Excite Energy

The best on all points

I knew SolarNorcal was different as I interviewed four different companies for our solar installation. All the other companies were selling the product, Heath with SolarNorcal talked about our needs from an engineering perspective. I happen to have an engineering background so his "here is the best system" approach was a welcome change over the sales brochure approach of the competition. The communication with our HOA, the permits, and all the installation work was done without an ounce of effort on my part. Overall a perfect job. Trust an electrical engineer for your solar.

BEST IN THE MARKET

SolarNorcal did a great job installing solar panel. They were so helpful from the beginning of the process. They addressed all our concerns and explained in detail every step and completed the work professionally on time. I recommend SolarNoral to any one who is interested in solar energy.

Fantastic service

Heath and Solar NorCal were fantastic. He was very responsive to our questions and gets right back to you. He regularly updated us on progress so we knew exactly what was happening during the process. The panasonic panels they use offered the best warranty we found. We have already recommended Solar NorCal to our neighbors who are currently getting their solar installed by Heath as well!

Great company to work with!!!!

Heath was very informative at our initial meeting. He took care of everything with Serrano HOA and the whole process was very easy for us. The crew who worked on the installation were ALL very professional and respectful of our space and time. Very happy to have chosen Heath and his crew at SolarNorcal!!

Extremely competitive for a premium product

My husband and I met with a lot of solar sales folks and received 9 other bids before receiving Heath's bid through email. At first we did not consider them a top contender for our business. Our attention was focused on the folks we met in person. Then I emailed a question or two to Heath. He always responded very timely which then made me pay more attention to SolarNorcal. After closely looking at the proposed system and doing some initial research, I sent him more piecemeal questions. Some of my questions were basic and repetitive but Heath was always patient, honest, direct, forthcoming, and respectful. In our correspondences I never felt any sales pressure or impatience from him. He would simply respond to my questions in non technical language I can understand, and left me alone to come up with my own conclusions before I was ready with another question. When I asked about other products he didn't carry he encouraged me to get a bid from another provider and compare everything--which I did. The difference is he backed up his products with white papers and neutral reference links and a long list of customer references, encouraging my own further research and due diligence. After my research I finally recognized the value of his proposed system and found his quote extremely competitive for a top product, performance and warranties, and we decided to go with Solar NorCal. I felt confident that if we had issues with any of the components, we would not be stuck on our own or having to pay out of pocket twenty years down the road. They were flexible in making requested configuration and schedule changes. The install was painless, the crew was very polite and respectful, and Heath's timeline was accurate. We felt like we were dealing with an honorable and trustworthy company in SolarNorcal who was looking out for our best interests and I feel fortunate we found them amongst that huge sea of solar installers. For us this was a huge investment and it will be for you too--I highly recommend you give these guys a call and see what they do to make it all worth it.

Completed on time and at a competitive price!

We had a 15 year solar system that stopped working. We called several solar contractors before getting a referral to SolarNorcal. Where the other contractors either didn't show or couldn't determine what the problem was, SolarNorcal came within a couple of days, diagnosed the problem as failed inverters, gave an estimate and then completed the work within a week at the agreed price. The system works better than it did before as the new inverters are more efficient!

Great folks to work with! Great results!

Heath and his team are great folks! Always available to discuss, very knowledgeable and genuinely want YOU to get the right solar install. I'm an electrical engineer and did my homework before talking to them. They know their stuff and easily explained some things that had me stumped.

the best bid by far, and they totally came through!

I solicited four bids for my solar installation - a 30 panel ground mount about a hundred yards away from my house on a slope. Two Sunpower companies and two "non-Sunpower" companies. SolarNorcal blew away the other bids, and - while I wondered if it was too good to be true (literally thousands of dollars back in my pocket vs the competitors) - I went with them. The initial presentation was superb and Heath is as solid as they come. When the array was installed, I didn't like the fact that I had an asymmetrical array - it was 4 high by 8 wide and therefore two panels short of a full rectangle. A trivial matter in the big picture, but I thought the appearance would eat at me over time and I fretted about it a little. Heath was super about it, gave me a skinny price to add two extra panels to make it symmetrical. Really was very impressed by his accommodation on this. Whenever a hiccup occurred in the project (inevitable - I live in a bit of a challenging rural area and my install was not a typical roof mount), Heath was responsive and accommodating. When it was all said and done, we were up and running a bit sooner than I expected when I signed the contract. I would absolutely urge anybody in the Sacramento or foothills area to get a bid from SolarNorcal as part of your due diligence. You may be shocked at the savings. And it was a real pleasure to work with Heath and his crew. A class act all the way.

Excellent Company

My wife and I had been considering solar for some time - we have modest electricity consumption into Tier 2 typically, however, the cost/performance improvements convinced us it was time to act. We are delighted with every aspect of our transaction with SolarNorcal, In the initial system configuration and pricing stage Heath answered all of our questions and did not engage in "high pressure" sales techniques - quite the opposite (5 stars). Price (5 stars). When it came time for the installation Steve and his team did great work - very careful and tidy and paid great attention to detail. (5 stars) . Then came the time of "switch on" - I got very clear instructions and explanations of the installation and the on-line monitoring application which allows me to see system performance on a monthly/daily/hourly basis - by individual panel if I wish. (5 stars). VERY HAPPY - Thank you SolarNorcal.

Amazing team

Heath and his team were amazing! Start to finish they were very polite and respectful of our own schedules. The work was done to a high standard and quickly to boot. Definitely give make them an option for your solar choice.

Great company!

I just moved up to Placerville from the Bay Area and my SIL told me I better get solar because the hot summer months. He recommended SolarNorcal based on his previous experience of having them install a solar system at his house. I called Heath Kirin to get a quote and within a couple of days he was out taking the necessary measurements. He discussed everything they would do and explained how much I would save based on the system sizing. Heath was a pleasure to talk to and I never felt pressured to sign on the dotted line. After a couple of days to think about it, I went ahead and made a call to Heath and setup a date for the installation. Everything went very smooth and fast, Heath was able to field any remaining questions I had. They coordinated with PG&E and I'm good to go now!

Recent Solar Installation

We recently were referred to Heath at SolarNorCal by a family member. Before speaking with Heath we had already spoken to 3 other Solar Companies and were ready to sign a contract for a new system. My cousin urged us to speak with Heath before making our final decision and I'm so grateful we did. We were immediately impressed with the level of detailed knowledge Heath shared with us. The quote from SolarNorCal was at least 10% lower than all the other quotes. Although price is important, quality and follow-up are critical as a consumer. Not only was Heath on time for every meeting, he responded quickly to every call or email and was extremely professional. I would highly recommend SolarNorCal if you are looking for a new system. If you have spoken with any other companies, make one last call to SolarNorCal before making your final decision, you won't be disappointed.

Solar purchase & Installation experience: How you hope it to be

Heath (electrical engineer) and Steve (installation wizard/experienced solar products professional) own this solar company. What a pleasure to deal with such capable and pleasant people! Heath was insightful and flexible with system design; Steve and Jeremy's installation was like professional athletes at the top of their game. Two things stood out to me: honesty and being easy to work with from start to finish. I had a prior solar installation done in 2006 (not so good) and had 4 bids prior to this recent install of a 7.48 kw system on our carport rooftop. Bottom line: fair price, best of their peers, completion done in a timely and professional manner-beyond our expectations. My wife and I really enjoyed the entire experience.

Completely satisfied with solar project from start to finish

We started thinking about installing solar panels several years ago as our PG&E bills kept rising. Then in 2016 the bills were so high we knew that we could not wait any longer. We started contacting local solar installers and looking at proposals online. We studied all we could about solar, as to what were the best solar panels, inverters, and installers. Our situation was a little different from most, as we did not want a roof solar mount. We wanted a ground array. After hearing from well over a dozen installers, we ended up getting proposals from several of them. They were all over the board, not only in their prices, but in the way they approached us. Some would not give a proposal without first coming out to our house and giving us their selling pitch. Others would give online proposals, but many would do so only if we went by their recommended brands and most were not flexible. Many would not do a ground mount. We came in contact with Heath of Solar Norcal, and things went well with him from the start. He gave us a proposal which was very good, but did not include the panels we wanted. No problem. He gave us another proposal with the panels we wanted, and when he was told that we had another proposal from another installer at a lower price, he was quite willing to negotiate. End result was that we got the system and panels we wanted at a very competitive price. At no time did we experience any pressure in the entire process. We cannot praise Solar Norcal enough. Heath was professional and cooperative throughout. Steve and the installation crew were also very professional, courteous and competent. In the beginning, we had told Heath that it was imperative that the installation be done and the system on grid before the end of the year because we wanted the 30% tax break for the 2016 tax year. Heath guaranteed that they would get it done, and as it turned out, they actually started construction earlier than first agreed and had the system up and running a few weeks sooner than expected. All in all, we do not believe we could have selected a better solar installation team than Solar Norcal. System = 11.2 KW, 35 LG panels, SolarEdge inverter, ground mount

Great Experience with our Solar installation

After about three months of haggling price and components with several reputable companies, I finally decided to go with Solar NorCal. I must say I was a little apprehensive when I signed with them because they are not a big company. But Heath was very helpful every single time I emailed or called. He gave me detailed answers to all my questions and concerns. With Solar NorCal I felt a leve of trust that I didn't experience with other companies. Solar business is huge with diverse products and manufacturers. Many other companies would try to throw dust in your eyes by offering twisted information and try to mislead you. Heath Kirin was candid and professional. In addition, they were the only company who gave me a list of references of their residential customers whom I could call for reference. After signing, because of the heavy rains it took some time before the installation was done. Once it started, however, it was done in about 5 days. My neighbor and I installed ours together with the same company. Interesting thing is, i wasn't even home when they were installing. I was at work and never got to meet the install crew. But still they did an amazing job! I am totally satisfied with this company. Their professionalism, service, and candidness will impress you just like they impressed me. I would happily recommend my family, friends, or anyone reading this review to Solar Norcal.

They answered all my questions

I got bids from at least five different solar companies. These guys were the second lowest per watt. But more importantly, Heath patiently answered all of my questions. I was concerned about any possible interference with out attic mounted TV antenna. He was the only one who looked into it for me. And he came back with an honest answer. In fact, he answered all of my questions honestly. You can't ask for any more than that. (In case you're wondering, the SolarEdge optimizers are not interfering, even though they are within 15-20 feet of our antenna on the same side of the house as the TV signal enters. We did not put a panel in direct line of sight between the antenna and the TV signals- left about an 8 foot window of unobstructed roof space.) The installation went smoothly. We have lightweight tiles on our roof, and were pre-warned by a roofing contractor that they would break easily. They did break several tiles during the install, but they replaced the ones they broke. And they didn't break nearly as many as I would have expected. Also, it's nice that they ran the conduit through the attic space rather than over the roof, like some installations I've seen. They even painted the conduit on the side of the house near our electrical box so it would blend in with the house.

So good i bought more panels for another system

They gave the best quote and had the system up in two days the inspections and stuff took a bit longer than I wanted. but they took care of everything heath was able to answer all of my questions anytime I called or emailed. i liked the install so much bought more panels for an off grid setup If I buy another house this is the first and only company I'll call

Very profesional work and curteous service

SolarNorcall was the only company to respond to our particular request. They were very professional and prompt in responding to our needs. Their friendly communication made us feel comfortable in discussing our particular preferences and they met all our requests. We appreciate the professionalism and service Heath provided us. The work was completed quickly and price was very affordable. Thank you Heath!

Knowledgeable, local and trustworthy

I am delighted with our quick and easy installation, thanks to SolarNorcal. Their team is friendly, informative and professional. Steve and Heath were extremely helpful answering all of my questions. The best part of the experience was when we received our first bill after the install. Our bill went from $120/mo to a CREDIT of $20! I could not be more happy with my experience with SolarNorcal. I highly recommend them to anyone interested in learning more about solar energy.

Happy with my System

Heath and Steve worked with us to correctly size our system and get it installed in a timely manner. Steve walked my wife and I thtough the costs, operatiom, and maitneance of the system. Happy to have their customer service available if we have any questions.

Great CustomrWork

My roof presented a bit of a challenge, but SolarNorcal found a way around it and did a custom job that looks better than the original plan. These guys are local, and provide what I believe to be a more personal job and attention to detail than you might find from the large corporations.

I love my solar!

I had a quick and easy installation thanks to Solar Norcal. The team was very friendly and professional. Steve and Heath were extremely helpful answering all of my questions. The best part of the experience was when we received our first bill after the install. Our bill went from $120/mo to a CREDIT of $20! I couldn't be more happy with my experience with Solar Norcal.

Great service and install!!

I first started looking into getting a solar system for our home a couple years ago and finally decided to pull the trigger in February of 2016. I have been involved in a few very large solar projects at work for engineering analysis and feasibility studies. I also interview and consult with many vendors for their products and services. So when I started looking for a good firm for solar system installations, I came to solarreviews. First, I interviewed about five vendors. Most wanted to sell me a PPA system. When I had done my own engineering calculations, I quickly realized, owning the system outright would be the best return for me. When I first meant Heath Kirin of SolarNorcal, Heath was the only one to show me his calculations based of my usage that owning the system outright was the best return. He numbers were comparable to what I came up with. And as my supervisor at work (a Berkeley grad in EE) always told me, you better know 80% of the answers to the questions you ask vendors because this is how you weed out the bad from the good. After talking to Heath and asking him questions, I knew they would get my business. They don’t throw any BS around. Heath was honest and trustworthy. They were competitive on their pricing too. If your intimated by any of the solar lingo such as tiered rates, baseline quantities, NEM terms, Heath will explain the terms in plain English. The installation went smooth without any problems. After the permits were pulled and they coordinated with PG&E the system was activated. Everything went well. We are now ready for the summer heat, thanks to Steve Jefferson and Heath Kirin of SolarNorcal!! Thanks guys!!

Exceptional Installation and Service

Within 15 days of agreeing to a Solar installation my home was able to be up and running with Solar Norcal. Before agreeing to put Solar on my home, I took several months to learn about Solar and what it would mean to purchase or lease a system. Clearly if you can I would recommend buying the system outright. During this process I talked with over 10 companies to determine who would provide the best value proposition for our home. With Solar Norcal (Heath Kirin and Steve Jefferson) I found a great partner!!! They provided me with facts about Solar and references to documentation to make an independent and informed choice. The other companies would not take the time to educate me on the value of Solar. After educating myself on Solar and performing appropriate analysis I decided to go with Solar Norcal. This was a great choice!!! Within three weeks I was up and running on Solar and from that point on I’ve have zeroed out my electric bill. I would highly recommend Solar Norcal as a business partner to reduce or eliminate your electric bill.

Excellent service and solar system

Heath and Steve were great about reviewing the costs and benefits of their system. They were very patient as we spent months reviewing about 15 other vendors and slowly coming to the conclusion that Solar Norcal is the best overall provider for knowledgeable Solar Experts providing the most cost effective solution. The installation was done quickly. They took care of everything associated with the system activation from permitting, installation through inspections and activation. It was fantastic to see the immediate change in electrical use at noon on the day I turned on the system on a bright sunny day. Using our online power usage monitoring through PG&E the usage went from high use to significant generation of electricity. We have always been in the top few percentage of users. We will save a lot of money and are so pleased that we can also eliminate this big detrimental effect on the environment. Thank your very Much Heath and Steve.