter or string + optimizers
Enphase microinverters by default for production transparency at the panel level. String + DC optimizers available when it makes more financial sense for your roof.
Battery-ready architecture
Every system we design can add storage later without re-permitting headaches. Most clients pair on day one given NEM 3.0 — but the option is always yours.
Real monitoring + app
Per-panel production data, 30-day battery forecasts, and outage alerts. You actually see what your system is doing — not just a monthly summary.
25-year panel warranty
Backed by the manufacturer. Plus our 10-year workmanship warranty on every roof penetration, every conduit run, every electrical connection.
Permitting + interconnection handled
We pull every permit, manage city inspections, and file the utility interconnection paperwork. You sign two documents and we run the rest.
From conversation to powered-on.
Four steps. Most clients are commissioned and producing power in 6–10 weeks.
- 01
Discovery call (15 min)
We start with a quick conversation: your roof type, utility, monthly bill, and what's driving you to look at solar. No pitch.
- 02
Custom system design
Tim, the owner, models your roof using satellite imagery, shade analysis, and your utility rate plan. You get a real production estimate — not a sales projection.
- 03
Transparent quote
Every line item shown: panels, inverter, mounting, labor, permitting, monitoring. We tell you cash vs. loan economics side-by-side so you pick what fits.
- 04
Install + commissioning
Typically 1–2 days on the roof. We handle the city inspection and utility interconnection — most systems are powered on within 6–10 weeks of sign.
The questions we actually get asked.
No marketing-team filler. These are the real questions from our discovery calls.
- How much does solar cost in Southern California?
- Most SoCal homes need a 6–10 kW system, which lands between $18,000–$32,000 before financing incentives. Through our prepaid-lease option, the federal commercial clean-energy credit is passed through as roughly 30% off your cost up front. We show real line-item pricing — no padded markups, no 'free solar' tricks. The exact number depends on roof complexity, panel choice, and whether you add a battery.
- Should I add a battery, or just solar?
- Under NEM 3.0 (any system permitted after April 2023), solar-only payback is much longer than it used to be — typically 10–14 years. Adding a battery uses your stored energy during peak rate hours and brings payback back into the 6–9 year range for most SoCal homes. We model both scenarios and let you decide.
- Can I still get the 30% solar tax credit in 2026?
- Not as a homeowner who buys the system — Congress ended the residential 30% credit on December 31, 2025. What still exists is the federal commercial clean-energy credit, claimed by whoever owns the system. Through our prepaid-lease option (the Propel program), our financing partner captures that commercial credit and passes the value to you as roughly 30% off your cost up front; you then take ownership of the system, in your name, in year 6 (after the IRS 5-year period). In many ways it's better than the old credit because it's real money off the top, not a refund you wait for at tax time. We're not tax advisors — we'll put the structure in writing and recommend you confirm it with yours.
- How long does a solar install actually take?
- Roof install itself is usually 1–2 days. The full timeline from contract to powered-on is typically 6–10 weeks — most of that is permitting, city inspection, and utility interconnection paperwork. We give you a real timeline based on your specific city's permit office (some are fast, some aren't).
- What happens if a panel fails?
- The panel manufacturer covers the part for 25 years. Our 10-year workmanship warranty covers the labor to replace it and any roof patching. With Enphase microinverters, our monitoring catches the failure within a day — most clients don't even notice the issue before we're scheduling a swap.
- Will solar work on my tile or shake roof?
- Yes, but it changes the install. Spanish tile, S-tile, and shake roofs each need specialized mounting hardware that not every installer carries. We do tile installs constantly across Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, and the Hillsides — your quote will include the right mounting hardware and matching grout work where needed.
Ready to see your numbers?
Free quote includes monthly savings projection, payback timeline, and every line-item cost. The owner personally reviews every design before it's sent.