A Burien solar or electrical upgrade should begin with measured loads, existing equipment, roof and site constraints, utility coordination and a permit-ready design. Compare proposals by equipment, production assumptions, protection, inspections and commissioning rather than a sales headline.
Require existing-service assessment, load assumptions, array or equipment layout, model numbers, conductor and protection design, permit and utility responsibilities, roof or wall restoration, monitoring, commissioning tests, warranties and a clear change process.
Record service rating, panel condition, breaker space, grounding, major loads and planned electrification. A solar array does not automatically solve capacity for EV charging, heat pumps or electric cooking. Ask the designer to show the load method and any management equipment included.
Roof orientation, shade, usable area, setbacks, equipment location and future roof work affect array design. Request the layout, model numbers and stated assumptions behind production estimates. Keep forecasts separate from guaranteed equipment performance and do not accept an unsupported universal savings claim.
Document roof age, covering, flashing method, attachment locations and responsibility for leaks or disturbed finishes. If reroofing is likely, decide sequencing before equipment is ordered. The proposal should address removal and reinstallation responsibility rather than leaving future roof access undefined.
List the circuits that must operate during an outage, starting and continuous loads and expected duration. Whole-home language can hide practical limits. Require an outage-mode demonstration, transfer behavior, homeowner shutdown instructions and a plan for equipment installed outdoors or near occupied spaces.
Burien's Permit Center publishes the local application path, and electrical work also involves Washington electrical authority and utility requirements. Name the applicant, correction responder, inspection scheduler, interconnection contact and person responsible for final authorization to operate.
Use Washington L&I to verify the contracting business and electrical authority connected to the agreement. Ask who performs design, roof attachment, electrical work and commissioning. The sales company, installer and permit applicant may not be the same entity, so responsibility should be written.
List manufacturer, model, quantity, rating, optimizer or microinverter, monitoring, disconnects and required accessories. State how substitutions are approved and how warranty or production differences are evaluated. A product category without exact equipment does not support a meaningful bid comparison.
Final work should include required inspections, labels, shutdown instructions, monitoring setup, production check, backup-mode test when applicable and delivery of approved plans and warranties. Confirm roof and wall restoration and keep photographs of concealed routing for future maintenance.
Describe the project once and we match it with vetted local pros who actually do this work — you choose who to hire, or nobody at all.
The city publishes current intake guidance for building and construction permits.
Washington L&I provides homeowner guidance for hiring electrical contractors.
Washington's lookup identifies registration, bond, insurance and available enforcement history.
| Project path | Primary question | Completion evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Solar only | Can the roof and service accept the design? | Approved plans, inspection and monitoring |
| Panel or service upgrade | What measured load and capacity are required? | Labels, test results and utility release |
| Solar plus battery | Which circuits need backup and for how long? | Transfer and outage-mode test |
| EV or heat-pump readiness | What simultaneous load is expected? | Load calculation and energized equipment test |
Ask every bidder to price the same measured quantities, preparation, access, protection, permits, inspections, restoration and closeout. Separate genuine unknowns with written allowances or unit rates. This makes exclusions and risk visible without inventing a universal local price.
No. The decision depends on existing equipment, design, loads and utility requirements; require a documented assessment.
Assign the applicant and correction responder in writing and confirm the current process with the Permit Center.
Align array size, model, shade, degradation, weather assumptions and included monitoring rather than comparing one headline number.
That depends on power, energy, transfer design and selected loads. Require a circuit list and outage-mode test.
Coordinate reroofing and solar sequencing before installation and state future removal-and-reinstallation responsibility.
Use Washington L&I to check the legal contracting and electrical businesses named in the agreement.
Inspection, labels, shutdown instructions, monitoring, production verification and backup testing when included.
No. Confirm current eligibility with the responsible program and tax professional; keep incentives separate from the construction scope.
Share current equipment, planned loads, roof information and backup goals so qualified contractors can explain a complete design.
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