It’s hard to deny the drive to invest in renewable energy these days. With the climate changes happening today, people and governments are looking to replace old dirty energy sources. That’s why the total amount of new renewable energy installed in 2021 increased by 6%.
And of all those forms of renewable energy, solar is considered one of the best choices.
Are you planning to install residential solar and unsure which company to hire? Read the guide below to learn how to find the best solar company.
Check Your Immediate Area
One of the first things you should check for when hiring a solar company is whether a company has a local presence. Sure, you may be able to find national providers that claim to be able to do local jobs. But at the same time, they may not have the experience in your area to meet your local building codes.
Local builders need to have certifications to work. That’s because each location has regulations that govern how people handle construction.
A builder with a local presence and solid work history will know those rules and have the proper certifications. See if someone has a local office and has the proper licenses to work in your area.
Confirm Insurance Information
Another thing to confirm when searching for companies in the solar industry is insurance information. Although professionals aren’t likely to cause accidents on your roof, you never know when one will happen.
The question is, who is on the hook for the damage when that happens?
If the company you hire doesn’t have coverage, that might be you. Get confirmation of insurance coverage before you allow workers onto your roof.
Otherwise, you may have to foot the bill yourself if an accident happens and someone gets injured, or you end up with damaged property.
Request Multiple Quotes
The last thing you should do when hiring contractors for a home improvement project is request a quote from a single company. Sure, you may be able to get a good deal with the first company you speak with. However, there’s no guarantee of that happening.
Your best bet is to get as many quotes as possible. Send your requirements to as many companies as possible in your area that look good. This is all data you can use to see the average solar installation cost in your area.
Once you get all your quotes, start narrowing down what’s offered with each one. Pick the company that offers the best value for the money you pay.
Examine Warranty Options
You’re spending a lot of money on your solar installation, so the last thing you want is to get the job done and discover problems. Although most reputable companies will take care of their customers when this happens, some won’t and will try and get out of fixing things.
You need to protect yourself in this situation, and a warranty is how you do this.
You can get an idea about the standard warranties offered by solar companies by looking online. Once you know what to look for, get the warranty information from your installer options to see which ones align with what’s standard.
Consider Scheduling
Unfortunately, finding a contractor that can get to your home project immediately is challenging. The construction industry has a labour shortage, which means companies don’t have enough workers to meet all the project demands.
The same is true for the solar industry. Some companies are booked months in advance because they don’t have the resources to handle all their work.
This is an issue if you don’t want to wait months for your installation. Get installation timelines from your options to see which companies can get to your job in a timely manner.
Think About Financing
In the past, getting a loan to get solar panels wasn’t as easy. That’s no longer the case today. Now that solar panels have been around for a while, they aren’t as risky for banks to back.
If the price of solar concerns you, think about getting a loan for the project. You may be able to replace much of your loan payment with money you save on your power bills.
Many solar installation companies also offer financing options themselves. See if there are attractive rates and if financing makes sense for your project.
Look for Customer Reviews
You don’t want to take a company’s word for it that they do great work. It’s easy to put together a great sales pitch and fool people who don’t do additional research.
You need to put in some extra effort to see what other people have to say about a company’s work. One of the best ways to do this is by going online to read customer reviews.
Start your search on Google. Type in “solar company reviews” in the search box, and you’ll get a list of local installers and what other customers rate them. Reputable companies like blueravensolar.com will have plenty of positive reviews to back up their sales pitch.
Pick the Best Solar Company You Can
Finding a professional solar installer is something you need to take seriously. There are a lot of companies out there, and although most of them can likely handle the installation well, not every company has the best reputation.
That’s why you need to do a little research into the companies offering to install your solar energy system. When you do, you can find the best solar company in your area to handle the job.
Do you have any other home improvement projects in the pipeline? Check out more guides on the blog to find more valuable tips that will help you tackle your next project.
