Solar Systems for New Home Builds

When you’re building a new home, there is a huge number of things to consider. You’ve got budgets, builders, colours, locations and a host of other decisions to make. Another one you might forget amongst all the chaos is solar energy.

Solar installations are becoming more and more popular around the country as Aussies try to escape the clutches of power companies. So, if you’re building a new home, there’s no better time to join the clean energy revolution.

The best time to install solar

Installing a solar energy system during the home build process is a lot easier and more cost-effective than doing it later. Firstly, you’re able to run all of the wirings for your solar system before the walls are plastered. You can also install a solar-ready electricity meter from the start which saves having to replace it down the track.

For multi-level homes, it’s also a lot easier to lay the solar panels on your roof while there’s already scaffolding in place. You might be thinking it’s your solar installer who has to worry about all these things, not you. And you’d be right, but at the end of the day, your solar installer charges for their time. So, the quicker and easier your installation is for your installer, the cheaper it will be for you.

Your new solar installation will pay for itself

By installing a solar system in your new home, it will start paying for itself straight away. On-grid solar energy means your home is powered by the sun during daylight hours, and you rely on the main electricity grid (your power company) for the rest of your power use. So, how quickly the system pays for itself varies from home to home.

As a rough guide though, most solar systems pay for themselves in around three years. In simple terms, the monthly savings on your energy bill will add up to the entire cost of your system in around three years, so after that, the profit is all yours. You can even sell any excess energy you generate back to the main grid, giving you additional credit on your bill.

Considerations when planning for solar

There are a few things to consider when installing a solar system, and you get an advantage by planning during the home build. The following considerations can tie into your building planning, to ensure you get the maximum benefit from your solar panels.

Roof orientation: If you can build a north-facing roof, you’ll maximise the daily sunlight.
Surrounding areas: What’s next to your new home? Bigger houses? Larger trees? You can plan the placement of solar panels to avoid them being in the shade.
Other intrusions: You may be planning other roof intrusions like chimneys or satellite dishes. Keep these away from solar panels to avoid casting shade.

Save time and money by planning ahead

Finally, by planning ahead you can save time and money on your solar installation. Have your solar installers work directly with your builders for the most cost-effective installation. It’s easy, just tell your builder that you’re installing a new solar system with AHLEC!