Old Fig Garden, Tower District, and the surrounding historic Fresno neighborhoods (Hammond, Bullard, Roeding Park, parts of Wilson) are some of the prettiest residential streets in the Central Valley. They are also among the trickiest for solar - not because solar does not work, but because most national installers treat every roof the same and miss the things that matter for a 1930s craftsman or a 1940s Spanish bungalow.
NMS has been installing solar in Old Fig Garden and the Tower District since 2005. We know what shows up when you actually walk these roofs.
The neighborhood's namesake fig trees, plus decades of oak, pecan, walnut, and crepe myrtle growth, create real shading patterns that change seasonally. A pencil-pushed quote that assumes a flat clear roof will overpromise production and under-deliver savings. We do drone shade modeling plus on-roof Solmetric/Suneye measurements before sizing any system in this area. The output: a realistic production estimate that matches what you will actually see in years 1, 5, and 15.
Most homes built before 1960 have 100-amp electrical service. Modern solar interconnection plus battery storage typically requires 200-amp service for clean code compliance. A panel upgrade in Old Fig Garden runs $2,800 to $4,500 depending on PG&E service drop condition. We quote the upgrade upfront - it is not an "extra" we surprise you with on install day.
The Spanish revival homes scattered through Old Fig Garden and Tower District have original clay tile that is often 80+ years old. These tiles are brittle and crack under careless foot traffic. We install using rail systems that minimize tile loading, with composition-shingle conversion zones in the immediate mounting areas (color-matched to the original tile from the street view). The result preserves the home's character while delivering modern solar performance.
Many Old Fig Garden homes have detached garages with south-facing roofs that get clear sun even when the main house is shaded. We have done dozens of installs where the array goes on the garage instead of (or in addition to) the main roof. Same federal tax credit, same NEM 3.0 treatment, often better production.
Older homes hold heat. The 1920s-1950s construction in Old Fig Garden runs about 30 to 50 percent less efficient envelope-wise than a modern Clovis or Woodward Park home. That means the AC runs harder all summer, and the PG&E bill goes up.
Typical Old Fig Garden annual PG&E spend: $2,400 to $4,500 for a 2,000-3,500 sq ft home. The good news: solar plus battery economics are strongest precisely because the bill being offset is large. Under NEM 3.0, a properly designed solar plus Powerwall system in this neighborhood typically saves $1,800 to $3,200 per year.
See our NEM 3.0 Fresno explainer for the full breakdown of how the post-April-2023 rules affect Old Fig Garden homes specifically.
Old Fig Garden is regulated by the City of Fresno's Old Fig Garden Specific Plan. The Tower District has its own commercial overlay but residential streets generally fall under standard zoning. Neither broadly prohibits rooftop solar. Individual properties on the National Register or in designated Historic Preservation Overlay zones may have aesthetic review requirements - we check before quoting. Most homes do not.
If your home is one of the rare historically designated properties, we will work with you on alternative options: ground mount, detached garage, or street-invisible roof orientations that satisfy preservation review.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The historic canopy of Old Fig Garden, Tower District, and the Roeding Park area creates real shading patterns - but a good design accommodates them. NMS uses on-site shade analysis (drone shade modeling plus on-roof Solmetric/Suneye measurements) to size systems realistically. For some homes, selective trimming opens enough sky to make solar feasible. For homes with heavy north-side shade, ground-mount or detached-garage solar can be the answer. We will not sell you a system that the trees will choke.
Almost certainly yes. Most pre-1960 Fresno homes have 100-amp service or less, and modern solar interconnection plus a Powerwall typically needs 200-amp service for clean code compliance. A panel upgrade in Old Fig Garden typically runs $2,800 to $4,500 depending on PG&E service drop condition. NMS includes the upgrade in our quoted price when needed - no surprises on install day.
Less than you might expect. The Tower District is not a federally designated historic district, though some individual properties are on the National Register. The City of Fresno's Old Fig Garden Specific Plan generally permits rooftop solar with no aesthetic review. If your specific home is individually listed or you live in a designated Historic Preservation Overlay zone, we will check before quoting. We have installed solar on dozens of Old Fig Garden homes without preservation issues.
Yes, but it requires a different approach. Original clay tile roofs from the 1930s-1950s are often brittle and prone to cracking under foot traffic. We install on these using rail systems that minimize tile contact, with composition-shingle conversions in the immediate mounting zones (matched to the original tile color). The result is a clean, weatherproof install that does not compromise the historic look from the street. Plan budget includes the roof prep work.
Old Fig Garden homes are typically 2,000-3,500 square feet of 1920s-1950s construction. AC load drives the summer bill hard because of older insulation. Typical annual PG&E spend ranges $2,400 to $4,500 - higher than newer Northwest Fresno homes of similar size because of the older building envelope. Solar plus battery economics are strong specifically because the bill being offset is large.
Yes. We treat the Roeding Park, Bullard, Hammond, Old Fig Garden, and Tower District corridor as one service area. Same crew, same warranty, same process. If you are not sure your address fits, just ask.
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Net Metering Systems
55 E Shaw Ave #201
Clovis, CA 93612
