and potentially more for a solar leasing arrangement. DIY kits, on the other hand, vary wildly in both cost and what they can do for you. They might power a fourth of your house — or only be ...

It's about half the cost to install solar panel systems if you do most of the work yourself and just have an electrician attach them to the grid than to call a solar installer to power up your home.

Setting up a whole-house solar panel array may sound DIYable, but a pro explains why you'll get more out of your system if ...