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Between scheduling hassles, roof diversity, and dealing with trees, solar surveying is difficult enough as it is. Then you add roof obstructions. Often built to blend in, these obstructions are difficult to manually measure, and you need to get the 3D measurements to optimize your shading analysis. Plus, you’re climbing up on the roof unless you have a drone. On most roofs, there are eight types of obstructions to watch for. Here’s what you can do about them. 

On top of the usual challenges like identifying roof obstructions or getting accurate shading data, you also have to manage widely varying roof structures. This article provides an overview of common roof structures, why roofs are built in specific ways and considerations you need to know as a Contractor. 

Summer is just around the corner. For solar surveyors, that means months of high temperatures and sun exposure. The Scanifly team has completed hundreds of solar surveys throughout the United States and talked to dozens of contractors in states with the hottest summers—in this article, we’re sharing the types of gear you’ll need to say cool.

Being a Surveyor is a great way to break into the solar industry because you learn all the technical elements of the project. However, it

Outsourcing is a new growth lever in solar. In 2023, over two-thirds (67.1%) of Designers report outsourcing at least ten percent of project volume, and 13.4% report they always outsource something. This is a complete flip from just two years ago—in 2021, the majority of solar contractors (63.3%) did not outsource any tasks. What’s driving the change?

For new surveyors who aren’t used to assessing electrical panels, looking at old electrics can be an unsafe and uncomfortable experience. But it doesn’t have to be. Your job as a Solar Surveyor is not to become an electrical expert; it’s to collect the right data so Designers can do their job. In order to do that, you need some background context and must know how to keep yourself safe.

Over half of Designers say that incorrect structural, electric, or equipment data is the leading cause of project delays or problems. Further, 81% of Surveyors believe that on-site data is better than remote data for shading analysis. Here are some key reasons why you can’t eliminate pre-install day site visits entirely.

Planting new trees on any property is a great way to beautify. But it can also be a huge hassle for solar arrays. Picking trees does not need to be complicated though. Here’s a simple framework you can follow (with resources to find the right tree species for you).