How Much Do Solar Panels Cost? (2026)
By the Home Repair One data team · Updated July 2026 · Ranges from our estimator engine
Short answer: In 2026, residential solar runs about $2.30–$3.30 per watt installed before incentives. A smaller 5 kW system with value equipment lands near $9,750–$14,750; a typical 8 kW system runs $18,000–$27,000; and large high-usage systems with premium panels can reach $57,000. Home battery storage adds $11,000–$16,500 for one full-size unit. The biggest levers are system size in kW, sized to your annual electric usage, panel tier, and roof complexity. Every figure here is a gross price before incentives, which vary by state and utility and change often, so verify what applies at your address before counting on it.
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What sets the price of a solar install
Solar is priced per watt, and your system size in kW does most of the work: a year of utility bills sets your annual kWh, and the system is sized to offset it within what your roof allows. Panel tier moves the per-watt rate, value mono panels at the low end, premium high-efficiency modules about 20% higher, worth it mainly when roof space is tight.
Roof complexity is the quiet cost driver. A simple single-face composition roof installs fastest; steep pitches, multiple faces, tile, or shading push labor up. Some homes also need an electrical panel upgrade to support the system, which is priced as its own job.
Solar prices by job
Here are 2026 national ranges across common solar work, computed from our cost model and shown before incentives. Run the estimator for a range tuned to your system size and ZIP.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Solar panel installation | $9,750–$57,000 |
| Battery storage | $8,250–$33,000 |
| Panel removal & reinstall | $1,550–$6,750 |
| Solar repair | $375–$1,600 |
| Cleaning & inspection | $325–$500 |
Batteries, repairs, and the reroof problem
Battery storage is priced by capacity: one full-size unit (about 13.5 kWh) runs $11,000–$16,500 installed and carries a home's essentials through an outage; whole-home coverage usually takes two. Batteries retrofit onto most existing systems, so you don't have to decide on day one.
Two jobs owners rarely budget for: repairs, most run $375–$1,600, with inverters the usual culprit and often still under warranty, and panel removal & reinstall for a reroof, $1,550–$6,750 by system size, which belongs to a solar pro, not the roofer.
On incentives: they vary by state and utility and change often. Every price on this page is the honest gross number, get anything an installer promises about credits or programs in writing for your specific address.
What changes your price
- System size in kW, sized to your annual electric usage.
- Panel tier, value mono through premium high-efficiency modules.
- Roof pitch, faces, material, and shading, the labor levers.
- Whether the home's electrical panel needs upgrading to support the system.
- Battery storage, priced separately by kWh of capacity.
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FAQ
How much does a typical home solar system cost?
A typical 8 kW system runs about $18,000–$27,000 installed before incentives in 2026. Smaller systems start near $9,750 with value equipment; large premium systems can reach $57,000.
Is solar worth it without the incentives?
It depends on your electric rate, sun exposure, and how long you'll own the home, which is exactly why we show the gross price first. Run the honest number against your actual utility bills rather than a sales projection.
How long do solar panels last?
Panels commonly carry 25-year production warranties and keep producing beyond that at slowly declining output. Inverters are the shorter-lived component, typically 10–25 years, and are the most common repair.