A solar site survey is the visit that turns a signed proposal into something engineering can design and a crew can build. The surveyor confirms the customer's usage, measures every roof plane that might carry modules, looks at what the array will be fastened to, photographs the service panel until every rating is legible, and writes down anything that changes the price — a roof that will not outlast the array, a panel that cannot take the backfeed, a tree that shades half the afternoon. This template follows that visit in the order you walk it, and the red flags at the end land in the summary on their own. Fill it in here and download a PDF, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Why the survey decides the whole job
Almost every expensive surprise on a solar install was visible on the survey day: rafters too small for the attachment spacing, a 100 A panel with no spare spaces, three layers of shingles, a meter in a spot the utility will not accept. If the survey misses it, the crew finds it on the roof — and the job stops, the customer gets a change order, and someone drives back out.
So the survey is written for three readers at once. The designer needs azimuth, tilt, usable area, framing and panel ratings. The project manager needs the red flags and the access notes. And the customer needs to see that what they were sold can actually be built, or exactly what has to change first.
One entry per roof plane
Paper surveys often have one line for "roof pitch" and one for "orientation", which works for a simple gable and fails on everything else. This form gives each plane you might use its own entry: a name that matches your sketch, the direction it faces, its tilt, the usable area once fire setbacks and obstructions are taken out, how much shade it gets and from what, the vents and skylights in the way, and a photo taken from where the designer can recognise it.
Measure azimuth and tilt rather than guessing from the street, and say which tool you used for the shade reading. A plane facing 190° and one facing 250° are very different designs, even if both are "south-ish".
The service panel photos that save a second trip
Most return visits are for one missing photo of the panel. Engineering wants to see where the panel is on the house, the door closed and open, the breaker labels readable, the dead front off, every breaker size, and the label that states the busbar rating. The busbar rating — not the main breaker — is what limits how much solar can be backfed into that panel, so if you cannot read it, say so rather than guessing.
The form asks for each of those photos separately, then for the ratings and the number of spare spaces, then for anything that worries you: heat marks, corrosion, double-tapped breakers, a panel type with a poor reliability history. Those concerns are flagged as safety findings.
Red flags: roof and panel first
Two findings change more solar jobs than anything else. A roof with only a few years left should be replaced before modules go on, because removing and reinstalling an array later costs far more than doing the roof now. And a service panel that cannot take the new breaker — too small a busbar, no spaces, a recalled or failing panel — needs an upgrade, a derate or a different interconnection method.
Both are yes/no questions at the end of this form, and a Yes on either is raised as a finding with your notes and photos beside it, so the sales team and the customer hear about it the same day.
Common questions
What is the difference between a solar site survey and a sales assessment?
A sales assessment is usually done from satellite imagery or at the kitchen table to price a proposal. The site survey happens after the customer signs, on the roof and in the attic, and its job is to confirm the proposal can be built and give the designer real measurements.
What photos does a solar site survey need?
At minimum: all four sides of the house with the address visible in one, the roof and every plane you plan to use, the attic framing, the utility meter with its number readable, the main service panel closed, open and with the dead front removed, every breaker size, the busbar label, and the places you expect to put the inverter, disconnect and conduit.
How do I record shading without a shade tool?
Describe it by source, direction and time of day, and photograph it from the plane. If you do use a shade measuring tool or app, type its solar access or shade percentage into the plane entry and note which tool produced it, so the designer knows how far to trust the number.
Does the survey tell me whether the roof can carry the array?
It records what an engineer needs to decide that: framing type, rafter size and spacing, decking, any sagging or damage, and the covering and its layers. The structural decision belongs to whoever stamps or approves the design, not the surveyor.
Can I use this for a ground-mount or carport system?
Yes. Record the location as a plane entry with its azimuth, tilt and usable area, and use the notes for trenching distance, soil and setbacks. The roof and attic sections can be left blank or answered No.