When thinking about an upcoming energy efficiency project, most people want to take advantage of available rebates and incentives, but many forget to allocate an appropriate amount of time for the pre-approval process. Many rebate providers require pre-approval prior to installation to be eligible for program funds. Usually, this step requires thorough paperwork, spreadsheets, and inspections but it can also mean submitting more detail detailed energy studies and product testing reports.

We analyzed the time required to get pre-approvals across the nation by looking at our project database that tracks the thousands of projects we complete each year. On average, it takes 30 days from the day you first submit paperwork until you get pre-approval for a project; an increase from the 26 days we recorded last year. That time does not take into account any time spent finding the correct rebate program, filling out paperwork, gathering spec sheets, getting the proper signatures, etc.

While 30 days is the average, the projects range widely with some taking just a few days and others taking over 100 days. Pre-approval time can vary based on many factors, such as on geography, type of project you're completing, the rebate provider's responsiveness and the time of year.

If you're planning a project for the end of this year or early next year, it's a good idea to start thinking about pre-approvals now. If you're looking at several locations, BriteSwitch can help you see which locations would need pre-approval, how long it usually takes, and process the paperwork in order to ensure a smooth installation process.

Have an upcoming project? Contact BriteSwitch to learn more about the pre-approval process.