Choosing a Solar Contractor

How will you choose a solar contractor

Perhaps you have made a New Year’s resolution to save energy costs and help the environment by installing solar panels on your home or business.  Congratulations!  Won’t it be great to see your electrical bill shrink to next to nothing?  (as an aside, I just heard on the news this morning that our electric utility, PGE is raising rates again, effective January 1).

Once you decide to go solar, how do you chose a solar contractor?  Here is a list of top considerations:

1.  Is the contractor licensed and bonded?  You should not hire someone without the assurance that they have passed state licensing requirements and have insurance for any potential damage to your property that results from the installation.

2.  Do they have electrical experience?  Some people have the brawn to haul solar panels up to the roof, but you’ll also need them to wire the panels to a converter box in order for solar energy to create usable electricity.  Make sure they can do 100% of the job.

Solar Contractors do it under the sun

3.  Double check the Better Business Bureau and a Construction Contractors Board to see if there are any negative reports about your solar contractor.  It is always better to be safe than sorry!

4.  Ask for references from past clients of your solar contractor.  This is your best bet to see what the timing and cost will be.  Also be sure that they honor warranties for both installation and operation of solar panels.

5.  Make sure that you can receive the incentives and/or tax rebates to which you may be entitled through your solar contractor selection. For example, in Oregon where I live, you must have a solar panel system installed through an Energy Trust contractor to be eligible for the incentives offered by the program.

As with any home improvement work or repair, do your homework ahead of time before hiring anyone.  Save all your paperwork, as it may form the basis of a contract in case the work fails in the future.  In that unfortunate event, you may want to consider reporting to the BBB, contractor boards, or even file a lawsuit.  In most cases, however, you should be happy with the work of a solar contractor.

All the best to you in your new solar panel installation.  What a great way to start the New Year!

Tags: chose a solar contractor, install solar panels, solar contractor