Why scoring matters in 2026
With the federal tax credit gone, the margin for error on a solar purchase is thinner than it's ever been. A bad installer doesn't just cost you service headaches — it can push a 9-year payback past 12. The gap between a market's best and worst installers is now the single biggest financial variable in going solar.
What are the 14 signals?
01Credentials & standing — 3 signals
Active contractor license — verified against the state licensing board (e.g., CSLB in California), including classification and bond status.
Years installing in this market — local permit history, not just years in business.
Industry certification — NABCEP-certified staff or equivalent manufacturer certifications.
02Reputation — 3 signals
Review quality & volume — rating across Google and BBB, weighted for recency.
Complaint pattern — unresolved complaints, consumer-protection actions, and how disputes get handled.
Reference verification — recent local customers we can actually talk to.
03Workmanship & equipment — 3 signals
Workmanship warranty — length and what it actually covers (roof penetrations matter most).
Equipment quality — panel, inverter, and battery tiers offered, and whether the installer is certified for them.
In-house crews — whether installs are performed by employees or subcontracted out.
04Pricing & sales practices — 3 signals
Price transparency — willingness to provide itemized, per-watt pricing without a signed commitment.
Market-rate pricing — quoted cost per watt versus the local average.
Sales pressure — same-day-signing tactics, inflated savings claims, or references to expired incentives are scored against.
05Post-install service — 2 signals
Service responsiveness — how warranty and service calls are handled after Permission to Operate.
Monitoring & support — production monitoring setup and who homeowners actually call when output drops.
How the score works
Signals are weighted — licensing, workmanship warranty, and complaint pattern carry the most — and combined into a 0–100 score. Installers below our threshold aren't recommended, period. Scores refresh quarterly, or immediately if something material happens: a license suspension, an ownership change, or a spike in complaints.
No pay-to-play: Home Solar Savings may earn referral fees from installers when a homeowner we introduce becomes a customer. Those fees never affect scores or rankings, and no installer can pay to be recommended. See our About page for the full disclosure.
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