Unique Solar

Point Del Mar Solar Installation

Installed panels with low mounts over composite roofing. Then surrounded with tiles to give the system a low profile on my Spanish tile roof. Used heavy duty rails and hardware for installation. Painless for me the owner. Works as advertised.

Solar panel installation review by an electronics engineer

I am an retired electronics engineer that decided to have a solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation system (hereinafter called “solar system”) installed on my south facing second story roof. I researched reputable companies that install solar systems and decided to get bids from SolarCity, ASI Hastings Heating & Air, Palomar Solar, Sullivan Solar Power, and Unique Solar. All these companies were very professional in their sales approach to me, and all were technically knowledgeable. All the companies, except SolarCity, provided sufficient contract detail to allow a good comparison between the proposed solar systems. I feel any of these companies would have been able to successfully install a solar system meeting my needs, and my decision came down to what I technically desired and the cost. As the solar contractors will clearly explain to their customers, there are basically three types of solar systems: (1) microinverter, (2) string inverter, and (3) string inverter with power optimizer. ASI and Palomar Solar install microinverter solar systems, but not string inverter solar systems. SolarCity and Sullivan Solar install string inverter solar systems, but not microinverter solar systems. Unique Solar installs all three type of solar systems, based on what is best for the particular customer. Each of the three solar systems have unique advantages and disadvantages. The companies that install only one type of solar system will clearly point out the disadvantages of the other type of solar systems, but not so much the disadvantages of the system they are trying to sell. Choosing which solar system configuration to install involves a fair amount of research, and personal preference. For me, I decided I wanted the microinverter solar system because I wanted to monitor the individual power generation of each solar panel. This decision allowed me to narrow the contractor I would use to ASI, Palomar Solar, or Unique Solar. It turned out that the decision was fairly simple. All three companies proposed identical solar systems, i.e., LG290 solar panels, Enphase M-250 microinverters, Envoy Gateway, all the drawings, permits, etc.. It was interesting that the ASI and Palomar Solar total contract price differed by only $150. Unique Solar came in significantly less than the ASI and Palomar price, so I decided to sign a contract with Unique Solar. I did upgrade the solar panels to the LG295 from the LG290, for a total contract increase of $200. The owner of Unique Solar is Ulf Waldmann (858.353.7478) and is the person I met with initially and throughout the installation process. Mr. Waldmann was professional, very knowledgeable in solar panel and inverter technologies, and provided the greatest detail on what I call the solar system “POA&M” (plan of action and milestones) of the three solar contractors. I think the information provided by the other contractors was adequate for most customers, but I tend to like more engineering detail. Since the solar panels are likely be operational for 25 years, I wanted to re-roof where the solar panels were being installed in order to ensure my roof would not leak for the 25 years, vice the 10 year warranty provided by the solar contractors. Without any involvement from me, Unique Solar and RC Roofing (Rick Clark; 858.337.6908) coordinated a schedule between them where the old roof would be removed by RC Roofing, the stanchions (used to mount the solar panels to the roof) would be installed by Unique Solar, and then the new roof would be installed by RC Roofing. The re-roofing job was accomplished without a problem. Mr. Waldmann kept me informed of all events that went on, and there were no surprises in the solar system installation process or the payments requested. I was also pleasantly surprised with the craftsmanship of the solar system installation, e.g., end caps on the rails, the conduit being grounded properly and straight, and cable routing. The solar system installation took less than six weeks from the day the contract was signed to the day the installation was completed. The City of San Diego inspected the solar system installation on 24 March 2014 and signed off on the inspection record with no problem. The San Diego Gas and Electric company gave permission on 25 March 2014 to activate the system. My solar system is now up and operational, and I am able to easily and remotely monitor all parameters of the system. In summary, I recommend Unique Solar without reservation.

Great service, great results!

We are thrilled with our new (very low!) electric bill! As a non-profit school, we are always looking for ways to save money so we can focus more finances on our curriculum. Ulf was great to work with, thorough, thrustworthy and reliable. We are happy to recommend Unique Solar to everyone!

First solar house on my block!

I'm proud to be part of the "Green movement" and Ulf at Unique Solar made it all possible and hassle free. I appreciated his easy style and great communication. He also installed a solar attic fan for us. We are looking forward to our savings on our utility bills.

Important: Ulf knows roofs!

Unique Solar just finished an installation at my house and I couldn't be happier with the process, price, or quality of work. Ulf is the main guy. He knows his stuff and is very responsive. A big plus is that he was a roofer for many years, which is important because your solar panels and your roof are connected. Do you want your panels to be removed in two years when your roof replaced? Probably not, and Ulf will give you the straight information on such things. Overall a very smooth and effortless process. Thanks Ulf!

Great Price and Met Expectations

I requested a soar install quote from Ulf Waldmann, with the stipulation that the install be done in 8 weeks (for 2013 tax purposes). He got me the quote, and it far lower than the competitors by a significant margin. I updated my quote with additional work, and he was able to accomplish everything on my list. He took time to answer all my questions. He is a pleasure to work with

Great job... we are very satisfied!

I highly recommend Ulf Waldmann for any solar installation. He installed a SolarEdge system for us and he was very thorough throughout the whole process. The solar panels on our roof look awesome and the system is producing better than expected output.

I needed help with a user installed solar system.

Ulf delivered. He helped me with the portions of the install that were beyond my abilities. Using Unique Solar saved me time and money. The system has been up since January and has produced $4000 in electricity. My SDG&E bill is $450 for the year. That used to be our monthly bill.

The Best Solar Company

Unique Solar was the company for us!! We interviewed 4 other companies. With Unique Solar's roofing experience and solar experience, we opted for them to install our solar system. All aspects of the installations were explained to us and performed in a timely manner. When a problem came up with not enough attic space, a solution was quickly found in a very professional way. There seems to be a bad rep for Solar Salesmen in general but when you talk to a true professional like Ulf Waldmann, owner of Unique Solar, your comfort level goes up. He doesn't try to upsell you...we had a high trust level with him. The integrity of our roof was utmost in our minds and knowing he has been a roofer most of his life clinched the deal. We would highly recommend Unique Solar to anyone. Professional work, professional workers, clean and tidy. Great job!!

Solar Panel Installation

I highly recommend Unique Solar for Solar Installation...the job was done in a timely manner and I was kept apprised of all the steps along the way....I especially liked the fact that the owner was also part of the crew....that meant he was on the job every day and not just a salesman. His experience ranges from being a roofer to an installer and that was evident throughout the job.....he provided me with resources to research, to always answering my questions thoroughly and with patience and to being on the job to deliver the quality he promised....many home improvement jobs are not pleasant to go through but this one was...both he and his crew were very pleasant, courteous and knowledgeable...both my husband and I found this a pleasant and learning experience....we are loving seeing the meter go backwards

Awesome Solar Install

Our house has a spanish clay tile roof with cement boosters. I contacted several companies and they all suggested to remove tiles and install cheap shingles in the area where the solar system would be installed. Unique Solar were the only ones that offered to take up the existing tile and reinstall it with new underlayment and use the correct flashings for the stand-offs. All that at a better price then their competition. The work was completed quickly and I get more power out of the system then what they predicted. 1 month after the installation my inverter had a fault warning which turned out to be just that, a warning, but when I called them a technician was there within 1 hour, he checked things out and put me on the phone with the inverter manufacturer's technical support who assured me that everything was fine. Exceptional service that I can only recommend.