Commission Calculator for Solar Sales
Most solar companies pay on the redline model: everything you sell above the company's baseline price-per-watt is yours. Enter the deal to see your commission.
Your commission on this system
Formula: (sold $/W − redline $/W) × watts × your share. Setter/closer splits go in the share field.
How the redline model works
The company sets a redline — the price per watt it needs to install the system and hit its margin, commonly $2.20–$2.90/W depending on market and equipment. Whatever you sell above the redline is the commission pool. Sell a 6 kW system at $3.20/W against a $2.60 redline and the pool is $0.60 × 6,000 W = $3,600.
Variations you'll run into:
- Setter/closer splits — self-generated deals usually pay the full margin; company-set appointments split it, with closers commonly keeping 50–70%.
- Base + rate plans — some companies instead pay a flat amount per kW or a fixed percentage of contract value; the calculator's share field can approximate those.
- Adders — batteries, panel upgrades, and roof work either carry their own redline or pay flat spiffs.
Watch the payment schedule and clawbacks
Solar commissions almost never pay in one piece. A typical structure pays 40–50% at install milestone and the rest at PTO (permission to operate), months later — and if the customer cancels before install, the advance is clawed back from your next check. This is where reps lose track: you're juggling deals at different milestones with different amounts outstanding. The Controlla app tracks each sale's payment schedule so you always know what's still owed to you and when it lands.
Frequently asked questions
How much commission do solar salesmen make per deal?
On the redline model, commission = (sold price per watt − redline) × system watts. A 6 kW system sold $0.60/W over redline pays $3,600. Typical deals pay $1,500–$6,000 depending on pricing and splits.
What is a redline in solar sales?
The company's baseline price per watt that covers installation cost and company margin. Everything the rep sells above the redline becomes commission.
Do solar commissions get clawed back?
Frequently, yes. If a customer cancels before installation, any commission advanced at contract signing is deducted from the rep's future pay.
How are solar commissions paid out?
Usually in tranches tied to milestones — for example half at install and half at PTO (utility permission to operate) — rather than all at signing.