Franklin Solar Panel and Battery Installer

Solar in Franklin comes down to three things: a big summer cooling load, a power company that does not pay retail for your extra power, and roofs that range from Victorian homes off Main Street to brand new builds at the south end of town. Get those right and solar earns its keep here.

The Solar Roofers is a family-owned Nashville roofing and solar contractor working across Middle Tennessee since 2003. We got into solar after watching other crews damage our customers' metal roofs, and we could not find a solar partner we trusted with our neighbors. So we became one. One crew. One warranty for roof and solar.

Solar and Battery Backup Built for Franklin

Franklin homes run hard in July. Bigger floor plans, two or three HVAC systems, dehumidifiers, pool pumps and home offices push many Williamson County households past the Nashville-area average of about 1,075 kWh a month. Solar makes most of its power on long, hot afternoons, right when that air conditioning is working its hardest.

Middle Tennessee gets about 4.8 peak sun hours a day. That is plenty. A 10 kW system here makes roughly 13,500 to 14,500 kWh a year, more than an average Nashville home uses in twelve months.

Then there are outages. Franklin's older streets are lined with mature hardwoods, and the rural edges of the county out Lewisburg Pike and Hillsboro Road run on long stretches of overhead line. When spring storms or ice roll through, a battery keeps the essentials running while the trucks work.

Franklin Power, Weather and Outages

Franklin is served by Middle Tennessee Electric, a member-owned cooperative that buys its power from TVA.

Tennessee is TVA territory, and that changes the math. There is no traditional 1-for-1 net metering here, and TVA retired its old Green Power Providers buyback. Power you push back to the grid is not credited at the retail rate. So we size Franklin systems for self-consumption: use your solar power in the house as it is made, and store the extra in a battery if you want backup.

Weather is the other half. The Nashville area sees roughly 5 to 7 outage-causing severe weather events a year: spring thunderstorms, straight-line wind, summer pop-up storms and winter ice. In January 2026, Winter Storm Fern knocked out power to about 230,000 Nashville Electric Service customers at its peak, and it took about 13 days to get nearly everyone back.

One Tesla Powerwall 3 typically keeps the essentials going for roughly 12 to 24 hours: refrigerator, freezer, lights, Wi-Fi, and a gas furnace blower or a small mini-split. With solar recharging it each day, it carries those loads much longer.

Solar Across Franklin Neighborhoods

Historic Downtown Franklin

Victorian and older homes around Main Street and Fourth Avenue South often have steep, cut-up roofs, big shade trees and historic district review. We look for the cleanest roof plane and keep conduit out of sight from the street.

Westhaven

This master-planned community off Highway 96 West has steep, traditional rooflines and an active architectural review process. We build layouts with black frames and tight rows, and we hand you documentation ready for the review committee.

Fieldstone Farms

One of Franklin's largest and most established neighborhoods, along the Harpeth River. Many roofs here deserve a hard look before panels go on, and mature trees shade a lot of lots.

McKay's Mill

A large master-planned neighborhood near I-65 and Cool Springs, with a mix of roof orientations and HOA guidelines. South and west facing planes usually carry the system.

Berry Farms

A newer, porch-front community at Franklin's southern gateway. Newer roofs are a strong starting point for solar, but street-facing planes on these homes mean layout and looks need extra care.

What Solar and Batteries Cost in Franklin

These are planning ranges, installed, before any incentives. They are not quotes.

• Residential solar: $2.85 – $3.50 per watt. Most home systems run 8 to 14 kW, about $22,800 – $49,000 installed, producing about 11,000 to 19,000 kWh a year.
• Tesla Powerwall 3: about $15,400 installed, 13.5 kWh per unit, 10-year warranty.
• Enphase IQ Battery: $12,000 – $18,000 installed, 5 or 10 kWh units, 15-year warranty.
• Roof and solar together: typically saves $2,000 – $5,000 from shared permits, wiring, crew and scaffolding.

Worked example: a 12 kW array on a larger Franklin home runs about $34,200 – $42,000 installed and makes roughly 16,200 to 17,400 kWh a year. Add one Powerwall 3 and the project lands around $49,600 – $57,400, with outage backup for the essentials.

One honest note: the 30% federal tax credit for homeowner-owned systems ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. Leases and power purchase agreements may still carry a business credit through 2027. Talk to a tax professional before you count on any credit.

Roof First: Solar on Metal and Shingle Roofs in Franklin

A solar array is a 25-year system. Never put it on a roof with only a few years left. If the roof has to be replaced later, taking the array off and putting it back typically costs $3,000 – $6,000. That is why we plan the roof first.

Standing seam metal is the best roof under solar. Panels attach with S-5! style clamps right on the seams, with no holes through the roof, so the roof and the array can age together.

Shingle roofs need flashed, lagged mounts, often 40 to 80 penetrations on a typical array. Each one is a spot to watch, and shingles may wear out long before the panels.

Plenty of Franklin homeowners are already weighing a metal roof. Because we are roofers too, we can replace the roof and install solar as one project, with one crew and one warranty.

Our Franklin Solar Process

• 1. Free assessment. We inspect your roof, attic and electrical panel, check shade, and review 12 months of Middle Tennessee Electric bills.
• 2. Design and written proposal. You get a layout, equipment list, production estimate and line-item price.
• 3. Permits and interconnection. We handle permits, the Middle Tennessee Electric interconnection and any HOA packet. Paperwork usually takes 2 to 6 weeks.
• 4. Roof work, if needed. If the roof needs replacing, we do it first. Roof and solar together runs about 2 to 3 weeks.
• 5. Installation. Rooftop solar takes 1 to 3 days on site, or 2 to 4 days with batteries and panel work.
• 6. Inspection, turn-on and walkthrough. After inspection and utility approval, we turn the system on and walk you through the monitoring app and how your home behaves in an outage.

Common Franklin Solar Questions

Can I still get the 30% federal tax credit in 2026?
Not for a system you own. The homeowner credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. Third-party-owned systems such as leases may still qualify for a business credit through 2027. Confirm your situation with a tax professional.

Will a battery keep my Franklin home running in an outage?
Yes, for the essentials. One Powerwall 3 typically covers the fridge, freezer, lights, Wi-Fi and a gas furnace blower or small mini-split for roughly 12 to 24 hours, longer when solar recharges it.

Does Middle Tennessee Electric pay me for extra solar power?
Not at retail. Tennessee has no traditional 1-for-1 net metering, and TVA retired its Green Power Providers buyback. We size your system so most of its power gets used in your home.

Can I put solar on a house in an HOA neighborhood?
Often, yes, with approval. We prepare layout drawings and equipment specs for review in neighborhoods like Westhaven, McKay's Mill and Berry Farms.

When is solar not a fit?
Heavy shade from mature trees, or a roof near the end of its life. We will tell you plainly if either applies and suggest a ground mount or a roof plan instead.

Ready to see what solar and battery backup would do for your Franklin home? Call The Solar Roofers at (615) 933-8120 for a free assessment, or schedule online. We are licensed and insured, BBB A+, a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer, and part of the TVA EnergyRight Preferred Partners Network.