Solar Panel Installation in Durham, Oregon
Durham is four tenths of a square mile between Tigard and Tualatin, next to Bridgeport Village, incorporated in 1966 by residents who wanted to keep industry out of a residential area. It has 1,944 people in 873 housing units — and, unusually for a metro city, most of those homes are rented rather than owned: 63.4% of occupied units at the last census.
Which means the standard advice — put panels on your roof — applies to a minority of households here. This page is about the other cases, because they are the majority.
In a Condominium, the Roof Is Usually Not Yours
In most condominium buildings the roof is a common element belonging to the association rather than to any individual owner. A unit owner cannot commission work on it, however sunny it is and however willing the contractor.
That is not a dead end, it is a different route: the project becomes a building decision taken by the board, with a proposal, a budget and a vote. Oregon voids outright bans on solar in planned communities under ORS 94.778, but condominium ownership is governed separately, so the roof-ownership question is the one that actually decides this. We are happy to prepare and present that proposal — it is a different document from a homeowner’s quote.
Start With the Common-Area Meter
The best first project in a multi-unit building is almost never the residents’ power. It is the association’s own account.
- Corridor, stairwell and exterior lighting, which runs constantly
- Elevators, pumps and ventilation
- Laundry rooms and shared amenities
- Landscape irrigation
- Any EV charging installed in the parking area
That load is steady, much of it is in daylight, and it sits on a single account with a single decision-maker — no individual metering to untangle and no allocation argument between owners. It is the cleanest multi-family solar project there is, and it lowers the association dues that every owner pays.
If You Rent in Durham
You cannot install on a building you do not own, and no honest contractor will pretend otherwise. Two things are worth knowing. The first is that your landlord can, and an array on the building’s own meter can make sense to them even when the tenants hold their own accounts — we are glad to talk to an owner who asks. The second is that Oregon’s Community Solar Program lets customers of the state’s investor-owned utilities subscribe to an off-site array with no roof and no ownership required, which is covered in more detail on the Rivergrove page.
For the Detached Homes
Durham does have detached houses, and for those it is an ordinary project: roof orientation, a year of usage, panel capacity, and whether an EV is coming. Small city, short drive, quick install.
What We Install in Durham
- Common-area arrays for condominium and apartment associations
- Board-ready proposals with budgets, production estimates and phasing
- Rooftop solar on detached homes
- EV charging for shared parking areas
- Battery storage, repairs and maintenance
Areas We Serve Near Durham
- Tigard and Tualatin — on both sides of you
- King City — west along 99W
- Lake Oswego — east across the freeway
- Portland and the wider Oregon guide
Get a Free Durham Solar Quote
Call 360-313-7190 or request a free quote. We will measure the roof properly and give you a firm number.
Durham Solar FAQs
I own a condo. Can I put solar panels on the roof?
Not on your own. In most condominium buildings the roof is a common element owned by the association, so it is a board decision rather than an individual one. We can prepare a proposal for the board, which is a different document from a homeowner quote and is what these projects actually need.
What is the best first solar project for an association?
The common-area meter. Corridor and exterior lighting, elevators, pumps, laundry and irrigation are steady daytime loads on a single account with one decision-maker, and reducing that bill reduces the dues every owner pays.
I rent my home. Do I have any options?
You cannot install on a building you do not own, but your landlord can, and Oregon’s Community Solar Program lets customers of the investor-owned utilities subscribe to an off-site array with no roof required. We do not sell subscriptions; we mention it because it is often the honest answer.
Does ORS 94.778 force my condo association to allow solar?
That statute voids solar prohibitions in planned communities. Condominiums are governed under a different chapter, and in practice the deciding factor is that the roof is a common element. The realistic path is a proposal to the board rather than a legal argument.