Review for Barrus Solar

08/01/2013
Anonymous

Problematic installation

We hired Homestar Builders to do a 6.5KW solar installation. Initially I thought Brad was an employee of theirs. Wrong, he's a subcontractor. Issues started first day--he borrowed several hand tools of mine without permission. We discussed how conduit was to be run, and that plastic conduit was underground and ALL conduit above ground was to be metal. He installed plastic conduit on two long horizontal runs along my block wall and my home contrary to our agreement. I had him remove it. We decided on bury conduit on the side of my home. I warned him of a gas line for the pool equipment and asked him to dig to avoid it. It rented a trenching machine and ran into the gas line. He failed the trench depth of 18 inches--required by code--TWICE, only passing on the 3rd attempt. Poor workmanship, that had to be replaced before it looked professional. On final inspection day, I spoke to a regular electrician of Homestar to get questions answered, and got clear answers to my questions. If Brad can't read a tape measure to pass inspection depth, doesn't have enough simple tools to do cleanup, etc.--he would not be my first choice to do another solar install

On schedule
Installation quality

Reviewer reply 08/01/2013
Job was supposed to be completed 6-17. Final inspection on job was on 7-31, some 6 weeks late. There were 2 weeks where Brad showed up once each week. He was not here on 2 inspection days. There were some days he showed up at 4 PM to work. It appears he has multiple jobs going at the same time, and my job was not very important.

Reviewer reply 08/01/2013
Job was supposed to be completed 6-17. Final inspection on job was on 7-31, some 6 weeks late. There were 2 weeks where Brad showed up once each week. He was not here on 2 inspection days. There were some days he showed up at 4 PM to work. It appears he has multiple jobs going at the same time, and my job was not very important.

Reviewer reply 08/11/2013
When Brad was here the first day, I called Ely of Homestar Builders and asked if this guy was professional. Borrowing simple tools, like brooms, wheelbarrows, and shovels seemed like tools any contractor would have. I looked up the license of Barrus Solar. The day I looked up his license, the info listed his license was to expire 8-31-13, and he was carried NO workmen' comp insurance as he was listed as having no employees. Every day Brad was here (except 1) he had an employee with him. One guy was repeatedly here, so I assume him to be an employee, as he drove the same type white Chevy pickup truck as Brad. Go to https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=964957 to see his license, that lists NO EMPLOYEES

Reviewer reply 08/23/2013
I contacted Enphase about low output on one of the 26 panels. Homestar sent out an electrician to verify the problem on 8-12. Electrician said it would take 7 days to get new panel and microinverter from AZ to replace the defective parts. I called on 8-22 to inquire, as it had been 11 days since the inspection. On 8-23, we received a call from Homestar. We were told the original documentation from Brad Barrus was incorrect, and wrong panel and wrong microinverter was sent. They have reordered the correct parts and I should receive a installation appt. sometime next week. Had Brad put the correct info on the documentation, my below average panel would have already been replaced.

Reviewer reply 10/22/2013
Update 10-22-1013: on 10-18 I called the CSI division to find out about the SCE rebate for installing solar. I was told they could not find any application. I promptly called Homestar Builders, as they were the general contactor. I received a call back from them, saying the Brad of Barrus Solar had made the timely application, and that I would get an email with the number by Monday. Nothing came on Monday, so I called Homestar again on 10-22. I got my CSI number, and then I called the CSI office to inquire about my rebate. Their agent said he found the application. Out of curiosity, I asked him to check when the application was made. I was told the CSI office received my job application on Oct. 19, the day after I called Homestar. My panels were generating power into the SCE grid on 8-1-13. So the lengthy CSI rebate approval process will not even be touched for at least another 20 days, as the CSI office said they are processing Oct. 1 applications today. So my rebate will have a 3 month delay due to the inefficiency of Barrus Solar. BTW, I just learned that Barrus Solar is no longer working as a sub contractor for Homestar. I was told they were having "too many issues" with his jobs.