With federal tax rules tightening and states rolling out new permitting and interconnection requirements, process changes are happening fast. For residential solar teams, even small missteps can stall approvals, delay installs, or put incentive eligibility at risk.
The good news is that most issues stem from small, preventable missteps, not major failures.
By optimizing core areas like proposal creation, permitting workflows, and team coordination, solar companies can speed up timelines, improve compliance, and protect every deal’s forward momentum. Below are three of the most common roadblocks solar teams face, along with practical ways solar teams are overcoming them.
Roadblock #1: Design Delays & Proposal Inconsistencies
Less than perfect designs don’t just slow you down, they can derail the deal.
When utility details are missing, financing assumptions are off, or homeowner preferences aren’t clearly documented, reps often have to re-quote mid-sale or wait on updates. That stalls momentum and weakens trust.
The #1 way to prevent these setbacks is by standardizing the data collected upfront, from site photos to utility data to homeowner goals. Everyone works from the same validated inputs from the start, so there are fewer surprises later.
Solo customers now have access to DirectDesign 2.0, a design-first tool that helps generate accurate, compliance-ready proposals. With an upgraded interface, smarter shading and TSRF modeling, real-world street view context, and built-in utility alignment, it’s easier to move quickly and confidently.
See DirectDesign 2.0 in action with This Demo.
Roadblock #2: Compliance Gaps & Permitting Hurdles
As Q4 heats up, compliance has become more than a checklist item. It’s a true competitive advantage for staying ahead. Federal and state programs are tightening their requirements, while homeowners are rushing to lock in tax incentives before they change. Even a small oversight in paperwork or permitting can stall a deal or cost your customer valuable tax credits.
Here’s what teams are managing right now:
- The 25D ITC expires in December 2025, accelerating demand for installations and permits as homeowners rush to qualify.
- The ITC’s compliance rules have tightened, and to secure eligibility, tangible proof of work rather than just cost estimates is now required.
- State-level policies are also shifting quickly, creating new requirements and paperwork quirks. California’s NEM 3.0 review could reopen homeowner demand, Illinois has entered a new phase of its incentive program, and New Jersey is pushing community solar and storage—each with its own rules teams need to track from the start.
That’s why standardizing your process matters more than ever. Solo’s platform utilizes DirectDesign 2.0, which allows reps to tailor proposals to specific jurisdictions. The app’s dynamic tools make it easy to reflect regional costs, equipment needs, and AHJ requirements in all proposals.
Solo customers are staying ahead with compliance-aligned defaults to:
- Automatically tailor proposals to local AHJ, utility, and incentive requirements
- Standardize permit sets using up-to-date forms and documentation
- Keep every proposal lender-ready and incentive-compliant without chasing missing info
With compliance built into your proposal process, approvals move faster, incentives stay protected, and your team spends more time scaling.
Roadblock #3: Disconnected Workflows from Sale to PTO
Even the best proposal can fall apart at handoff. When quoting happens in one system, design in another, and fulfillment gets left out, it’s no surprise that delays, rework, and missed expectations pile up.
Missing data at handoff, such as panel count, system sizing, or lender-approved equipment, can frustrate installers, trigger rework, and damage homeowner trust.
Align quoting with fulfillment from the start. Solo is built to keep your entire workflow connected:
- Every design is created and reviewed by a verified expert—not just AI-generated, but AI-optimized and human-approved.
- Proposals can be live-edited with locked-in defaults, so reps don’t misquote or promise what ops can’t deliver.
- Data flows directly into compliant permit sets and install docs—no backtracking required.
- Teams can choose their level of support:
- Standard Support gives hands-on teams complete self-service control
- Professional Support lets Solo manage setup and proposal execution for faster scale
When your proposals, designs, and ops run on the same playbook, jobs move faster, errors drop, and every deal stays on track from sale to PTO.
How Solar Teams Are Building Momentum
Fixing one bottleneck helps. Fixing all three changes the game.
Top-performing solar teams aren’t just speeding up proposals or reducing permitting time. They’re building connected systems that align every part of the workflow, from the first site photo to final PTO.
What that looks like in practice:
- Deal velocity becomes a core metric, helping teams identify friction and optimize handoffs.
- Sales, design, and ops align tightly with shared data and built-in accountability.
- Tasks that used to slow teams down, like rework or data validation, are now automated and streamlined.
By organizing all the quoting, design, and fulfillment information in one place, reps and installers stay on the same page, and deals move forward faster and smoothly.
Ready to Eliminate Bottlenecks and Build a Smoother Workflow?
If your team keeps hitting the same roadblocks, whether proposal delays, permitting surprises, or misaligned designs, it might be time to rethink how your process flows.
Book a Proposal Process Audit with Solo to pinpoint slowdowns and see how a design-first, fully integrated platform helps top solar teams build momentum while eliminating costly delays.