Main Street Solar

Laura, Andrew and the rest of the team taught me about solar and installed a system that gave us 100% of our needs. It's been installed for about 6 months and so far has provided 100% of our electricity, including our two electric vehicles. The power company charges us $8.86 per month. It used to be $250.00 - $350.00 per month. We are ecstatic!

Great experience from pre-sales thru delivery and commissioning. I just put on a new metal roof so I was pretty picky about who I let put the Solar Panel System in since the two should last nearly three decades if done correctly. My system is 46 Canadian 395s with all Enphase inverters, electronics and battery. Everything has been in and working a couple weeks now and seems to be operating as promised. Having been in construction [ Low Voltage and Comms ] most of my life, I think I'm pretty good at spotting quality work and The Brenner family that own and operate Main St Solar really seem to take pride in their work. I would recommend them to anyone looking for Solar.

It was a pleasure working with Andrew and his team. When others were challanged by my installation location, he was able to make it happen, and at a competitive price. He installed a 40 panel, battery backup, ground mount system, on a hill. As a former solar installer, I appreciate his attention to detail, knowledge and insight into the latest technology. He is easy to work with and happy to answer any of your questions. His back office support is also excellent, providing quick turn around times to customers and the county. His team always arrived early on the day they said they would. He even completed the project a day early. I highly recommend Main Street Solar.

I waited a full year to write this review because I wanted to see how Main Street Solar's 7.2 kW solar array with an Enphase 16.8 kW partial battery backup would perform over time. I'm happy to report it has exceeded expectations! Financial Win: Financing through Clean Energy Credit Union with a unique loan structure (short-term balloon + long-term loan) made the system accessible. The tax rebate nearly covered the entire short-term loan (30% of the system cost). The remaining balance of the 10-year loan is likely to be paid off within 3 years. Energy Independence: Spring and fall production generates a surplus that offsets summer usage, reducing our power bill to connection fees and taxes only (around $8.86/month). The battery backup provides peace of mind, keeping critical appliances and even air conditioning running during power outages. Flawless Installation: Main Street Solar's installation team arrived and stayed on the project until completion. Lauren Wasko and Andrew Brenner expertly handled permitting with Roanoke County and Appalachian Power. Highly Recommended: I chose Main Street Solar based on a recommendation, and now I understand why! Their expertise, smooth installation, and commitment to customer satisfaction make them a top choice for anyone considering solar power.

Can’t speak highly enough of Main St Solar. They did a great job educating me about the product and the installation was handled well. Several years in and the system works as promised. My power bill is at minimum for 10 months out of the year.

I talked to several solar installers before I chose Main Street Solar to install my 28 panels. The "on the ground" support frame and panels were installed in a very professional and timely manner. The inverter was installed inside my basement with the wiring underground. After all work was completed, they cleaned up all their debris and leveled the underground trenches. It was an excellent "turnkey" job. The inverter failed after four years (under warranty) and Main Street Solar was very helpful in obtaining a new inverter from the manufacturer. It was installed as soon as it arrived. I am very pleased with Main Street Solar's work, and highly recommend them to anyone interested in a solar system.

Main Street Solar did a really nice job at our remote homesite. It was not an easy job to get the system installed in a mountain location. The system is reliable and producing more energy than we are consuming. Very pleased with our new Enphase system with battery backup!

We have requested quotes from Main Street for the last 3-4 years, never really felt the payback was worth the cost. We also wanted to get the last 2-3 years out of our roof shingles before installing solar panels. After 2-3 rate increases by AEP, our $/kw went up 30-35%, and there's is talk of additional increases, we asked Laura and Andrew to update their quote and compared that to 3-4 other quotes we solicited. Main Street wasn't the lowest cost per kw, but they were very competitive with everyone. Very happy with the level of communication and workmanship. Install was only a few weeks ago, so we'll have to see about the production estimates over time. Their experience with Solar is obvious given the prompt, intelligent answers to all of our questions. Very happy with our choice of Main Street Solar.

Main Street Solar installed our solar panels in Luray VA in 2018. They did an excellent turnkey job. We sold our house in May 2023 and the title company wanted to be sure we owned the solar panels. I couldn't find the receipt, but we called Andrew, he found our records and forwarded them to the title company. That is above and beyond excellent service. The panels have been producing for 5 years without a problem.

I would 100% recomend Main Street Solar to anyone looking to add a solar system... ill try to break it down to the points that mattetlr to me.. Price- no, its not cheap.. but they are priced fairly and this is definantly an area you get what you pay for. I cant give a 1,5, or 10 year reveiw because its not been that long, but the brand of panels they recommend are highly rated and acourding to the reveiws of others should continue to function well for a long time. Comunication- there was never a time that an email for phone call went unanswered. Emails where usually answered within the hour and phone calls where either answered at the moment or returned within a day. The only comunication issue was MY email lossing the contract in my spam folder which they were understanding about. Trustworthiness- these are people I felt comfortable with being in and around my home. Scheduling- it took a little bit to get on the schedule, but they where upfront with that from the start, they got to me right about when they said they would. Time to work. It took 3 days (two of them where half days because of weather) to install our system. And worked with me to an extreme to ake sure i knew when to expect them

For over a year I've been chasing my tail trying to get my dealer, Solar Thyme (Richmond) to respond and repair a long standing issue with pvlinks and panels. Owing to that experience I reached out to several companies providing solar equipment in my area but found only 1 thoroughly responsive to my concerns and many questions. Andrew always answers the phone says what he means and means what he says, is very knowledgeable, and well meaning and said he would schedule a visit if needed. He offered to do what many companies wont consider doing and that is to come into a situation not of their own making and provide the time and effort to troubleshoot and diagnose an issue and along the way impart invaluable information by helping correct long standing misconceptions on solar workings. I have a technical background and have readily identified Andrews depth of knowledge and confidence in taking responsibility and care with a customer that is not his own. He provided practical ways that helped me deal with the equipment, and understand the net metering/utility solar concept. I wouldn't hesitate to call again if needed and get Main Street Solar involved.

I had solar installed on my roof in 2018. It has worked perfectly and continues to do so. I have made many calls to Andrew, some very trivial (how to read the inverter) to serious (My solar panels don't work!) But they did. In a series of email exchanges he figured out the problem (a wire connecting to the internet had come unplugged). The system was working all the time, I just didn't have access for a while to the web site. I have recommended Main Street Solar to many people and I will continue to do so. Wonderful customer service and easy installation and great performance!

We used Main Street Solar for our panel installation and have been very happy with the service we received and the performance of the panels. Andrew Brenner sized our installation accurately, and after a year, the annual power production comes very close to our usage. Main Street's pricing is very competitive - we shopped our installation for about two years, and Main Street's combination of service, price, quality of the materials and being a local small business sold us.

This is a great company with great desire for providing superior customer service and delivering on what they sale.

Nimble, responsive, clear and accurate estimate for a new system for a major remodel with an extant metal roof. Kept to their timetable. Good communication. Two years out we had an inverter problem that they took care of promptly. Good people. Great system! We’ve never paid more than the basic monthly fee ($8.93) to APCO here in SWVA.

Mainstreet solar was the best experience in purchasing solar. They know there profession, will give you all the facts, and not sell you on needless things. Installation was on time, castle free, with no mess.

We interviewed two solar installation companies. Main Street's bid was competitively better than the other, they had local references with high praise, and a good record at the BBB.

From the very start of the process Main Street Solar took care of explaining what to expect during and after installing my system. They where concerned about my needs and there where no problems with the install. The very best at what they do and I really enjoyed the whole process. Great people taking care of your solar needs.

Main Street Solar did a great job installing our solar panels and coordinating with all of the various parties to get approvals, permits, etc. They got the job done fast and for a reasonable price, but (more importantly) did the job right.

They were consistent and convincing of the technical aspects of the project.

Recommended by Scott Horseman, our energy advisor

We had gotten solar panels from another Company back in May 2016 and really liked them. A squirrel munched thru a cable under one panel and Main Street came and repaired it. In talking with one of the repair men we learned that AEP would now allow more panels, so I called Andrew and he came to talk with us. He prepared an estimate that we were good with and added 16 more panels. They came quickly and installed the panels in about a half day. Very Professional! Highly recommend them! Terry Broadwater

We got quotes from 2 national companies and tried to get a quote from another local company. They never got back in touch. Call main street solar, got the basic questions answer over the phone, scheduled on site and it quickly done and priced better then the big guys. They showed up on time, finished in a day and the area was clean up.

I have worked in General Construction contracting and also with Defense Contracts and have never found a company with such outstanding qualities. The management and staff are very professional and customer friendly. They are prompt in responding to questions of the customer as well as arriving at the job site at the stated time. Their teamwork, at all levels, shows outstanding management training. They came in at half the price for the same size system as one of the top national solar companies. I cannot say enough about this company. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a Solar system.

Early in 2015 I contacted several solar companies to discuss installing a solar solution. Main Street Solar was one of three who responded and was the only willing to come out to the property to discuss in-person my needs. Being able to have a "live" discussion in which all my questions were answered and I learned quite a lot. In November 2015 they installed a 24-panel ground-mounted array. The installation crew was great and when follow-up was necessary, they were quick to respond. I was so satisfied with the results, I asked them to come back in November 2018 to install a second array )20 panels). I've recommended Main Street to several friends in the area and would gladly do so again.

Main Street installed our solar panels 6 years ago and to date, we've had only 2 problem. 1 was my fault for plugging the interface into a new outlet that it didn't like and the other was a failed inverter. In both cases Main Street responded promptly for the service call. It has drastically reduced our power bill. The energy credits are basically worthless but our power bill has dropped 50%+. Yes, we have worked to reduce consumption but I figure at six years, we are now around the break even point. I deal with electronics every day and the reliability of the equipment has been much better than expected. Either we've been lucky or the equipment is well built. So, as a long term customer with over 66.1MWh produced, I do this again without a doubt.

We had a pleasant experience working with Main Street Solar, and they were willing to work with some creative financing options just for a solar install which we appreciated. Install went well, with a few minor issues but all was resolved in a timely manner. One year later we had a need for service as our system had an error in the inverter. Getting the service process started offered some challenges, but we eventually came together and got things headed the right direction. There was a delay of a few weeks getting the replacement parts shipped to Main Street Solar from SolarEdge, but once the parts arrived the replacement inverter was installed in short order. I would do business with Main Street Solar again, as I like having a local company to provide support after the sale. I would consider paying a nominal fee for expedited warranty service from Main Street Solar to get our system up and running ASAP if we ever had a warranty issue again in the future. Please consider that as an annual option.

Before considering any provider, I suggest reading a few books about the topic. Select books and on-line publications for consumers with enough information to become comfortable with the terminology, the basics of the technology, the components of a solar array, their function, different installation options, and what you can expect from your investment day to day, and over time. We considered 5 installers in our area after studying their websites and Google and reviews in this space. We called them by phone and conferred with each one. Unlike the others, Main Street Solar responded almost immediately with a return call, asked for some information about our home and power usage which we sent to Main Street, and then offered to meet us in our home to discuss their product and service. Upon arrival, the sales representative listened to us, matched our solar requirements with our needs today and in the future, enthusiastically sold the benefits of grid tied array and backed them up with a professional fact based presentation. The rep then did what few salespeople do. In a very low pressure way, asked us to consider Main Street for our solar installation. Professional salesmanship is a good sign. The first box is checked. The next step is the proposal. After hearing from the other candidates, listening to their sales pitch (most of which were impersonal) and receiving their proposals with varying degrees of information and specificity, the proposal which timely arrived from Main Street Solar was a standout. The Terms and Conditions of Sale are straightforward, the warranty clearly understandable, reasonable and consistent with industry standards (from our reading), and comprehensive. It includes an interesting and informative Executive Summary including financials (payout, internal rate of return, environmental equivalence, cash flow analysis, energy inflation considerations with a sensitivity analysis, etc.), a detailled schedule of proposed components and installation methodology. All of this is in a booklet, tailored for our requirements, which is easily understood, especially if you have done your homework. It was far and away, the most professional and comprehensive proposal and contract we received. The second box is checked. We then independently researched the quality of the proposed components. Main Street proposed high quality German made panels and a state of the art inverter. After three weeks of experience, we are ecstatic with the performance. Top quality. Box number three checked. The installers were courteous and considerate. The pace, quality of the installation, and attention to detail was impressive. Nothing was overlooked and the whole process was minimally invasive and disruptive, The site was left clean and neat. Moreover, before they left, they demonstrated how well the array was working (we still had to wait for our utility to change the meter). Top class workmanship. Last box checked. Highly recommended.

We first saw Main St. Solar while we were on a local home tour and got some information. It took us several years to actually make the decision, but the folks at Main St. gave us plenty of time and information without being pushy or rushing us. Once we decided to do it, Andrew worked with us and gave us several options for panel placement to minimize the "aesthetic" impact. Then he worked with us on a time schedule that suited us well. The installers were professional and friendly. They did a good job of keeping the work site picked up until the job was completed. Our panels have been in place for about a year and we are delighted with our nearly $0 electric bills! And now that the panels are up, people hardly notice that they are there.

I saw Andrew installing panels on a neighbor's house and asked him to prepare a proposal for my home. He did a very professional proposal, I signed it and his installation was just as promised. As a General Contractor I was impressed by his written contract, safety program and having the required license and insurance. He installed good quality equipment. It has performed as expected.

Owner made site visit on my schedule within 1-2 weeks of my initial call.

I moved in 2015 to the Lynchburg area, and talked to a couple companies in late 2016 about solar. I was just in the information phase and also wanted to get more data on my future utilities. I contacted a couple companies again first of 2019 and Main Street solar was still ready to answer my questions when other companies didn’t wanna answer questions. Main Street done a fast, seamless, clean install. Looking forward to see how much offset my panels produce. They’re very professional and quick with everything, if you’re looking to go solar I would highly recommend them.

My wife and I used to install solar systems in the Tidewater Area. Knowing the benefits of solar, we decided to find an installer in the Sutherlin, VA area that would design and install a system that would eventually greatly reduce our need for expensive rural electricity at our retirement home. Main Street Solar of Roanoke was that company. They were very professional, polite, and knowledgeable. They provided all the requested specification sheet, etc. for us to know exactly how our array would perform. They also went out of their way to please two engineers that are particular about aesthetics. The owner, Andrew is a man that can be trusted. Ask for him, for your installation, you cannot go wrong. Great work! Can't wait to see that small electric bill!

I met with the crew of Main Street Solar in mid October 2016. I explained my desire to go solar. They listened to all my questions and concerns, and addressed each one. They even gave me some helpful suggestions on where I can improve on my idea. Our plan was to produce an estimated 98% of energy required to run my home. With some changes on their end, they were able to add an extra solar panel on my home and get me a little over the 100% mark with no increase in cost! The installers were polite and professional. The inspector could not get over how well the installation looked. Very professional! Its hard to get a company to return a phone call nowadays, but these guys always call or text you back the same day! Keep up the good work!

System installed in August 2015. Worked perfect on first outage from south side elec. coop. System was sized to cover 100 percent of annual cost. My monthly bill has been 21$ a month since. 18$ front end charge and 3$ fixed tax. Had a 620 kw credit at end of first year . Of course this will very from year to year depending on how Mother Nature feels. Called Main Street Solar twice with a couple of questions and got returned call the same day. Very pleased with system so far.

Thank you Alan, Laura, Evelyn, Andrew, and Ben and his crew...Our system was installed while I was in the hospital....Main Street Solar provides a true turn key installation. Could not be happier and my wife and I are looking forward to many Sunny days.

All the people at Main Street Solar are friendly, helpful, know what they are doing, and eager to share their enthusiasm for and knowledge of solar energy production.

What a great crew. Place was spotless when finished. On time with start time.

Flawless is the word to describe the service provided by Main Street Solar or Fincastle, Virginia. The first flawless aspect of this company is in their free site survey and feasibility report. The report was completely straight-forward in the assessment of my property for solar power. There was no "hard sell." My home's location was not ideal, and the report showed me why. Nonetheless, it also showed that, while not ideal, solar was feasible. The numbers provided in the report in terms of efficiency of my initial 5KW system proved to be spot on. Likewise, the analysis of the subsequent addition of an additional 3KW proved to be 100% accurate. Installation was fast and efficient, with the crew clearly knowing their stuff. Their excellent working relationship with the local utility made approval a breeze. Excellent follow-up customer service rounds out the reasons that I rate Main Street Solar to be flawless.

Andrew was very pleasant to talk to and done a very professional job. During this summer I have been saving about $140 a month!!! Even the Power Company inspector told me that they were one of the best installers of solar panels that they inspect. I'm glad I went with them, I'm sure they will be around a long time after other installers have come and gone! Which will be important later down the road!

Main Street Solar installed my system while I was not in the home and they were completely efficient and professional. My system is functioning efficiently and office personnel spent over an hour helping me file for additional savings. Thank you guys for a thoroughly great experience.

As of the writing of this review, I am a few days into going solar with a system installed by Main Street Solar, Andrew & Alan, Ben and the rest of the crew were very professional and friendly with every step of the turn key job. The price quoted was the price I paid and it was lower than the other companies with the most output. I got a 10.5K system installed. Very pleased with every aspect of the service and performance that I've noticed so far. Thanks again to Main Street Solar.

Andrew & Alan were very responsive to any & all questions & requests before, during & after our installation. They did a very professional job, making sure that the panels were lined up evenly & that every part of the install was clean & neat. Clean-up was also a plus. Of course our inspections were positive & Main Street made sure that they were present for the electrical inspection which we really appreciated. In addition, to top it all off, Main Street gave us the best quote out of the 3 contractors we called & provided a professional & detailed quote, which none of the others did. They also recommended a good quality system but not the most expensive which we appreciated & we also appreciated their explaining everything they recommended & why in simple terms.

We have been so pleased with our clean energy. Our electric bills have gone from $150 per month to $8 (connection fee). Its nice to know that while I am at work my solar system is pumping energy out to the grid and keeping dollars in my pocket. The installation went smooth. It was installed in 3 days and up and running in 2 weeks. I am happy! Looking forward to the years ahead when electricity costs twice as much and I am producing it for free:)

Alan and Andrew Brenner and their employees were excellent to deal with. They are professional and courteous. They went out of their way to make our system attractive to our home. They were careful to explain how the system works and to give us a system that is the most beneficial to our set-up. I would highly recommend them.

Andrew and his team worked with me to design and build exactly what I requested and needed within the budget I had set. They were courteous, prompt helpful in making sure I understood the options and benefits. They system works well and performs exactly as they said it would.

Andrew and his company did an amazing job with our solar system install. They met with us, explained our options, and delivered exactly the system we were looking for. He was always prompt, courteous, and professional. The system looks great on our home. The install is very clean(which was one of my wife's big concerns). The attention to detail that they paid to our project was amazing. They went above and beyond what was required. I can't say yet how much electricity our system will generate since it was just installed. I will definitely call Andrew again when I am ready to expand our system further or add Solar water heating for our pool.

To whom it may concern, Main Street Solar of Fincastle Virginia, installed a beautiful solar array on my roof, with the capability for online monitoring. The installation was quickly, professionally, and neatly done. I now generate more electricity than I use. Everyone from the company with whom I came into contact was very friendly as well as knowledgeable. They took the time to answer any and all questions either I or my neighbors asked. I do not hesitate to recommend Main Street solar to anyone who wishes information on the use of solar power or is ready to install solar power now. It not only saves money on the bill, but it feels very good doing it. Sincerely, E.L. Blacksburg, VA

We were very well pleased with Main Street Solar. They installed the array during really cold weather in January. They were professional and thorough in explaining the benefits and operation of the system. Excellent personality.

We were so pleased with the results of our solar panel installation in early 2013, that we had another 16 panel array installed at the end of the year. We immediately saw a significant savings on our electric bills. And the service provided by Main Street Solar from the planning stage to the installation and the follow up was excellent. We highly recommend them.