Install Your Own Solar Panels: Designing and Installing a Photovoltaic System to Power Your HomeLabor and related costs account for more than half of the price of the average home solar installation. But homeowners can save thousands of dollars with this user friendly manual, which follows the same process professional contractors use. Through detailed directions and step by step photos, veteran solar installer Joseph Burdick and seasoned builder Philip Schmidt teach you how to determine the size, placement, and type of installation you'll need.