Considering Solar Panels

What is your budget?
What local/federal incentives are currently available to encourage installing solar panels?
Do you have copies of the last 12 month's electric bills?
What hours of the day do you consume the most energy?
How old is your roof?
You may not want to install new panels on a roof that will need to be replaced in the next several years. Step one is to determine the life expectancy of your roof.