> whats in those "soft costs"? In short: bureaucracy. Depends on state but electrical things and stuff attached to houses usually requires greasing the local

> whats in those "soft costs"? In short: bureaucracy. Depends on state but electrical things and stuff attached to houses usually requires greasing the local municipality with permits, submitting a plan, and hiring licensed electricians that cost way more than a general contractor. It may even require presenting it for approval to a HOA or town committee (god forbid the house might be historic, then it's another committee) EDIT: My parents looked into it in NJ awhile back but their land is farm preserved and it's super restrictive on how much they can cover with a 'solar farm'. Also, it requires studies that prove it won't cast shadows or reflect onto neighboring properties. The township is extremely restrictive on what can be built anywhere (for example the center parts of it are mostly a deadzone for cellphones since the towers must only be installed on the border of the township).