“I wish I just got the panels installed the first time we met”.
That’s what a homeowner from Westchester County, NY told us over the phone just a few weeks ago. We met back in 2017, when he was first exploring solar for his home. At that time, his electric bill averaged about $250 per month. He liked the idea of getting solar panels but he decided to hold off, thinking it might make more sense in a few years.
Fast forward to today, and his bill is now well over $400 per month. Electricity rates in his area have climbed more than 60% since our first meeting. Over the last 8 years, he paid tens of thousands of dollars to his electric company, money that he could have used toward owning his own solar system.
This customer’s story isn’t unique. Every week we meet homeowners in the same situation. Their reasons for waiting may differ, but they all end up realizing the same thing – waiting cost them far more than they ever expected
What Waiting Really Costs
Back in 2017, when this homeoner decided to “wait a few years”, he was paying around $250 each month at that time. Like most people, he assumed his bill would stay fairly stable, maybe creeping up a few dollars each year. But utility rates don’t move gently. They jump dramatically and unexpectedly.
Here’s what actually happened:
Over the last eight years, rates in his town have climbed by more than 60%. His $250 monthly bill is now around $400, and sometimes more in the summer months.
When we added it up, we calculated that he had paid over $34,000 paid to his power company since 2017. That’s money that could have gone toward paying off his solar panels, giving him ownership of his power instead of renting it from a utility.
He could have already been producing his own electricity, paying less each month, and protecting himself from the rate hikes that are now hitting every household across New York.
Year-By-Year Breakdown
Total paid to utility since 2017: $34,855.19
That’s the true cost of waiting.
Why People Wait – and Why It Rarely Helps
In 2017, one could argue that solar technology was still developing. Panels were slightly less efficient, and batteries were significantly more expensive. So it’s easy to understand why someone might have wanted to wait.
But what most homeowners don’t realize is this:
Waiting for the “perfect time” doesn’t save money. It costs money.
Even if the equipment may improve slightly over time, electricity rates always increase at a much faster rate.
The biggest financial loss doesn’t come from buying panels a few years earlier, it comes from continuing to pay full price for electricity while waiting.
Even today, many homeowners tell us they’re thinking about waiting another year. They say they want to see if prices drop or if new incentives are introduced. But if rates continue to rise at the same pace seen over the last decade, that “one year wait” could easily cost another $2,000 – $3,000 in unnecessary utility payments.
When considering the best time to go solar, it’s hardly ever a good idea to wait because every month you wait is one more month you’re still paying 100% interest to your power company.
Why Now Is Actually a Strong Time to Go Solar
The encouraging part is that solar technology has made major advancements in what homeowners have been waiting so many years for.
1. Panels Are More Efficient and Durable
Modern panels produce more power in the same amount of roof space and come with stronger guarantees than the products available even five years ago.
2. Battery Storage Has Leveled Up
Systems like Tesla’s Powerwall 3 allow homeowners to store energy for nighttime use, keep the lights on during outages, and reduce reliance on the grid.
When you combine these recent advancements with New York’s generous incentives and rebates, solar plus battery systems are more affordable than ever.
3. New York Incentives Are Still Strong – for Now
Incentive programs like NYSERDA’s current funding blocks and the federal solar credit are still available, but both are expected to change or shrink in the coming years. Homeowners who take advantage of them now are locking in the best pricing available, while those who wait could see those incentives reduced or eliminated entirely.
4. More Rate Hikes Are Coming
The rate hikes you’ve been seeing the last few years are only the beginning. As more industries like AI data centers and electric vehicles increase grid demand, utilities are already warning of further increases across New York State.
That means every homeowner who installs solar now gets ahead of the next wave of price hikes and every homeowner who waits, doesn’t.
The Regret We Hear the Most
When we spoke to the homeowner from Westchester again, he said something that really stood out:
“I thought I was saving money by waiting. But all I did was pay more.”
This is the same realization we hear from countless homeowners each year. The regret doesn’t come from installing too early. It comes from doing nothing and continuing to put your money towards something that you never own.
This customer is now moving forward with solar, but he’ll never get those eight years of payments back.
Had he installed solar in 2017:
- His system likely would have been paid off by now
- His electric bill today would be close to zero
- The next 15–20 years of savings would be money staying in his pocket
That’s the difference between owning your power and renting it.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been thinking about going solar but keep waiting for “the right time”, consider this story a reminder:
The best time to go solar was yesterday. The second best time is now.
Not because of urgency or pressure, but because every month that goes by is another payment to your utility that could have gone toward owning your own energy source.
When you go solar, your monthly payments finally start working for you. Instead of paying your power company whatever they decide to charge, you’re investing in your own energy independence.
We tell this story because we hear it every day. While the technology will always keep improving, the cost of waiting will always stay the same. Electricity rates always go up and incentives will drop or disappear. The only variable you actually control is when you decide to make the switch.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence, now is the time to find out what solar could really save you.
See How Much You Could Save by Going Solar Now
Click below to get your free Solar Savings Report.
We’ll show you:
- How much sunlight your roof gets
- What your savings will look like each month
- How much you can reduce or eliminate your electric bill
- How to lock in incentives before they change
