the access point is always the breaker box to your house.

use the existing wires inside your house, no separate wiring.  
there are two options - grid tie or off grid. you may google the terms so to understand how each works.
flooded batteries make economic sense for household usage. the best battery in us is trojan. many people use golf cart 6v batteries and connect them in series.
because you are in new york, you would need a lot of solar panels for home applications if you want to make it available during winter time.
have fun with it, you will enjoy...