]The bills this Summer were unprecedented, and you’ve finally decided to go solar. Now you’re faced with the question: How do I choose a solar company? First, know this is a home improvement therefore you will use the same criteria to choose a solar company as you would any other Home Improvement. You will look at their:
- Experience in the construction trade & the number of years of doing business
- Reputation and Reviews
- Locally Owned & Excellent Customer Service
These are all the obvious boxes to check but what do they mean exactly?
Being experienced beyond solar is a must. Solar Installations can be very invasive. Roofing, Electrical, and even Structural Integrity of the home are all part of a normal install. Mistakes made can take years to surface.
The years of contracting with the CSLB goes beyond the trades and is more about good business plans and habits. Let’s face it, issues do arise. Finding the win-win is the key when something doesn’t go.
Solar Yelp Reviews are important but sometimes very misleading. Was the person who posted the review insensitive? Do they really know if the system is what was promised or if it is performing at its best? With Solar, what is the benchmark?
Reputation is often a better metric. A contractor with a good reputation not only does a good job educating the client, installing the system but then stays in communication and makes sure everything promised was delivered and is performing to the highest standards.
In today’s world of outsourcing it isn’t a stretch to say the best customer service is from a local vendor down the street where if needed, face-to-face is a 10-minute drive. A well-installed Solar System will not have many issues but when they do have a monitoring error, or if the homeowner has a question or is concerned about cleaning, a local number and familiar voice answering the question or dispatching a tech in a timely manner is what you would expect for such a large investment.
Therefore, take your time when picking which Solar Integrator to work with. Check the CSLB, ask neighbors, visit their office and do some research.
After all, it is a 25+ years financial investment.