Temporary Removal of Panels to Fix Roof Damage

[CA-Salesguy]

Vivint's current policy is $200 plus $100 per panel for removal and storage while you make repairs. If you have a contract with a flat $500 fee be happy it's not much more as those prices have gone the way of the dodo bird.

[TundraLu]

Wow, squirrels got into your solar. Ddi they chew on the cables?

[Mike90250]

for squirrels - I like the youtube "Does The Squirrelinator Work" or a squirrel pole

[ScottCreek]

jpeg9999, You should compare the prizes online before hiring one to remove the panels, and as you mentioned this problem is caused by squirrels, so what is the guarantee that if you repair the damage the squirrels won't be back again. You should do something that the squirrels would not come back again to damage the roof again. You can also have a pest infestation from the professionals like zzzzzzzz Stratford CT, New Haven County CT, Naugatuck CT, New-Haven-County CT, Wallingford CT, Ridgefield CT, etc that uses eco-friendly chemical solutions that do not harm anyone around not even pets or you can also find some in your area as well. The professionals will ensure that the squirrels would not return again. This will also ensure that you would not need to call someone again and invest so much money in removing those panels again.

Mod note Refrain from advertising till you get rates from Solar Pete

[TundraLu]

Now I know who to ask if I'll be short on harsh reality check . Actually, much appreciated.

HAHA. JPM stands for Just Pay Me ....j/k This post reminds me of my friends wanting me to fix their Central AC issues practically for free.

[cebury]

Vivint Solar reimbursed me $250 of the $499 based on my complaint to a local consumer protection office. So apparently even Vivint agrees that $499 for this job was too much.

Thats quite a conclusion you've drawn there. If they believed that 499 was too much, would they not have just charged you 250 in the first set of phone calls (negotiations) with them? Calling the consumer protection office did not have an effect? IMO it's easier to pay 250 to quiet down an upset customer threatening even more negative press.

I'm not fond of Vivint's practices, so glad you feel it worked out for you and not them.

[J.P.M.]

Vivint Solar reimbursed me $250 of the $499 based on my complaint to a local consumer protection office. So apparently even Vivint agrees that $499 for this job was too much.

From my dealings with Vivant, I'd guess they think $1.00 is too much. They paid you off as the least expensive option after you bitched and blew them in. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Glad you got something out of them.

[jpeg9999]

Vivint Solar reimbursed me $250 of the $499 based on my complaint to a local consumer protection office. So apparently even Vivint agrees that $499 for this job was too much.

[J.P.M.]

Now I know who to ask if I'll be short on harsh reality check . Actually, much appreciated.

And to repeat, not meant to kick you when you're down. Someone a long time ago told me that not everyone who tells you stuff you might not like is your enemy or trying to hurt/insult you. FWIW, glad to deal with someone who's an adult and a non snowflake.

[max2k]

... Caveat Emptor.

Take what you want of the above. Scrap the rest.

Now I know who to ask if I'll be short on harsh reality check . Actually, much appreciated.

[J.P.M.]

Keep in mind that this is a 10 kW array of panels that makes tons of money for Vivint. It generates more power than I use for most of the year. From MAR through NOV I pay nothing to PEPCO, it all goes to Vivint. Plus Vivint is selling excess power back to the city grid, right?

I know that it's a business and that Vivint has costs too. I just think that since they're using my roof for 20 years, they could take an interest in it and its upkeep. Vivint's customer service has been terrible. They can't even send me an invoice for the $500 quickly so as to avoid further damage from the leak. I first noticed the leak in May. All I've learned is that they could care less about my situation or my roof. This isn't how things were represented to me by Vivint sales folks and bad business practices in general.

Thanks for the responses. It has helped me understand what is "normal" for this situation. I have accepted the $500 cost, but it is not spelled out in the PPA.

So in your 1st post to this thread, you seem to say you enjoy the lower rates. Now you seem to be less than happy that they are using your roof and making money from it. They may or may not be selling excess power. That depends on local conditions, the POCO, and possibly the contract you signed.

Not surprised about what you see as a lack of service. Vivant is a bottom feeder just like Solar Chitty - been saying that around here for years. But I don't understand how the speed with which they send you a bill has any bearing on avoidance of further damage.

Somehow, I'm also not surprised things like lousy service and bad business practices weren't explained to you up front.

I'd guess any interest they have in the well being of your roof probably stops with what's in the contract you signed. At best, if it was me, I'd not expect or infer more than that.

I'm sorry that the situation turned sour for you, and I'm not trying to kick you when you're down, but for other's reading this thread and IMO only, and absolutely NOMB, you picked one of the worst vendors to implement one of the lousiest methods of getting PV power to your property. Caveat Emptor.

Take what you want of the above. Scrap the rest.

[jpeg9999]

Keep in mind that this is a 10 kW array of panels that makes tons of money for Vivint. It generates more power than I use for most of the year. From MAR through NOV I pay nothing to PEPCO, it all goes to Vivint. Plus Vivint is selling excess power back to the city grid, right?

I know that it's a business and that Vivint has costs too. I just think that since they're using my roof for 20 years, they could take an interest in it and its upkeep. Vivint's customer service has been terrible. They can't even send me an invoice for the $500 quickly so as to avoid further damage from the leak. I first noticed the leak in May. All I've learned is that they could care less about my situation or my roof. This isn't how things were represented to me by Vivint sales folks and bad business practices in general.

Thanks for the responses. It has helped me understand what is "normal" for this situation. I have accepted the $500 cost, but it is not spelled out in the PPA.

[J.P.M.]

I have checked the roof and attic myself. It definitely does look like animal damage, so I know that I'll be covering that. I just can't get to my roof unless they remove 2 of the panels. $500 is the cost to remove "the system" as stated in my PPA to be "solar panels, inverters, meters, and other components (collectively, the "System"). It doesn't say anything in there about paying that amount to temporarily remove a minimal part of the system.

The idea of only paying $20 to remove one panel per day is ridiculous and obviously not what I meant; Your post was not helpful.

What is a fair and reasonable price? $100 or $200 would clearly cover the cost of their installer's time to remove two panels and put them back a week later. As stated in the PPA, $500 is the cost to remove the entire system. They have their own employees who do installation with all their own equipment.

One other possibility, among many, might be that the charge for removing the entire system per the contract has little or nothing to do with the actual cost of performing the work, and perhaps a legal requirement of the contract and made some nominal (small ?) number so as to not scare too many marks off, and not really much of a concern at contract pitch anyway. That is, the $500 may have no real cost estimating behind it - just what it might do do help/hurt a sale. Added to that, if that $550 is only for system removal, my guess is that system removal is a whole lot easier, at least by half or more, than system removal and reinstallation., especially if, say 20 yrs. down the road, or a new homeowner, care will not be needed or used in system component handling. Besides, it's Vivant. What do you expect ?

[littleharbor]

I would think a minimum 4 hour minimum call out is not unreasonable. You are taking an employee off of a potentially money making jobsite to go over to your place for a nuisance job that isn't their fault. Bird skirting may have helped but not necessarily. Squirrels are persistent creatures and if they want to get under your array they will find a way.

Now what they get per hour is the question. Contractors have overhead to cover. If they have a $75.00 hourly charge, I'd say you were getting a bargain. At that rate you're talking $300.00. You are pretty much at the mercy of what they are going to charge as it is their property that has to be affected. Solar leases suck.

[SunEagle]

I have checked the roof and attic myself. It definitely does look like animal damage, so I know that I'll be covering that. I just can't get to my roof unless they remove 2 of the panels. $500 is the cost to remove "the system" as stated in my PPA to be "solar panels, inverters, meters, and other components (collectively, the "System"). It doesn't say anything in there about paying that amount to temporarily remove a minimal part of the system.

The idea of only paying $20 to remove one panel per day is ridiculous and obviously not what I meant; Your post was not helpful.

What is a fair and reasonable price? $100 or $200 would clearly cover the cost of their installer's time to remove two panels and put them back a week later. As stated in the PPA, $500 is the cost to remove the entire system. They have their own employees who do installation with all their own equipment.

I can't tell you what a "fair" price is to do the work. Yes they have their own employees (which need to be paid) and tools (which need to be expensed). That is how a business works.

I really can't help you if you are hard totally closed into believing they will remove 2 panels for less than $500. That is what they want and if you have a PPA then you have to do what they say.