Getting bids for system in the OC

[J.P.M.]

They will send a team of 2 guys and charge you $125+ per hour per man, and that will be 2 X $125 @ $250 min. per hour. You will see them play around and charges you over $1000 just for labor. I have been dealing with a well known Socal Solar Company with A rating, and they still play this damn game.

Why do most installers using PVWatt with 0.77 factor? Not just they can sell you a larger system AND they can also decline your warranty since your estimated annual production were low and your production has to be -12% than that low number. For example, if your estimate annual production were 10,000kWh and your actual production has to be lower than 8800kWh to be considered having problem. In real life, your system probably can generate more than 11,000kWh per year. Great trick from this solar company.

A great trick that most vendors use, made worse in more than a few cases by vendors and their worker bees who use the default .77 and do not understand its implications.

[darkhelmet]

Quick Update.

I ended up going with the smaller local installer using the Suniva Panels and Enphase Inverters. Got them down to $17030 for a 5.4kw system and they cover labor for 25 years. Not sure I expect them to be around for 25 years but SunRun wouldn't amend their contract to cover labor so even if I get 5 or 10 years out of the local guy it's better than nothing.

Will keep updating as the install progresses.

Thanks for all the help so far.

[zhyue2003]

Quick Update.

I ended up going with the smaller local installer using the Suniva Panels and Enphase Inverters. Got them down to $17030 for a 5.4kw system and they cover labor for 25 years. Not sure I expect them to be around for 25 years but SunRun wouldn't amend their contract to cover labor so even if I get 5 or 10 years out of the local guy it's better than nothing.

Will keep updating as the install progresses.

Thanks for all the help so far.

congratulations! I wish I can score such a low price as you did. Most of the installers around here that I have contacted so far are offering around $4 per watt. Did most of the initial quotes you received also start at around $4 per watt? I have a couple of installers from neighboring counties who did offer $3.25-3.35 per watt, but for various reasons I would prefer local companies if possible. Wonder what is the likelihood that I can have local installers to price match.

[Ambion]

Hell darkhelmet,

I am interested in getting solar. Although nearby in LA county and have been trying to work with Sunrun as well however their quotes are higher at $3.45/watt. Could you please PM? (sorry had to post a reply to this thread since I am new and cannot PM privately myself) I would like to see how/if they can pricematch to the quote you got and who your sales rep was. Thank you.

[darkhelmet]

Hell darkhelmet,

I am interested in getting solar. Although nearby in LA county and have been trying to work with Sunrun as well however their quotes are higher at $3.45/watt. Could you please PM? (sorry had to post a reply to this thread since I am new and cannot PM privately myself) I would like to see how/if they can pricematch to the quote you got and who your sales rep was. Thank you.

Hi Ambion,

I think I need a couple more posts to PM too... I will send the info shortly.

[darkhelmet]

Hell darkhelmet,

I am interested in getting solar. Although nearby in LA county and have been trying to work with Sunrun as well however their quotes are higher at $3.45/watt. Could you please PM? (sorry had to post a reply to this thread since I am new and cannot PM privately myself) I would like to see how/if they can pricematch to the quote you got and who your sales rep was. Thank you.

Another thing to keep in mind with Sunrun, and possibly other big installers, is they will probably deal more at the end of a month or quarter to make sure they hit their numbers. Definitely get multiple quotes so they have competition but I would wait until the end of a month and see what else they will give you.

[Dumbcluck]

costco?

hey darkhelmet, im in long beach not far from you I think. you say you were going to buy from Costco. was that Costco services? all I see on their website is some junk called grape solar.

[thejq]

hey darkhelmet, im in long beach not far from you I think. you say you were going to buy from Costco. was that Costco services? all I see on their website is some junk called grape solar.

Just to be clear, even though Sunrun have sales person in Costco store, they are not related in any way. If you have problem with Sunrun, Costco won't help you. Also Sunrun sells Rec Solar panels exclusively so you can't really compare prices with others.

[inetdog]

all I see on their website is some junk called grape solar.

Grape Solar is not necessarily junk, although they are also not considered a first tier panel manufacturer.
Several years ago some Grape panel models required installation in a positive ground system (that is the silicon substrate in all panels had to be at least slightly negative with respect to the grounded frame and backing.)
If you tried to use them in the more common at the time negative ground system, or the now common "ungrounded" system for use with a GTI, they would deteriorate in performance over the course of a few weeks. Fortunately the decline was reversible by reconnecting as positive ground and letting them sit in the sun for awhile.

Anyway, the company has been in business for many years.

[Ambion]

Quick update..

About to sign with Sunrun, they sweetened the deal to $3.15 per kw but ran into some language in the contract I didn't like. The first thing is they don't paint the conduit, which I would like them to do.

The second thing was more of a problem. Throughout the process they've been saying they cover all repairs and labor for 10 years, which sounds good to me. The problem is their contract seems to contradict this.

Case in point. Here is the section about the warranty:

8.10.1 LIMITED WARRANTIES. We provide a limited warranty of ten (10) years (the “Warranty Period”) counted from the date the permit is signed by the building inspector. We warrant that the electrical generation output of the System will not be less than 85% of the output measured upon completion of our installation as a result of defects in material we supplied or work we performed to install the System (the “Limited Warranty”). We also warrant that seals we make on any roofing penetrations will not fail during the Warranty Period (the “Limited Roofing Warranty”). Further, we warrant correct workmanship in installing panel upgrades for a period of one year after installation. Collectively, the foregoing are the “Limited Warranties”.
During the Warranty Period, we will at our expense repair or replace any material or workmanship covered by the Limited Warranties. The modules and inverters installed as part of the System are covered by separate manufacturer warranties. We will provide you reasonable assistance in contacting manufacturers. If a manufacturer fails to pay us for services to correct the deficiency, we will bill you for that service at our standard rate for time and materials.

I bolded the relevant parts. Two problems with this. 1. I am buying the Panels, inverter and optimizers directly through Coscto as part of this deal. 2. Based on my reading of Solaredge's warranty, they do not cover labor to replace their failed equipment.

This next section of the warranty is another problem for me:

8.10.3 WARRANTY EXCEPTIONS AND EXCLUSIONS. The Limited Warranties do not apply to (1) work performed with materials not purchased by us;

Again, I am purchasing the Panels, inverter and optimizers directly through Costco. Since Sunrun didn't purchase the equipment it sounds like it is excluded from warranty.


Anyone have any experience with Sunrun warranty claims? I've sent an email saying they will need to modify the contract to specifically cover labor to repair the Panels, Inverter and Optimizers so we will see what they say.

Am I being to paranoid?

Hello Darkhelmet,

Thank you for the information in the PM. I was wondering if you could forward me the Sunrun contract offer please? I want to show that to my Sunrun sales rep to pricematch. Thanks a bunch!

I have been getting quotes from several companies, including Sunpower installer, Petersen Dean, a Solarworld installer (who I initially went with and after signing contract...but their engineers came back saying it would another $1500 to upgrade my electric panel, which is already a 200 amp panel ??!!???. None of the other installers suggested I needed a new panel for a 6.5-7.0 kw system). SunRun has come by once already and already gave a system proposal without a new panel upgrade. So I thought that was weird of Solarworld installer, and they are a major nationwide installer. Asked the sales rep and he said, nope it's required and what the engineer said...don't know what to say to that.

[rbintl]

Hell darkhelmet,

I am interested in getting solar. Although nearby in LA county and have been trying to work with Sunrun as well however their quotes are higher at $3.45/watt. Could you please PM? (sorry had to post a reply to this thread since I am new and cannot PM privately myself) I would like to see how/if they can pricematch to the quote you got and who your sales rep was. Thank you.

Hi, first time post. Have been lurking for a week and am also located in the OC and am considering Sunrun as well as others. Not sure if is the appropriate string to ask? When computing the $/watt are you using gross system cost or net cost after incentives?

[Ambion]

Hi, first time post. Have been lurking for a week and am also located in the OC and am considering Sunrun as well as others. Not sure if is the appropriate string to ask? When computing the $/watt are you using gross system cost or net cost after incentives?

I am pretty sure most people use the gross system cost because incentives will vary from state to state excluding the federal tax credit. It makes things a bit simpler to compare gross systems without complications from added, variable, incentives. Mods and more experienced members may correct me if I wrong.

[buellwinkle]

Another thing to keep in mind with Sunrun, and possibly other big installers, is they will probably deal more at the end of a month or quarter to make sure they hit their numbers. Definitely get multiple quotes so they have competition but I would wait until the end of a month and see what else they will give you.

Thanks for you inspiration. I've been getting bids in the $5.25/watt range and I told them, at that rate, it's not cost effective. Good to see you got some good bids in the O.C. (I'm in Laguna Niguel). I've filled out the form for Sunrun and see what they say. I'll also check with Costco. Based on what SDG&E tells me, I need a 7KW system, so at $3.25/W I think that will be affordable after tax credits.

How long is the permit process taking? And how long will the install take once started?

[darkhelmet]

hey darkhelmet, im in long beach not far from you I think. you say you were going to buy from Costco. was that Costco services? all I see on their website is some junk called grape solar.

They were in the Costco store when I first talked with them. A quick google search for 'sunrun costco' will take you to their page that lets you fill in your info. It's kind of a stange setup since SunRun is doing the work but you are actually buying the Panels and Inverters through Costco. I'm not willing to upload my contract. I would really suggest getting quotes from some other vendors to get the cost down.

[darkhelmet]

Thanks for you inspiration. I've been getting bids in the $5.25/watt range and I told them, at that rate, it's not cost effective. Good to see you got some good bids in the O.C. (I'm in Laguna Niguel). I've filled out the form for Sunrun and see what they say. I'll also check with Costco. Based on what SDG&E tells me, I need a 7KW system, so at $3.25/W I think that will be affordable after tax credits.

How long is the permit process taking? And how long will the install take once started?

Glad to help. Premitting will depend on the city. I think mine is over the counter so it's quick. If you have an HOA that could take a while too. Install shouldn't take more than a couple days since its just one slab of roof that all the panels go on. A more complicated roof could take more time.