How to size up a solar company before you hire it
To evaluate a solar energy company, check that it holds the right licences and insurance, has a record of recent installs in your area, offers clear written warranties, and is likely to still exist when you need service. Then score two or three firms on the same criteria rather than choosing on price or a sales pitch.
What kinds of solar company will you meet?
- Local installer. Employs its own crews and often designs and sells directly. Easier to hold accountable, but smaller and sometimes slower to schedule.
- Large regional or national company. Has scale, financing options and standard processes, and may subcontract installation.
- Sales-only or door-to-door seller. Sells the contract, then passes the work to a separate crew. Ask who is responsible if something goes wrong.
- Lead-generation or comparison site. Collects your details and sells them to installers. It is not an installer, and the ranking may reflect who pays.
- Developer or leasing company. Owns the system and charges you for the power or a lease; see solar lease versus PPA in Canada.
Check also whether the company installs residential solar energy systems for homes or mainly commercial projects, because the installation process, the renewable energy incentives it knows and the service it offers differ. Clear answers about the panel installation process and system size are a good sign.
\nDirectories and listicles of top companies are a starting point, never a verdict. Verify any firm yourself.
Which facts can you check yourself?
Start with what is verifiable. Ask for the electrical contractor licence or registration that your province requires and confirm it with the licensing body. Ask for proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage. Look at how long the company has operated under its current name and at its address. Request references from recent customers with systems similar to yours, and phone two of them.
Then ask about the work. Who does the roof and electrical work, the company's own staff or subcontractors? How many systems has it installed in your municipality, and with your utility? Who handles the permits and the utility paperwork? The solar installer checklist has the full question list.
How do you read reviews and testimonials?
Read them for patterns, not stars. A handful of detailed reviews that describe the schedule, the crew and what happened when something needed fixing tell you more than hundreds of one-line praises. Look for complaints about missed schedules, unreturned calls, roof leaks, delays getting approval to operate and billing disputes, and see how the company replied. Be cautious about reviews that are very recent and very similar, and about companies that offer rewards for ratings. Consumer protection bodies and your provincial licensing authority may also list complaints.
Will the company be there when you need it?
Solar equipment is sold with warranties lasting many years, but a warranty is only as good as the firm behind it. Ask who services the system after installation, what the workmanship warranty covers and for how long, and what happens to your coverage if the company closes or is sold. Check which warranties come from equipment makers, and whether they stay valid when the installer is gone. Solar panel warranties explained shows the difference between product, performance and workmanship cover.
Regular care also keeps systems healthy. See solar panel maintenance, and ask whether the company offers monitoring and service visits and what they cost.
How do you compare two or three companies fairly?
Make a simple scorecard. List criteria such as licensing, years of local experience, quality of the quote, warranty terms, service arrangements, references and communication, and give each a weight that matches your priorities. Score every company the same way. Treat price as one criterion, using the method in how to compare solar panel quotes, so that the cheapest quote does not win by default.
Do not give in to pressure. A company that insists you sign today, quotes savings with no calculation behind them, or will not itemize its price has told you something. Programmes and incentives change, so verify any claim about them with the Government of Canada energy-efficiency pages, your province or your utility before you sign.
What does long-term operation show about reliability?
Energy systems are judged over years. The Drake Landing Solar Community in Okotoks, Alberta, was monitored and reported for years, and the performance results and publications pages show how its output was tracked. It also wound down from around 2020, a reminder that maintenance and a responsible owner matter as much as the original build. Ask any company how it will support your system in year ten, not only in year one.
Quick answers
How do I choose a solar company in Canada?
Verify licensing and insurance, check recent local installs and references, compare itemized written quotes and warranties, and score two or three companies on the same criteria.
Are solar company ranking websites reliable?
Treat them as a starting list. Some are paid placements or lead-generation sites, so verify every company independently.
What are red flags when hiring a solar company?
Pressure to sign immediately, vague or unitemized quotes, savings claims without calculations, no local references and unclear warranty terms.
What happens to my solar warranty if the installer closes?
Manufacturer warranties usually continue, but workmanship coverage may end. Ask the company in writing how coverage is protected.