Commercial solar installation in San Francisco.

LOCAL DECISION

Two cities, two building desks

In San Francisco, DBI reviews the permit and applications go through DBI permit services; the PermitSF online portal covers reroofing and in-kind replacement of windows, siding, and doors. ssf. net. That counter is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm, closed noon to 1pm, and the main line is (650) 829-6670, option 1. Give us the exact street address before anything else. It sets the filing route, the reviewer, and the schedule.

START HERE

Solar power for San Francisco commercial buildings

Commercial solar installation in San Francisco runs on three things: the roof, the electrical service, and the permit desk. The Department of Building Inspection reviews every building permit application for life safety and building code compliance, so the plan set has to show racking loads, roof penetrations, and conduit routes before a crew ever gets on the roof. We size the array to your metered load, not to open roof space. We also build the install record the way lenders and investors expect it, so diligence does not stall after the panels are up. If your building sits outside city limits, the filing route changes, and we confirm that on day one.

Pre-install checks

What we verify before commercial solar installation in San Francisco

• Roof framing and attachment type: this sets the racking system and how many penetrations the permit drawings must show.
• Service panel nameplate and existing loads: this decides whether the array lands as a main-breaker backfeed, a supply-side tap, or forces a service upgrade.
• Twelve months of billed usage: this sizes the array to what the building actually draws instead of to leftover roof area.
• Shading from neighboring buildings, parapets, and rooftop mechanical units: NREL's C&I install guide calls for documented solar resource and weather data, and shade findings change string layout and module count.
• Roof warranty holder and remaining roof life: this decides whether we penetrate now or reroof first, and who signs off on the flashing detail.

BEFORE YOU BUY

Questions to ask before you buy commercial solar installation in San Francisco

• Which desk reviews our permit, San Francisco DBI or another city's Building Division, and who files it?
• Which application route are you using, and what happens to the schedule if the reviewer returns corrections?
• What quality-management checklist do the crews follow on the roof, and do we get the signed copy?
• How many roof penetrations, what is the flashing detail, and who covers a leak at that detail?
• What usage data and shading findings did you use to size the array, and can we see them?
• What is in the handover package for our lender and for our facilities team?