Southard Solar & Construction (Out of Business)

Now I have no one to do warranty work on my $26k system!

Six months ago Southard Solar installed solar panels on my home in Boulder. They told me that they would let Xcel know so the panel can be connected to the grid. Six months later I have contacted them repeatedly and they have simply ignored my phone calls and emails. Xcel wrote me and said Southard has not submitted the proper documentation to let my solar panels be connected to the grid. What have I heard from Southhard Solar-- NOTHING. Have they sent me any paperwork after I paid them $12,000 NO. Will I ever get my solar panels connected I don't know. Clark Johnson

I cannot recommend Southard Solar due to their lack of communication and professionalism. It’s been a very disappointing and frustrating experience over the last year. Almost exactly 1 year ago, I had a site visit to scope and quote my project. I showed them the house, garage, and wellhouse and explained how we wanted them to be powered and backed up with solar panels and a battery. The contract showed up with various repeated errors which I had to continually correct. Shortly after signing, installation began – they must have had a solid understanding of the project from the site visit, I figured. Alas, nope. The house is powered but not the wellhouse and garage, meaning our water supply is not functional in the event of an outage. A single conversation could have ensured that we were on the same page, but they’ve never made that a possibility. Despite months of outreach, they’ve given me the runaround, and when they offered to work on getting the system fixed to function as we agreed, they now won’t answer any questions about how much we would be expected to pay for the remedial work. As a cherry on top, during the install, they showed up in our house one morning when my wife was home alone. They insisted that “Chris knows we’re here,” but that was a blatant lie. If I’d expected them, I would have let them know not to come since my wife was home with COVID. To their credit, Gabe the installer and his team did a great job. They were communicative and clear, and if the rest of the team functioned like him, I’d be happy to recommend them. The whole experience has been frustrating due to their lack of communication and honesty. The price might be tempting but it’s not worth the headache. Find another solar vendor.

I have a 1 year old solar install that is supposed to be monitored by Southard Solar for any errors or failures. I noticed my system had errors for over a month and I have not been able to reach anyone at the office for weeks.

We did an install with Southards last fall. The install was fine, but the subsequent service and communication has been a disaster. Even minor issues are just not addressed. Terrible communication, and no follow up. Buyer beware.

The short version is that my 1 star review is for how rude the Catch the Sun representative was with me when I canceled my contract a few days after the site survey was performed (about a week and a half after signing) as well as Southard Solar thinking to charge a cancellation fee of $2,000 when work hadn't even been started towards designing let alone permitting the solar panels. All in all about 2 weeks under contract before cancelling. The long version is we recently bought a new house and within a week had received solicitation for solar panels from a company called Ion. I was working with this representative over the next month and a half to work on a good time for their tech to visit and explain size, power, cost and all that about the panels. In this month and a half I had not seen another companies rep show up. We finally had an appointment set for the same day pretty late at the start of a snow storm and so when he didn't show up we weren't really surprised. The next week, Queue the rep from Catch the Sun. However I was more focused on the details of the solar panels and not the company the person was affiliated with. I signed the solicitation contract and set up a site survey for the following week. A few days after the survey appointment the Ion representative returned, to my confusion since I believed I had already signed with them. He pointed out it was a separate company. After the comparison between companies I decided to go with my original choice Ion and canceled my contract thru my Catch the Sun rep. Up to this point I understand that I am at fault for the mistaken identity of who was who. At this point I was contacted by the Catch the Sun rep to which I informed him I no longer wished to continue with the panels thru their company and wanted to cancel the contract. The representatives tone was very rude and even stated he was "frustrated with me" for my mistaking him for the Ion tech I had been waiting for to show up. After a few weeks I received and invoice from Southard for $2,000 not for the site survey or the work that hadn't even started yet, instead it is listed as a cancellation fee...$2,000... I am working with Ion to see about covering this fee but even they say it is extremely excessive for the amount of work that had been performed up to the point of cancellation. I sent an email to the only email listed on Southard's website (info@southardsolar.com) and have not received any kind of response in over a week. Very unpleasant representatives, non existent customer services and ridiculous cancellation fees warranted a 1 star review!

Southard just finished a legacy upgrade for my Enphase microinverter system (panel swap) and they did a fabulous job. As could be expected, they found problems with my 12 year old installation and they quickly came up with a solution and corrected the problems. I was extremely impressed with the professionalism of the installation crew and with their electrician (Joe Thames, Thames Solar Electric). They were on time, efficient, conscientious and overall just good guys to work with.

Dan and his team were easy patient and professional to work with. I had been in contact with many other solar companies but Southard solar was so easy. Dan was no BS and a strait shooter. Made it easy and understandable of what I needed and what I got. After they got the permits from the city it was fast. They had a crew out the next day and I was up in running soon after. Friendly professional installers. Best in Colorado in my opinion. Highly recommend southard solar.

Dan Rips was so patient throughout the entire process, answering all of my questions (I had a LOT since I had been doing research for months prior to getting proposals). I got proposals from 10+ companies (local and national), and Southard had the best rates by far, the best warranties by far, had numerous panels to choose from, and it made me feel even better to support a local company. If you are thinking about solar, absolutely go with Southard!

Southard Solar did my residential PV system installation recently. They provided a quote that was hard to match for anyone else on the market and that too with premium panels. They took care of the entire process and answered 100's of my questions. Working with Dan was amazing and he provided quick response to my queries even at odd hours. I'm very happy with the installed system.

They made everything as easy as possible for me. Everyone was very knowledgeable and knew the answers to every question I had. I highly recommend Southard to everyone I know.

My husband and I had a Sunpower system installed in 2016 by Southards Solar. We were always impressed with our system and its performance, but it wasnt until after we suffered a hail storm that I was really amazed by them. We had to coordinate with Southards and our roofer to have the system uninstalled so the roof could be replaced and they were the easiest part of that project. They coordinated everything with the roofer and our insurance agent. The system is back up and producing again and they extended their warranty from the time the panels were put back up. I would be happy to recommend them to anyone interested in getting solar!

We started discussions with Dan from Southard on installing solar panels on our house in Stapleton in late Oct 2017. We had done some research and had many questions for which Dan had straightforward answers. We wanted to install higher quality 350W panels to reduce the number of panels needed on my roof. With the higher output panels, Southard was able to design a system that fit entirely on the part of the roof with the best sun exposure. As a bonus, their crew was able to install the system in December working in some cold and snowy weather which allowed us to take the federal tax credit for 2017 rather than need to wait a full year until we filed 2018 taxes in 2019. Other solar companies that we considered could not do the installation until 2018 and two of the companies limited selection of solar panels to just those manufacturers the had agreements with or produced themselves. It has been about 7 months since our system was activated. Starting with our March Xcel bill, our charges for electricity have been the minimum of $5.53 each month. Although it appears our consumption was a bit greater than my production for July due to the AC running more, there was enough excess production "in the bank" from prior months to cover the difference. Thus, it seems Southard's design of our system was "right sized" for our home and electric energy use. I am very happy I used a smaller, local company like Southard.

I had a great experience with Southard Solar. Simple, easy to understand estimates and explanations for different types of panels. Installers were professional and prompt.

As with most services, having a single point of contact through the sales/installation/invoice/post-sales process is good practice. Southard provided that very capable representative backed by a team of competent and polite professionals who showed up on time, did as much as possible to not disrupt our property, and completed the installation with no call-backs. I have recommended Southard to friends who have interest in adding Solar.

Our contacts with Southard Solar Energy have been very favorable. Last year we were referred to their company (among others) by the Energy Sage program were favorably impressed during the contacts with their staff. They are very personable and non pushy - which was not always the case in discussions with our solar companies. They spent time explaining the various options, the installation process and what to expect on our energy bills. Their overall costs were similar to other companies, but the part we were most impressed with was the customer service. They were able to substitute a better solar panel when the original one was not a good fit. In addition, they took down a dish antenna during the installation process (at no additional charge) and their staff did a great cleanup when the installation was complete. Since the installation, they have been in touch with us on a number of occasions to answer questions, discuss future needs, etc. When we purchase an electric car in the future, Southard will be the company we use to expand our generating capacity with additional panels. They deserve an "A+"!

Dan provided several options with different panel suppliers and reviewed pros and cons for each. Chose SunPower panels and very happy with results. Installation was done in a timely manner and very professionally.

Working with the Southard Solar Team was awesome! The initial meeting was not high pressure at all, and Doug talked us through the steps of the installation. A few days later we were on the schedule and ready to go solar! The installation crew was courteous and on-time, and they made short work of the installation; which, by the way, looks AMAZING! I would definitely recommend Southard for your solar installation. Doug and his team are of the best in the business, with a no-nonsense approach and truly viable solutions. Offering the highest quality products and services as well as financing options, Southard Solar is an organization that cares about their customers and helping them reach their goals of energy independence.

The overall support from start to finish with Doug and his team more than exceeded my expectations. His staff was very courteous during the preliminary visits as well as the installation itself. When i got home after the installation, it was cleaned up nicely to where i couldn't even tell they were at my house (aside from my brand new solar array on my roof!!). Their sales staff addressed my concerns. I didn't feel that they were overly pushy to just get a sale and go to the next house. It's nice to know they really cared and took a genuine interest in making sure I was completely satisfied with the investment in my home. From a technical standpoint, they brought their A-Game. Their sales staff and installation team were able to answer every question I had without having to say "Let me check" or "I'll get back to you on that". Doug runs one hell of an operation and is all about SERVICE!!

I was looking for a no-hassle system for my house, and had interviewed a number of solar companies. I talked with numerous companies about installation, products, and various options when it came to a new system. After discussing all the options, I felt Southard Solar was the most knowledgeable and best option for my needs. Doug Southard and his crew were very professional. They explained the process, gave me a reasonable time frame for completion, and discussed the step-by-step process of the installation. After the installation Doug went over the system with me, answering any questions I had, and made sure the area around my house had been cleaned up. I'm very happy with the installation and system. I highly recommend Doug Southard and Southard Solar.

In May 2010 I was tired of paying additional Xcel fees and started looking for a solar company. After a variety of bids, we chose Southard Solar Energy. Doug Southard was extremely helpful, honest and, being a smaller business, was able to give us a much more competitive bid than the larger companies such as Solar City, etc. Doug and his team are hands on and extremely responsive to any of our needs. It has now been 6 years and any issue we had, it was resolved quickly. When pigeons decided to nest under our panels, Doug and his team devised a mesh wire system to keep them out. If an inverter isn't running properly, they are on top of it! Thank you Doug Southard and your team for keeping our solar power working for us!

it has been a 18 months since we went "on line" with our new solar panel system installed by Southard Solar Energy. it is without reservation, the system has performed admirably as there has been a significant reduction in our electric bill and the receipt of a check each month from Xcel only adds to the satisfaction of our investment. prior to going live, their technicians were very professional in the survey of our house and making it as tight as possible to keep heat leakage and cold infiltration to the very minimum. their installers were polite and thorough in installing the new system in a timely manner. all in all, a job well done and one that they can be proud of . most recently, the system has had to endure 2 hail storms which was survived without incident.

I received the best quote out of four (even better than the deal through Costco) from Southard. They are a local business, so I received a lot of personal attention, and I had the satisfaction of supporting the local economy and not a big corporate entity, which also meant that I did not have to deal with corporate sales people. The installation occurred ahead of schedule, and the crew even shoveled a foot of snow off my roof to get the job done! The staff is very knowledgable about the solar industry and committed to alternative energy. They did everything promised--acquired the permits, installed and wired all the equipment and worked with Xcel Energy to get my net meter installed. One note about the net meter installation: Xcel was in no hurry to install the meter once my installation and final inspection was complete. Southard stayed in touch will Xcell and was responsive to my request to hasten the process.

Working with Southard Solar has been very easy from start to finish. I was actually traveling while most of the install happened and was easily able to communicate over email and text for when the crew would be at my home. The company took care of all permitting etc. and once Xcel had input the meters necessary, the in home equipment was installed and explained. Overall I have been very happy with the whole process.

When I got quotes for a solar system for my home, the pricing and equipment various companies offered was similiar. The difference that sold me on Southard Solar was the customer service. Everyone I spoke to at Southard's took the time to explain everything to me. Nick was very accessible, prompt, polite and full of information and help. The installation was fast and smooth. The only delay was out of their control, waiting for the "powers that be" to approve the installation both the city and Xcel. Everything went exactly like they said it would. The $ amount I paid was the amount quoted. There were no surprise charges later on which means these guys know what they are doing. The solar panels look and perform great! They are delivering as promised. After the panels were turned on, Nick brought a monitoring device that plugs into my internet. I can check on the power production from my web browser any time. I can see the history of production with the weather that day. It's pretty cool. Southard Solar followed everything up with prompt support and courtesy calls. I highly recommend Southard Solar Energy for anyone wanting to get into solar for their home.

I can't say enough good things about my experience with Southard Solar. I am completely elated with the job they did to make my solar project a great experience. The array is wonderful and unobtrusive. Everything that Southard Solar did for my project was communicated very thoroughly. The process of permitting, installation and interconnection was seemless. The employees are extremely polite and professional. Kudos to Dan Golden!

I have some very good experience working solar projects and with Doug Southard and his company, Southard Solar & Construction. I now have distributed PV solar power on 3 buildings. My office now has 48 panels, my daughter's home has 15 panels and my home has 10 panels. Doug also installed solar thermal water heating at my home. The work was done timely, I was kept informed as to the progress. I was educated throughout the process. The install crews are well-trained and stay on task. All of the work has been professional and effective. If I have further installations I will call Southard Solar & Construction - because they do great work at a fair price. Call Southard Solar & Construction --> Get 'er done right!

I found Doug Southard (Owner) and his team very professional and very knowledgeable. They worked quickly, showed up when they said they would, and did the job very well. In addition, Doug's knowledge about Solar Installations saved me money as he made suggestions that were more efficient and more cost effective. Also, Doug and his team were helpful and came back when asked to 'tweak' things to get all 'just right'.. I would highly recommend Southard Solar for your solar installation.

Doug went out of his way to find solutions for an older building and with permits from the city. After the installation his follow up was great.

Southard was a contractor with 1-800-SolarUSA. The sales process (below) was rated poorly, because it was very high pressure. Everything by 1-800-SolarUSA and Southard, after the sales process, was excellent. It was not on schedule because of weather.