How to Choose a Solar Installer: The Questions That Actually Matter

Solar sales can be aggressive, and quotes are frequently structured to be hard to compare on purpose. Here's how to cut through it.

Always compare price per watt, not monthly payment

Two quotes with similar monthly payments can represent very different total costs depending on loan term and interest rate. Ask every installer for the gross system cost before incentives, the system size in kW, and the resulting price per watt — that's the number to compare against your state's average on our state guide.

Get at least three quotes

Solar pricing has a wide spread even within the same city. Multiple studies and marketplace data consistently show meaningful savings (often 10-20%) for homeowners who get three or more quotes versus signing with the first company that shows up.

Questions worth asking directly

• What's the exact panel and inverter model, and what are their warranty terms (product, performance, workmanship)?
• Who performs the installation — your own W-2 crew or a subcontractor?
• What's the estimated first-year production in kWh, and is that guaranteed or an estimate?
• Who handles permitting and utility interconnection, and how long does that typically take in this area?
• What happens if a panel or inverter fails in year 8 — who do I call, and how long does a typical warranty claim take?
• If financing: what's the APR, term length, and is there a prepayment penalty?

Red flags in a sales pitch

• "Sign today or lose the price" — legitimate installers don't need same-day pressure tactics for a five-figure decision.
• Vague savings promises without a written production estimate — ask for the actual kWh number, not just a dollar-savings claim.
• Door-to-door reps who can't answer basic equipment questions — a common sign of a lead-gen company reselling to a subcontracted installer, which can complicate warranty claims later.
• No mention of the federal credit's actual 2026 status — if a pitch still leads with "get 30% back," that's either outdated training material or a company not being straight with you about your specific financing structure.

Check licensing and reviews properly

Confirm active state electrical/contractor licensing (most states have a searchable database), and read reviews specifically about post-installation service and warranty response — not just installation-day reviews, since that's where problems with weaker companies tend to show up years later.