How to evaluate installers?

[bonbon]

Is there a set of guidelines that someone could point me to in evaluating two installers. I have quotes from many but I have been able to narrow down to two. They are very similarly priced for the exact same equipment. So how do I evaluate one over the other? Any specific things I should ask/check? They offer similar 10 yr install warranty plus the equipment warranty is what it is, etc.
Thanks

[sensij]

Have you tried looking for both of them at www.solarreviews.com?

[DrLumen]

Strictly from a construction management point of view... With any contractor you should ask for licensing, insurance and if they have bonds that may be required by your state or municipality. You may want to confirm they will be getting the required city permits. The fly-by-night contractors are likely not to have some or any of these.

You can also ask them for recommendations or similar install projects for you to see but they are not likely to give you any bad ones.

If all else fails, go with your gut. I caught a couple of bidders in lies and one that appeared completely clueless. Their attention to your questions or concerns is another possible clue. If they are dismissive or slow in responding could be a sign of a potential issue.

I eliminated one as he was more intent on giving me what he wanted to install/sell rather than what I wanted. He was really insistent about installing some cheap chinese panels for the same price as bidders quoting more 'quality' panels. As above, he wasn't addressing my concerns.

PS. I forgot to add one more thing. Check to see what they expect as far as payment schedules or draws. A red flag is if they want payment in full before work begins. It is not unusual for any contractor to have draws at certain milestones but wanting it all up front is unusual.

[bonbon]

Sensij, yes that was the first thing I did. Both have 5 star reviews. I am usually not sold on online reviews because they can be manipulated. I have not found a site (yet) that has some sort of verification program for reviewers. But yes, I did read through all of their reviews

Thanks DrLumen, I checked on those things as well. Both are family owned and have been in business for more than 5 yrs and carry necessary insurance, licensing, etc. I will surely go through that one more time with them. Payment schedule is slightly different but pretty standard for the industry. No no upfront payment as there is a schedule of payments based on completion, etc.

My primary concern was the workmanship issues as they will be drilling holes in the roof (so how will they make them leakproof), 10 yr warranty but what happens after that? like no loose wires hanging about, etc. Is there a list of installation gottachas (or recommendations) that I can verify somewhere and make sure they adhere to? That is the kind of stuff I was trying to come up with.

Thanks for all your help. I will continue to search on this amazing site.

[ButchDeal]

My primary concern was the workmanship issues as they will be drilling holes in the roof (so how will they make them leakproof), 10 yr warranty but what happens after that? like no loose wires hanging about, etc. Is there a list of installation gottachas (or recommendations) that I can verify somewhere and make sure they adhere to? That is the kind of stuff I was trying to come up with.

Thanks for all your help. I will continue to search on this amazing site.

Find out about the racking and flashing equipment they will use. The penitrations should be commercially available solar roof mounts with integrated flashing such as those from ironridge or quickmount.

[DrLumen]

bonbon, as ButchDeal mentioned, if they are using industry standard gear then a lot of the roof mount issues have been addressed. An exception may be if you have some odd roofing material like EPDM or something they may not have seen before or that is tricky. Bring up your concerns with them. Ask them how they will mount it and prevent leaks. They should roughly give you the same answer. This goes for any concerns you have. Ask them how they will do it or let them know you want it done a certain way.

I too don't put much stock in guarantees or warranties. They, and your equipment makers, could be out of business tomorrow and those will mean nothing.

FYI, I am not claiming to be an expert on solar installs as I have just been through the one. I was a construction manager doing multi-million dollar retail and office build-outs back in the day. Ultimately, you have to trust your decision and trust that they are doing it correctly. Unless you have done hundreds of installs you will not really know if they are doing it correctly. Here is where the city permitting inspectors are your friend. They should catch the stuff that is not up to code or could be dangerous.