Customer Story

How 512 Solar Maintains Excellence at Scale with Scanifly's End-to-End Design Platform

Results From Using Scanifly

Company Overview

512 Solar has become a standout name in Austin’s competitive solar market over the past decade. Led by Owner JP Novak and Partner Huiyun (Jane) Kim, the company has built its reputation on exceptional service and unwavering quality standards.
In their early days, the company relied on manual roof surveys and basic remote design software. “JP was out there climbing roofs, taking photos, and doing everything by hand,” Kim recalls. While functional, this approach was time-intensive and lacked the precision they needed.
That changed when 512 Solar adopted Scanifly‘s end-to-end PV design platform. “Scanifly has become a one-stop shop for us, from preliminary designs to final stamped plans,” says Kim. The transition has streamlined their workflow, saving hours per project and increasing accuracy at every step while supporting their growing residential and commercial portfolio.

The Challenge: Maintaining Quality While Scaling

When extreme weather hit Texas and caused widespread power outages, the demand for solar and battery backup systems skyrocketed. While many solar companies rushed to capitalize on this surge, 512 Solar made the strategic decision to stay focused on their core strength: delivering exceptional solar installations with outstanding customer service.

“We made the unpopular choice and didn’t do battery backups,” explains Kim, who manages sales, design, and operations for 512. “As a small local company focused on providing the best customer service, we knew we couldn’t meet everyone’s needs. We could say we lost a lot of business that way, but in the longer term, we focused on doing what we did best.”

This disciplined approach has paid off. While other solar companies expanded too quickly and ultimately went out of business, 512 Solar has built a loyal customer base through their commitment to quality and service. “Our Google reviews tell the story—many of our customers came to us after their original installer went out of business and abandoned their project,” says Kim. “We were able to step in and get their systems back up and running and supported.”

The Solution: Streamlining Operations with Scanifly

To maintain their high standards while handling increased demand, 512 Solar needed to optimize their operations. They turned to Scanifly’s comprehensive platform to streamline their entire workflow from initial design through permit documentation.

“Scanifly has become more and more of a one-stop shop where I can get all these things answered and provided,” Kim explains. “From the preliminary design to drone survey capturing, and now you guys can do wireframing—that just saves me so much time. All the way to the finish with the plan sets and stamped plans, and you guys are always around to answer questions really quickly.”

Flexible Survey Solutions
When 512 Solar’s in-house drone pilot needed to focus more time on servicing existing installations and orphaned systems, they leveraged Scanifly’s network of on-demand drone pilots to maintain their project momentum. This flexibility proved especially valuable for projects outside the Austin metro and during periods of high demand.

“There are a lot of situations where I need flexibility: if our drone pilot is on vacation for a couple of weeks, we have a huge influx of proposals, the site is further away, like in Dallas, or the site requires multiple people. We need additional resources for all of these.” Kim notes.

Being able to order drone surveys from Scanifly’s network of trusted pilots was another key part of the project lifecycle they were able to manage through the platform. Scanifly’s “Request a Flight” program is a concierge approach to deploying third-party site survey resources. 512 Solar just sends Scanifly’s customer success team an address, and within 3-5 business days, they will have the site data fully loaded into their account.

Streamlined Engineering Process
Previously, 512 Solar handled engineering and permit documentation manually, with their electrician creating single-line diagrams during site visits. After discovering Scanifly’s Design Services, they automated this entire workflow through the platform.

The streamlined process now follows a simple flow:

Complete the preliminary design in Scanifly
Order drone survey once the deal is sold
True up the final design using a photorealistic drone-based 3D model
Order AHJ-ready plan sets directly through the platform

“Now they’ve changed how we submit our permits with our main city utility,” Kim explains. “We need to have a one-line diagram for all permits in the very early stages. I need to get that plan set made early on in the process. All of our battery systems require a stamped plan. As jurisdictions get more and more strict, I think that’ll be an increased demand for requests from us.”

The Results: Enhanced Efficiency Without Compromising Quality

By partnering with Scanifly, 512 Solar has been able to:

Maintain high service standards while scaling operations
Reduce time spent on manual surveys and documentation
Improve accuracy of system designs
Handle complex commercial and residential projects efficiently
Focus more energy on customer relationships

“Our job should be something where you delegate things,” Kim reflects. “You focus on what you should be focusing on, which to me is the customer service and having the energy to provide the highest quality product. I think it’s that kind of support that is the most helpful.”

Looking Ahead

As 512 Solar continues to grow, including expansion into commercial projects, their partnership with Scanifly positions them to maintain their commitment to excellence while scaling efficiently. “We don’t expand just because we can,” says Kim. “We always have a healthy profit margin. We’re not just going to win a job just to win a job. We love our clients. They’re amazing. And we make these investments in the right technology for them.”

By leveraging Scanifly’s comprehensive platform and support services, 512 Solar exemplifies how solar companies can grow sustainably while maintaining the high standards that set them apart in a competitive market.