Find out solar zoning regulations for your city, county or state. Contact your local government and find out the necessary building requirements for a solar home in your area. Find out about any restrictions for the generation of electrical energy on your property. Also ask about any necessary permits to connect your solar power source to the local energy grid. Gain approval for the overall design of the house. Some solar houses may be rejected because they do not fit in aesthetically with the neighborhood.
Select a solar home plan. Review the different solar home plans that are available. Look first at the climates they are designed for. If they are not designed for the climate that you are in, rule them out. Next, examine the environment they are designed for. Most require full sun to operate efficiently. If your lot or your neighbor's lot has shade trees, the solar home plan may not work for you. In this case, consider a different lot. Alternatively, consider the construction of a solar power plant shed in a location on your lot that receives full sun.
Locate and hire custom solar home building contractors. First ask the contractor about solar incentive programs. Some solar contractors will install a solar power system for little or no cost. In trade they lease you back the solar energy at a rate that is lower than your utility company. (Reference one)
Consider solar contractors that have direct experience in building different types of solar homes. Question the contractors and find out their experience level in photovoltaic (PV) panel installation, solar battery integration and power management. Also find out their experience in the installation and design of solar water heaters, solar ovens and solar dryers.. Review your solar house plan with them. Also find a general contractor that has worked with solar contractors in the past. Interview the contractor to find out what special accommodations need to be made for solar housing construction.
Set a building date and commence building. Select spring and summer months to build. Homes built in those months will often not suffer as many weather-induced delays as those built in winter and fall months. As your contractors build your home, consult with them on solar building codes. Double check plans against the actual building design. This will also help you better understand your solar home and maintain the energy system in the future. Call the building inspector in to inspect the solar house at various stages of your construction.