A Checklist for Choosing a Solar Installer You Can Trust
The gap between a good solar installer and a bad one usually shows up years after the panels go up — in a warranty claim nobody honors, or a system that never produced what the quote promised. Choosing a solar installer well means asking questions before you sign, not after something goes wrong.
Choosing a solar installer: licensing and insurance, verified independently
Ask for the installer’s license number and general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, then verify them yourself through your state’s licensing board rather than taking the sales rep’s word for it. A company that hesitates to provide this information, or asks you to just trust that they’re "fully licensed," is a clear warning sign, and it costs you nothing to check.
Read the production guarantee, not just the sales pitch
A reputable installer backs their production estimate with an actual performance guarantee — a specific commitment on what the system will generate, with a remedy if it underperforms. A verbal estimate with nothing in the contract to back it up isn’t a guarantee, no matter how confidently it’s delivered.
Who handles the warranty if the installer disappears
Panels typically carry a manufacturer warranty separate from the installer’s workmanship warranty, and the two aren’t always affiliated. Ask specifically what happens to your workmanship warranty if the installer goes out of business; some panel manufacturers offer a backstop for this, and some don’t. That answer matters more than the length of the warranty on paper.
Local installer or national chain
National installers often have standardized processes and financing options; a well-established local installer often has a longer track record in your specific utility territory and may respond faster for warranty service, since they aren’t scheduling a crew from out of state. Neither is automatically the better choice — weigh it against the answers on licensing, warranty backing, and references above.
Check for complaints, not just star ratings
A handful of glowing reviews doesn’t rule out a pattern of unresolved complaints. Check your state attorney general’s consumer complaint database and the company’s Better Business Bureau listing for its actual complaint history and how those complaints were resolved, not just its star rating.
- Can I verify your license and insurance directly with the state, not just take your word for it?
- Is the production estimate backed by a written performance guarantee?
- What happens to my workmanship warranty if your company closes?
- How many systems like mine have you installed, and can I see references?
- Who pulls the permits and handles utility interconnection paperwork?
Financing terms deserve the same scrutiny
If you’re financing through the installer rather than paying cash, get the loan or lease terms reviewed separately from the equipment quote. Some financing arrangements bundle in dealer fees that inflate the system’s effective price well above what a straight cash quote would show, so compare the total cost of financed offers against a cash price before deciding.
Get at least three quotes, and compare them on the same terms — same system size, same warranty language, not just the bottom-line price. The Department of Energy’s homeowner’s guide to going solar outlines what a fair quote should include.
The cheapest quote is sometimes the best one. It’s just as often the one that cut corners on equipment, permitting, or warranty backing, so read what you’re actually comparing before the price decides it for you.
