From the first call to permission to operate, in about 14 weeks.
Roof-integrated solar is a longer process than either a bare re-roof or a bolt-on solar install. A bare re-roof is mostly tear-off-and-replace and clears in two weeks. A bolt-on solar install is mostly material on top of an existing roof and clears in four weeks. Roof-integrated solar combines the demolition and full-roof installation of a re-roof with the electrical interconnection of a solar install — and on top of that adds the PG&E witness and Permission To Operate cycle, which is its own multi-week bureaucratic window.
The median Helios project takes 14 weeks from contract signature to PG&E PTO. About 5–9 of those days are spent on-site installing. The rest is permit processing, material lead time, inspection scheduling, and PG&E interconnection — most of which Helios's two permit-and-interconnection specialists handle on the homeowner's behalf.
Below is the full 9-step process. We have walked 184 homeowners through it since 2017.
Site audit
A 90-minute on-site visit. Priya, Theo, or one of our four senior estimators arrives with a tape measure, a solar pathfinder tool, an iPad with HelioScope and the homeowner's PG&E usage history, and a sample panel of the three roofing-system tiles (Tesla Solar Roof V3, GAF Energy Timberline Solar, SunStyle diamond). We measure the roof, evaluate panel direction and shading, photograph the existing condition, and pull the existing electrical service.
The audit is conversational. We explain what each of the three systems would look like on this specific roof, what the structural review would entail, and which system the geometry favors. We do not push toward a particular product.
Typical: 90 minutesSystem modeling + 3-quote PDF
Priya or Theo models the home in HelioScope — the industry-standard PV-modeling SaaS. Each of the three systems is modeled separately: Tesla Solar Roof V3, GAF Timberline Solar, SunStyle. Each model produces a year-1 production estimate and a 25-year cumulative production projection.
You receive a single PDF with three quotes. Each quote includes total installed cost, the federal Section 25D ITC reduction, projected year-1 production, projected 25-year production, estimated annual PG&E offset, and warranty terms. Most homeowners pick within 2-3 weeks of receiving the PDF.
Typical: 5 business daysContract signature + 25% deposit
One 11-page contract. No surprise pages, no addendum-stacking. The 25% deposit goes into a separate project escrow at our bank — not into Helios general operations.
Typical: same week as PDF acceptancePermit submission + structural review
Helios submits permit documents to the local building department — Sacramento County, El Dorado County, Placer County, Yolo County, or Contra Costa County depending on jurisdiction. Each county has its own process. Sacramento County is fastest (typically 3 weeks). El Dorado County is slowest (typically 6 weeks). The structural review evaluates whether the existing roof framing can carry the integrated solar tile load.
Typical: 3–6 weeksMaterial order + delivery
Tesla Solar Roof pallets ship from Tesla's Lathrop CA distribution center on a single truck, typically 4-7 pallets for a medium home. GAF Energy Timberline Solar ships from GAF's Western US warehouse in Stockton. SunStyle tile ships from the SunStyle North American warehouse in Boston (8-12 week lead time). Material is staged in our Sacramento warehouse until the install start date.
Typical: 4–8 weeks (12 for SunStyle)Installation
5–9 working days on-site depending on system and roof complexity. Tesla Solar Roof: 8 days typical. GAF Timberline Solar: 6 days typical. SunStyle: 7 days typical. Every install is foremaned by Theo, Marcus Delgado, or Hana Park — no subcontractors, no day labor.
Typical: 5–9 days on-siteBuilding inspection + utility witness
Local building inspector reviews the installed system for code compliance. PG&E sends a witness inspector to verify the AC interconnection point and meter base. Both inspections are scheduled by Helios; both typically clear on the first visit.
Typical: 2–4 weeksPG&E interconnection + PTO
The longest single delay. PG&E processes the interconnection application, validates the witness inspection, and issues Permission To Operate (PTO). Until PTO is issued, the system is fully installed and commissioned but is not authorized to export to grid. Helios's two permit-and-interconnection specialists handle all PG&E paperwork.
Typical: 3–8 weeksSystem commissioning + 1-year monitoring check-in
Helios commissions the system on the PTO date, walks the homeowner through the Tesla app (or Enphase Enlighten, or SolarEdge monitoring portal, depending on system), and schedules a 12-month follow-up review to compare actual production against the original HelioScope model. Most projects come within ±5% of model. If a system underperforms, Helios investigates.
Typical: 90 minutes commissioning · 12 months for full year-1 verificationSchedule the first 90 minutes.
Site audits are booked 2–4 weeks out. Request one now and pick the date.