Answer
A solar site survey should capture verified location, geometry, access, obstructions, shading, roof or terrain condition, structural evidence, electrical service, equipment routes, safety constraints, photographs, measurements, and unresolved items. The required depth depends on project type and design stage, and remote evidence should not be treated as field verification where it cannot establish the condition.
A useful solar site-survey checklist records the facts a designer needs and the questions the visit did not resolve. Use the tables below as an adaptable capture brief for installers and EPC teams. Assign the required competence, methods and review depth for the site before sending someone to collect the information.
The U.S. DOE’s Homeowner’s Guide to Solar identifies roof condition, shape, slope and tree cover as suitability factors and recommends a custom installer estimate. Those observations are a starting point; the final design also needs the applicable engineering, electrical, utility and authority review.
Start with the project and access record
| Capture item | Useful evidence | Follow-up if unresolved |
|---|---|---|
| Site and building identity | Address, building/roof references, visit date and surveyor | Resolve ambiguous buildings before using dimensions |
| Project scope | Proposed array areas, equipment, storage and next decision | Clarify what the survey must support |
| Existing source documents | Drawings, utility records, previous work and their revisions | Confirm whether they describe present conditions |
| Safe access | Agreed areas, access restrictions, weather and operating constraints | Change the method or route to responsible review |
| Customer instructions | Who supplied them, ownership/authorization and status | Confirm instructions that alter scope |
OSHA’s solar fall guidance identifies roof edges, skylights and hatches as hazards and distinguishes requirements by work type. Its solar electrical guidance addresses electrical exposure and training. These are U.S. references, not universal survey thresholds. A capture checklist does not replace the applicable safe work arrangements.
Roof condition and structural evidence
| Check | Record | What the observation does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Roof age and planned work | Customer account, available records and visible condition | A guaranteed remaining service life |
| Roofing system | Material, membrane or covering, visible defects and repair history | Compatibility of an unspecified attachment |
| Leaks or deterioration | Dated visible observations and supplied maintenance records | Absence of hidden damage |
| Roof framing, where appropriately accessible | Member references, measurements and relevant drawings | Structural adequacy from one photographed member |
| Existing penetrations and plant | Location, footprint and height information | Permission to move or cover equipment |
| Proposed mounting areas | Geometry and evidence needed by the structural/racking reviewer | Final ballast or anchorage feasibility |
Do not prescribe re-roofing from a universal “ten years remaining” rule or treat roof-layer count as a universal rejection criterion. A competent roof assessment, mounting documents, project economics and applicable rules determine the response. Surveyors should not walk a questionable surface to test whether it is soft.
For commercial roofs, collect available structural and roof-warranty records and identify drainage, plant, parapets and proposed staging areas. Planned pallet locations and access routes need appropriate assessment; a roof approved for installed equipment is not automatically approved for concentrated construction loads.
Shading and solar resource evidence
HelioScope’s shading guidance distinguishes obstruction, row-to-row and horizon effects. Organize the capture to support the mechanisms present at the site rather than looking only south or checking one fixed midday window.
| Source | Record for the model | Qualification to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Trees | Location, canopy geometry, height source, date and relevant seasonal assumptions | Do not apply an invented annual growth rate |
| Chimneys, parapets and roof plant | Footprint, height relative to the array and position | Estimated heights need a verification route |
| Adjacent buildings | Relevant geometry and source | Objects outside the parcel may affect shade |
| Terrain or distant horizon | Data source and applicable model settings | Near-object measurements do not establish the whole horizon |
| Proposed pruning or construction | Separate scenario and responsible party | Proposed work is not an existing condition |
Record whether the model uses present vegetation or a proposed intervention. Ownership alone does not establish permission to remove a tree. Confirm the necessary permission and realistic scope before using removal in a committed forecast.
Use the pre-layout shading checks to reconcile the modeled obstructions with module positions and time-period outputs. A single photograph does not establish annual shade or electrical production.
Electrical equipment and route information
Capture accessible identifiers and the information requested by the responsible electrical reviewer. Opening an enclosure, removing a deadfront or making tests requires the appropriate competence, authorization and safe work arrangements. A camera or a general survey assignment does not confer that authority.
| Capture topic | Evidence to request or record | Responsible follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Service and distribution equipment | Location, identifiable labels, supplied drawings and existing configuration records | Electrical assessment of ratings and proposed connection |
| Meter and utility information | Equipment identity, connection records and relevant utility instructions | Confirm the applicable interconnection pathway |
| Existing generation/storage | Equipment documents, locations and operating arrangements | Assess interaction with proposed equipment |
| Routes | Potential paths, lengths with units, surfaces and inaccessible sections | Route design and any trenching/building constraints |
| Known defects or uncertain equipment | Exact model/observations rather than a brand shortcut | Qualified investigation and manufacturer/authority evidence |
Do not use a blanket minimum main-breaker rating, a count of spare slots or an unqualified “120% rule” calculation to approve interconnection. The adopted code, equipment ratings, proposed method and utility requirements need assessment together. Record the data needed for that decision instead of selecting a tap or derating a breaker during a general survey.
Geometry and measurement record
Record each candidate plane’s dimensions, pitch, orientation and referenced obstructions. Specify the measured endpoints, units, method and uncertainty relevant to the design. A value read from an older drawing should be labeled as a drawing value rather than a new field measurement.
For azimuth, state whether the bearing is true or magnetic and the convention used by the downstream model. In a common true-north compass convention, north is 0°, east 90°, south 180° and west 270°. Other software conventions exist; convert explicitly rather than describing a 180° value as measured “from true south.”
For pitch, retain both the format and units. Calculated geometry example: a rise/run of 6:12 gives arctan(6/12) ≈ 26.6°. It is an illustration of conversion, not a site measurement. Ridge and eave lengths need not match on every roof shape, so do not impose a universal equal-length cross-check.
Keep access pathways, equipment servicing space, skylights, drainage and fire requirements distinct from the available module footprint. Obtain the applicable dimensions from the responsible design process, authority and equipment documents rather than applying a generic clearance table to every market.
Installation access and operational constraints
Record potential delivery and staging locations, internal access, locked areas, operating hours, customer restrictions and relevant overhead or buried services. Identify which constraints require a separate lift, crane, traffic, structural or safety plan. The survey can inform those plans without certifying them.
For occupied commercial sites, identify the party coordinating tenant access and any proposed shutdown window. Retain uncertainty around permits and utility coordination instead of assigning a fixed delay from a generic project example.
Use remote evidence for the facts it can support
Imagery, point clouds, drone outputs and drawings can support preliminary geometry and obstruction review. Check their dates, coverage, method and resolution. Roof surfaces obscured by vegetation, concealed structure and unrecorded electrical conditions may require other evidence.
There is no universal remote-survey accuracy percentage or guaranteed visit-time saving in this checklist. A hybrid approach can target unresolved questions, but it should not label an inaccessible item “verified” merely because the team completed a visit.
As a vendor example, SolarPlus’s survey documentation separates roof, supply, route, battery-location and customer records. Confirm the actual collection and export fields in your chosen workflow rather than assuming every product has those capabilities.
Review the return before releasing the next design
Check the returned material against the brief. Every important item should be confirmed for its stated use, explicitly assumed for a scenario, awaiting verification, or outside the visit’s scope. An open item needs an owner and a requested resolution; filling an empty field with a guess does not complete it.
Use the survey-process guide for the sequence and escalation roles, and the evidence-package guide for indexing photos, notes and source records. Reconcile changed findings with the layout, electrical review, production estimate, material scope and quotation before release.
When evaluating SurgePV’s design workflow, bring a sample survey and ask which inputs and outputs are available. Discuss the handoff in a demo; software does not certify the survey or guarantee a reduction in design time.
How to Buy Solar Site Survey Services
Issue a survey brief tied to the next design decision. Identify the property boundary, roof or land areas, required coordinate and elevation system, measurement tolerances, electrical assets, structural observations, shading and obstruction data, access constraints, safety rules, photographs, and file formats.
Require a dated field record, equipment and method log, georeferenced drawings or point data where applicable, photo register, inaccessible-area list, assumptions, and a signed handover. QA should check control points, dimensions, elevations, orientation, equipment labels, photo-to-plan references, and completeness against the brief. A designer who did not attend the site should be able to understand what was measured and what was not.
A visual survey does not certify concealed structure, soil conditions, property title, environmental status, or utility capacity. Commission qualified structural, geotechnical, cadastral, environmental, or electrical work when those questions affect the decision. The ground-mount design guide explains how survey and geotechnical inputs flow into plant engineering.
Disclosure: SurgePV is promoting Heaven Designs through a commercial relationship. Apply the same survey brief, method review, completeness check, and specialist-verification process to every provider.
Review the Heaven Designs site survey and land feasibility service, visit the Heaven Designs website, and request a project-matched sample before seeking a quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a solar site survey?
A solar site survey collects site-specific observations, measurements and source records to inform the proposed design. It identifies conditions and unresolved questions; it does not by itself certify structural adequacy, electrical capacity or permission to install.
What should you check during a solar site survey?
Record the project scope, safe access, roof or terrain geometry and condition, shading obstructions, accessible electrical equipment information, potential routes, customer constraints and open items. Qualified reviewers determine the additional evidence needed for the particular design.
How long does a solar site survey take?
Duration depends on site size, access, available documents, measurement needs and the agreed scope. Schedule the visit against that scope instead of relying on an unverified universal residential or commercial time range.
Can a solar site survey be done remotely?
Remote imagery and models can support preliminary geometry and shading work, subject to their coverage, dates and accuracy. They do not establish every concealed, electrical, structural or access condition. Use targeted field or specialist verification where the decision requires it.
What tools do you need for a solar site survey?
Use the measurement, imaging and documentation methods required by the brief, with trained personnel and appropriate safe-access arrangements. Record units, method and limitations. Equipment selection does not authorize roof access, opening electrical enclosures or carrying out tests.
What happens after a solar site survey?
The responsible team checks the evidence against the brief, routes unresolved issues, updates the controlling design revision and reconciles the layout, production model and quotation. Required specialist and authority reviews remain separate.
Where this fits
This article is part of SurgePV's Solar Installation hub, which works through the topic from first principles to the decisions a project team actually has to make.
