Before You Hit Send, Ask Yourself: Is This RFQ Actually Usable?
A solar carport is not a commodity. Every project sits on a different soil type, faces a different wind regime, serves a different vehicle fleet, and carries a different set of local code obligations. When a supplier receives a vague request — "I need a carport for 50 parking spaces, please quote" — the only honest answer is another round of questions. That round takes 48 to 72 hours, delays your proposal, and often produces a price that still has caveats attached.
The fix is straightforward: send the right information package from the start. This guide walks through the ten categories of information that allow a supplier to deliver a complete, accurate solar carport quotation — and explains exactly what goes wrong when each one is missing.
1. Site Drawings and Parking Layout
What to send: A dimensioned site plan (AutoCAD DWG, PDF with scale, or even a marked-up Google Maps screenshot with measurements). Include total lot dimensions, the number and size of parking bays, drive aisle widths, and any fixed obstructions — light poles, drainage grates, fire hydrants, utility boxes.
Why it matters: Column placement must align with parking bay boundaries. A standard bay is 2.5 m × 5 m, but many sites deviate. If the supplier assumes a standard grid and your bays are 2.7 m wide, every column lands in the wrong place. The structural bay span changes, beam sizing changes, and the quote becomes meaningless.
What happens without it: The supplier quotes a generic span. You receive a structure that either cannot be installed as-drawn or requires costly field modifications.
2. Clearance Requirements
What to send: Minimum clear height at the lowest point of the canopy. State the vehicle types using the lot — standard passenger cars (2.0–2.2 m), SUVs and vans (2.4 m), delivery trucks (3.2–3.8 m), fire apparatus (4.0–4.5 m per NFPA 1 or local equivalent), or agricultural equipment.
Why it matters: Clearance height drives column length, base plate depth, and foundation load. Moving from a 2.5 m clearance to a 4.5 m clearance adds 40–60% to the column and foundation cost. A hospital project that fails to specify fire apparatus access will require a full structural redesign after the quote is accepted — at the buyer's cost.
What happens without it: The supplier defaults to a standard 2.5–3 m clearance. If your site requires 4.5 m, every structural member in the quote is undersized.
3. Local Wind and Snow Zone
What to send: Your site's design wind speed (in m/s or mph) and the applicable return period (typically 50-year), plus the ground snow load if your region experiences snow. If you do not know these values, the site's postal code or GPS coordinates are sufficient for a supplier who uses ASCE 7-16, JIS C 8955:2017, or equivalent.
Why it matters: Wind uplift is the governing load case for solar carports in most climates. A site in a typhoon-prone coastal zone requires lateral bracing, larger purlin sections, and heavier connections than an inland site at the same latitude. Under-designing for wind does not reduce cost — it creates a structure that fails. Over-designing for a calm site wastes budget.
What happens without it: The supplier assumes a conservative generic wind speed. You may receive a structure heavier and more expensive than the site actually needs — or, worse, a supplier who cuts costs by assuming a calm zone that does not reflect reality.
4. Local Structural Code
What to send: The governing structural design standard for your country or jurisdiction. Common examples: ASCE 7-16 (USA, Philippines, parts of Latin America), JIS C 8955:2017 (Japan), Eurocode EN 1991 (Europe), GB 50009 (China), SNI 1727 (Indonesia), TCVN 2737 (Vietnam), IS 875 (India).
Why it matters: Each code uses different load combination factors, different wind pressure coefficients, and different safety margins. A structure designed to ASCE 7-16 and one designed to Eurocode may look identical but carry different stamped design loads. If the local permit authority requires a specific code and the supplier has used a different one, the structural calculation package will not pass review.
What happens without it: The supplier defaults to the code they know best. If that code does not satisfy your permit authority, you face re-engineering costs and delays — sometimes after hardware has already been manufactured.
5. Ground and Foundation Conditions
What to send: Soil type (clay, sand, rock, fill), any available geotechnical report or borehole data, frost depth if applicable, and the location of any known underground utilities — drainage pipes, cable ducts, water mains. If the lot is on reclaimed land or former industrial use, say so.
Why it matters: Foundation design is typically 10–25% of total carport project cost. A site with poor bearing capacity requires deeper piers or helical piles rather than shallow spread footings. Underground utilities dictate where columns cannot go. Rock near the surface changes the drilling method entirely. Without this data, the supplier cannot price the foundation — they can only assume.
What happens without it: The quote excludes or guesses the foundation cost. Civil works become an on-site surprise that blows the project budget.
6. Target Panel Count or System Capacity (kW)
What to send: Either the total number of panels you intend to install, or the target system capacity in kW. If you have a preferred panel model and wattage, include the datasheet or at minimum the dimensions and weight.
Why it matters: Panel layout determines the roof coverage area, which determines the structural tributary load on every beam and column. A 500 W bifacial panel is heavier and has different dimensions than a 400 W standard module. The supplier must know the panel arrangement — rows per bay, portrait versus landscape orientation — to produce a valid structural calculation.
What happens without it: The supplier assumes a standard panel. If your actual panel is larger or heavier, every purlin and rafter sizing in the quote needs to be recalculated.
7. EV Charging Requirements
What to send: Whether you need EV charging infrastructure — and at what level. Specify: conduit sleeves only (future-ready), Level 2 AC chargers (7–22 kW per point), or DC fast chargers (50–350 kW per point). State the number of charging points and their preferred locations relative to parking bays.
Why it matters: Conduit routing through hollow columns adds minimal cost. A DC fast charger installation requires cable trays, electrical room space, load calculations for the grid connection, and structural reinforcement at the pedestal locations. The structural design of an EV-ready carport is different from a power-generation-only carport. Skipping this information means the structure may need to be retrofitted, which is far more expensive than designing for it from the start.
What happens without it: The quote covers a power-generation-only structure. Retrofitting EV infrastructure after installation typically costs two to four times what upfront integration would have cost.
8. Waterproofing Requirements
What to send: Specify whether you need a waterproof (BIPV-type) canopy or an open-frame structure with gaps between panels. If waterproofing is required, indicate the intended application — covered vehicle protection, outdoor dining, pedestrian walkway, retail canopy, or drive-through.
Why it matters: An open-frame carport and a waterproof carport are structurally and architecturally different products. A waterproof BIPV canopy uses dry-glazing U-channel drainage profiles, eave collector gutters, column-internal downpipe routing, and BIPV glass panels rather than standard PV modules. The material cost is 20–35% higher, and the structural design accounts for ponding load and integrated drainage weight. Quoting the wrong product type wastes everyone's time.
What happens without it: The supplier quotes a standard open-frame structure. If you later request waterproofing, the structural design requires complete revision.
9. Aesthetic Requirements and Material Preferences
What to send: Frame color preference (white, grey, black, RAL code), material preference (hot-dip galvanized steel, powder-coated steel, aluminum alloy), and any architectural design constraints — particularly relevant for hospitality venues, corporate campuses, retail centers, and public infrastructure projects.
Why it matters: Material choice affects both cost and corrosion performance. HDG steel is heavier and costs 15–20% less than aluminum alloy for equivalent structural performance, but aluminum is preferred in coastal C4/C5 corrosion environments and in projects with architectural visibility requirements. A custom RAL color adds powder-coating lead time. These choices must be locked before manufacturing begins.
What happens without it: The supplier defaults to their standard product. Requesting a custom color or material change after order confirmation may incur tooling and lead time penalties.
10. Timeline and Delivery Location
What to send: Your target installation start date, the delivery port or project site address, and any logistics constraints — crane access, site working hours, phased delivery requirements for active parking lots that cannot be fully closed.
Why it matters: Lead time for a standard carport structure below 5 MW is typically 15–25 days from order. Custom designs, special coatings, or large-scale projects may require 30–45 days. If your installation window is fixed by a permit expiry or a seasonal shutdown, the supplier needs to confirm production capacity before committing. Delivery location affects shipping cost, which for a steel-heavy carport structure can represent 8–15% of total project cost.
What happens without it: You receive a quote without a confirmed lead time. Production slots are not reserved, and the structure may not arrive in time for your installation window.
The Cost of a Vague RFQ
Each missing item above does not just slow the quotation process — it introduces a specific category of project risk. Foundation cost surprises are among the most common budget overruns on carport projects. Wind zone assumptions are the most common cause of structural failures on long-life assets. Code mismatches are the most common cause of permit rejections.
A complete RFQ package takes an experienced EPC team approximately two hours to compile. That investment eliminates most of the back-and-forth, compresses the procurement cycle by five to ten business days, and produces a quote that can be used for budget approval, permit submission, and contract negotiation without hidden caveats.
Get Your Solar Carport Quote in 24 Hours
At Solaracks, a complete information package allows us to return a structural proposal and itemized cost estimate within 24 hours. Every quote includes site-specific load calculations using SAP2000 structural analysis software, designed to ASCE 7-16 or JIS C 8955:2017, with full member utilization ratios and connection checks.
Send your project details to our team at solaracks.com and receive a complete, engineered solar carport quotation — not a catalog price.