• Framing type (Truss or rafters) Please see our Definitions page to learn more about trusses and rafters.
• Framing size
• Framing spacing
• Maximum horizontal span of the framing
• Roof material
• Roof slope/pitch
• Solar layout
• Photos of the framing and structure
• Site address
• Connection type and spacing
• Ballast report, if using a ballasted system for a flat roof
• Permit plans, if required for the jurisdiction (Please see our Drawing Companies page for companies we would recommend to draft plans for you.)
• Please see our Forms page for our residential site survey.
• If you are using a rail-less or tilt-up system please let us know. Please see our Definitions page for more information on these systems.
• If you are using a tilt-up system please let us know the maximum distance from the roof or the angle of the tilt.

• Open-Web Steel Joists
• C- and Z-Purlins
• Existing Engineering Drawings and Calculations
• Existing Manufactured Truss Calculations
• Drifting Snow Considerations
• Ballasted systems on flat roof in areas with snow are difficult to justify without the original engineering drawings.
• Please visit our Forms page for site surveys for commercial buildings.

• Ballast report

• These buildings are very efficient and typically designed to 100% capacity.
• Having the original engineering drawings for these building is very helpful.
• Please visit our Forms page for site surveys for steel buildings.

• Some jurisdictions do not allow solar on pre-manufactured homes. Sometimes they require a permanent foundation.
• We need to know the year the home was built. Federal regulations on pre-manufactured homes were not implemented until 1976. So, homes prior to 1976 may be difficult to justify.
• We need a pictures of the "Name Plate"/"Data Plate" of the home. This provides information as to the loads the home was designed for.
• Pre-manufactured homes often have trusses built of 2x2 wood members. Therefore, lag connections can only have 1-1/2" embedment and 2x2's split easily, so care should be taken to prevent splitting. One option is to use an attachment that connects to the sheathing.
• Please visit our Definitions page to learn more about pre-manufactured homes.

• If you would like the rail checked on your ground mount system we will need to have the detailed specs of the rails including the height, width, thickness, and material grade.

• Sistering
• Knee Walls
• If you decide to go the knee wall route we will need to know the location of load bearing walls below.
• If there are no load bearing walls we will need to know the ceiling joist size, span, and spacing.
• Please see the Definitions page to learn more about the above topics.

1. Knowing the gauge and manufacturer of the clamp greatly improves our ability to get higher capacities from metal roof clamps and brackets
2. When submitting a project with a metal roof, please provide preferred bracket or clamp you would like to use
3. Using metal roof clamps or brackets will require additional fasteners to reinforce the connection between the metal roof deck and framing below.

• Seismic issues will arise when you are adding solar to all structures, but pergolas, etc. are especially impacted by the increase in weight in a high seismic zone.

• Non-evasive
  • Use stud finder to determine framing spacing
  • Measure eave depth for approximate framing depth
  • Measure ceiling angle to determine whether scissor trusses were used
• Slightly evasive
  • Stick wire through ceiling to determine framing depth
  • Pull back or remove a portion of soffit to determine size and spacing

• All jobs that require structural engineering will require a Vector site survey.
• When the job is requested we will find a site surveyor to go out to the job site and obtain the structural information needed.
• The site surveyor will coordinate with the job site owner to setup a time to visit the site.

• We may need to charge more for projects in these jurisdictions due to additional analysis requirements and/or expected time responding to plan check comments:
  • Portland, OR
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Madison, WI
  • Chicago, IL
  • North Tonawanda, NY
  • Orange City, CA
  • San Diego, CA

• The main thing with these structures is they are not often engineered to begin with. We can investigate their capacity to support solar, but may find they do not have the capacity.
• Alternatives would be to find a more structurally sound structure on the same site to use. Or, use a ground mount solar array. Please visit our Definitions page to learn more about a ground mount system.

• Cast-in-place concrete drilled pier
• Driven piles
• Helical pier
• Ground screws
• Soil anchors
• Please see our Definitions page to learn more about the foundation types.

• All jobs completed in Chicago will require Vector to fill out the Express Form.
• There is an additional fee to fill out the requested form which requires line by line calculations for the existing roof.

• Required information:
  • Pictures will be very helpful
  • Plan view and elevation sketches will be very helpful
  • Roof pitch, where occurs
  • Rafter size
  • Rafter spacing
  • Rafter overhang distance beyond beams, where occurs
  • Hardware/connection information for rafters to beams
  • Beam sizes
  • Beam overhang distance beyond columns, where occurs
  • Hardware/connection information for beams to columns
  • Column sizes
  • Column locations (spacing in each direction)
  • Column heights
  • Knee brace size, where occurs
  • Knee brace length
  • Knee brace angle
  • Knee brace locations (i.e. every column, only end columns)
  • Connection of knee brace to beam/column (i.e. (2) ½” lag screws, (2) 5/8” thru-bolts)
  • Column base information for column to foundation connection
  • Foundation dimensions – width or diameter
  • Ledger and/or connection to existing structure (where occurs)

In addition to the information for pergolas:

• Roofing material (shingle, tile, etc.) if covered [carport]
• Ridge and/or hip beam sizes
• Hardware/connection information for any beam to beam connections
• King post size – king posts are post which support the ridge beam, and are supported by other beams