Hiring a solar installer isn't complicated, but most people overthink it. You don't need a degree in electrical engineering. You just need to ask the right questions and ignore the sales pitch.
Before You Search
Start with your own house. Pull out your last twelve months of electric bills and figure out how much power you actually use. Walk your roof and note the age, shade, and direction it faces. If the roof needs replacing in the next five years, do that first. Nothing kills a solar job faster than pulling panels off and putting them back on for a new roof.
Vetting Candidates
Look for a proper state contractor’s license and proof of liability insurance plus worker’s comp. Ask for recent projects in your neighborhood — online photos can be faked, but a real local job site you can drive by is hard to fake. Check their Better Business Bureau record and Google reviews, but take a handful of negative reviews seriously. One angry customer is noise; five people saying the same thing means a pattern.
Getting Quotes
Get at least three quotes, but don’t just compare the bottom line. Each quote should show the exact panel model, inverter type, and total system size in kilowatts. A cheap price that uses bottom-of-the-barrel hardware will cost you more in lost production over twenty years. Ask about financing separately — the people selling the panels are not your bank. Run their financing numbers past a credit union or a local lender you trust.
Before You Sign
Read the contract for cancellation rights and what happens if the install takes longer than promised. Check the workmanship warranty — the manufacturer covers the panels, but you want the crew that drilled holes in your roof to stand behind their labor for at least ten years. Never pay the full amount upfront. A reasonable deposit is fine, but hold back most of the money until the system is turned on and producing power.
Compare local solar installers on RatingsNearMe before you make a decision.