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DIY Solar Planning reviews
• updated MAR 31, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
DIY Solar Planning gets permit sets approved on the first try, often within days. One reviewer submitted drawings that Rodney created in 2021 but forgot about for two years. When the city finally reviewed them in 2023, they passed without changes. We analyzed dozens of reviews and found zero complaints about plan quality or permitting delays. What sets this company apart is how they help DIYers navigate the entire process, not just the paperwork. Rodney and Rafael answer technical questions on weekends, help customers source equipment at wholesale prices, and stay available after the permit is issued. One homeowner compared quotes from turnkey installers (around $55,000) to the cost of doing it themselves with DIY Solar Planning's help (about $7,500 in equipment plus a few hundred for plans). If you're handy enough to wire a subpanel but need someone to translate your project into engineer-stamped drawings your building department will accept, this is the service to call.
If you want a full-service installer who handles everything from sales pitch to final inspection, look elsewhere. But if you're willing to do the physical work yourself and need accurate plans plus ongoing technical support, you'll save tens of thousands of dollars and actually understand how your system works.
3 Stories That Stood Out
Manuel Lopez hired Rodney to produce the engineering drawings for a rooftop solar install back in 2021 for his Southern California home. He later discovered the general contractor never submitted those plans, and when they finally went to the city in April 2023, the same drawings Rodney had prepared two years earlier sailed through approval. He reached out to Rodney again recently for a favor; Rodney stepped in immediately, didn’t hesitate, and helped get the remaining issues resolved. The memorable detail: the drawings held up over two years and Rodney stayed available to fix things quickly when the project stalled.
Steven and his friend Sandy, both handy but new to solar, set out to install a 6,000-watt system on their home and discovered a DIY route would be far cheaper than hiring a contractor. He ended up buying the equipment for about $7,500 while contractor quotes ran roughly three times that amount. When permitting came up, he learned the usual help could cost $1,000 or more, but after shopping around he spent only about $300. The turning point came when he found Rodey Solar Plans in Yuba City. Rodey stepped in with permit-ready plans that made the city approval process almost effortless, and he kept answering questions throughout the build. Rodney’s clear guidance and prompt, no-extra-cost support turned what looked like a tricky DIY project into something manageable; whenever he got stuck, Rodey walked him through the fix and helped tighten the installation details. The standout detail from his experience was that professional permit plans and ongoing, practical support saved thousands compared with full-service installer quotes while still producing a properly permitted, high-quality install.
To beat a looming NEM 3 deadline on a rooftop system, Justis spent nine months working with Rodney. He paid Rodney for engineered solar plan drawings in February — about a week of back-and-forth — and secured a PGE NEM 2 interconnect agreement that month, which gives him three years to complete the installation. In September he asked Rodney to order all the panels and equipment through his supplier for a DIY install, a process that required roughly two weeks of coordination while he finished other prerequisite work. Rodney priced the materials competitively; he ran his own analysis and even checked with another local installer, who said the quote was a bit below average. Communication stayed reliable throughout the project — Rodney followed up as timelines shifted, which made the process feel attentive rather than transactional. One local, scammy company had quoted $55,000 for the same scope, so landing lower-cost engineered plans and materials mattered. The only remaining hurdle is a new roof, planned about six months out even though the panels will arrive sooner, so the big win here is locking in NEM 2 and sourcing below-market gear while he waits for the roof replacement.
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 97
Clean Record
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 5 years
Newer than most installers in the market.
BBB Rating
Not BBB rated.
Natural Review Patterns
Reviews were posted naturally over time.
What You Can Expect
Dan brought Rodney Keen of DIY Solar Planning in to design a rooftop solar system and found the whole process unexpectedly smooth. His project endured multiple redesigns—not from Rodney’s work—but shifting choices about batteries and changing PG&E and city requirements, yet Rodney kept his design fee very reasonable and never tacked on extra charges for the rework. He guided panel layout, inverter selection, and permitting with clear, confident direction, and stayed available by call or text to answer questions promptly. When a supplier tried to impose a 20% restocking fee on unopened battery boxes, Rodney went to bat, handled the documentation and back-and-forth, and recovered the full $8,000+ refund. What stuck with Dan was less the polite professionalism and more that advocacy: technical know-how paired with a willingness to fight for the customer’s money made the project affordable and almost stress-free.
Eldervilla took on a DIY solar project for a home and discovered that the planning made the difference. The company produced plans that matched permit requirements so tightly that the permitting process sailed through, and Rodney stayed engaged after permits were issued to provide fast, practical help that kept the job truly DIY. With his guidance on sizing, paperwork and installation steps, the actual work felt straightforward and the resulting energy savings were striking. They appreciated both the technical accuracy of the plans and Rodney’s prompt troubleshooting, and plan to use his DIY plans again for a family member’s system.
Angel Avalos has relied on Solar whenever their company needs solar work, finding the team consistently fast and reliable. Because of that dependable speed and consistency, they turn to Solar as the go-to contact for every company solar job.
Tony discovered Rodney's website early in his search for a residential solar installation and quickly found the owner to be hands-on and deeply knowledgeable. He appreciated Rodney's near-immediate responses to calls and emails and felt supported whenever questions popped up. When he decided a DIY install wasn't for him, Rodney arranged for his son-in-law Julio from JCE Electrical to take over the full installation. Julio proved thorough, courteous, and clearly proud of his work, staying available to tackle questions and concerns right through to the final inspections. The detail that lingered most was the seamless handoff from Rodney's responsive guidance to Julio's on-site craftsmanship and follow-through until inspections were signed off.
David S pursued a ground-mount solar and battery system for a Sonoma County property and got the plan set approved. He worked with Rafael, who stood out for fast, personable service—easy to talk to and quick to answer questions, even on weekends. Rafael turned the plan set around in just a few days, leaving him very pleased; the weekend responsiveness and rapid completion kept the project moving from the start.
Jay Janicki engaged DIY Solar Planning to design a ground‑mount solar array for his El Dorado County property. He ended up with permit‑ready drawings prepared by design engineer Rodney Keen, who translated the concept into detailed plans, helped acquire all the materials, and secured approval from El Dorado County. Rodney stayed involved during the DIY build as well, answering the phone every time he called with a question. The most distinctive detail: a veteran engineer didn’t just hand over blueprints—he stayed reachable and helped carry the project through permitting and parts procurement.
Manuel Lopez hired Rodney to produce the engineering drawings for a rooftop solar install back in 2021 for his Southern California home. He later discovered the general contractor never submitted those plans, and when they finally went to the city in April 2023, the same drawings Rodney had prepared two years earlier sailed through approval. He reached out to Rodney again recently for a favor; Rodney stepped in immediately, didn’t hesitate, and helped get the remaining issues resolved. The memorable detail: the drawings held up over two years and Rodney stayed available to fix things quickly when the project stalled.
Robert spent more than a year meeting with solar companies and sales reps who came to his home only to deliver what he felt were outrageously high quotes. Comfortable tackling projects himself, he decided to build the system on his own and brought DIY Solar and Rodney into the process. After a couple of days working with Rodney, he walked away with a complete set of plans for his property that specifically incorporated used IronRidge hardware he had bought on Facebook. Rodney also arranged purchase and delivery of the new equipment and inverters straight to his house, taking the pressure off hunting down parts or dealing with distributors. The pricing Rodney provided matched expectations, and the memorable detail was how Rodney merged the homeowner-sourced used mounts with newly ordered inverters and coordinated doorstep delivery so the DIY install could move forward smoothly.
C H reached out to DIY Solar Planning while preparing to install solar panels on their own, looking for help with design and permits. They found the team guided them through the permit paperwork and design choices, and Rodney produced a clear, itemized parts list complete with pricing. They walked away with a practical shopping list and permit support that removed much of the guesswork from a DIY install. The detail that stuck: a priced, line-by-line parts list from Rodney that made sourcing components simple.
Long-term Satisfaction
Recent customers rate DIY Solar Planning 5.0 ★
Long-term reviews carry the most weight in our methodology because they are most representative of what you should be paying for: a system that will perform for years.