Ready to switch to clean, renewable energy? 

Now it is time to decide which solar energy provider to choose. There are hundreds around the country, but not all of them are as reputable as others. What qualifications in a solar provider should you look for and how can you tell if the business genuinely wants to and can provide you with the best experience? We are here to help you make a decision and understand the reasons behind it.  

Not All Companies are the Same

As you consider different solar companies, it is important to realize not all solar companies are the same, with several different factors setting them apart. The services found at one business may not be available at others, especially when companies have specialized financing products and/or equipment they manufacture.  

Likewise, the prices you can expect to pay for solar panels, backup generators, and other solar system components will vary depending on which provider you select. Just as you would do with any other major purchase or investment, identify what products and services you want for your home as well as your budget! Then, you can find the solar power companies who fit those needs and will provide the best possible services. 

Some solar companies have thousands of employees while others are family run. Some offer every product and service available while others specialize. Some outsource many of their key functions, including installation, while others keep everything in-house. This last point is the focus of this article. 

At Blue Raven Solar, we believe being an all in-house, residential solar provider gives us an advantage in fulfilling our customers’ wishes and providing the best overall experience, products, and services. 

Here are some reasons why an all-in-house provider of solar power is so important, and why we focus on maintaining this practice at Blue Raven Solar. 

Centralized Services

Many solar companies, especially those starting out or those with extremely low prices, tend to outsource either their installation or support functions. While it may work for some, businesses who outsource these key roles may not be available to help with issues that might arise during the process of going solar. In the case your panels need on-site maintenance, your inverter cuts out at random, or your utility bill is not significantly lower than it was without solar, you will have to jump through several hoops to get to the right company. 

Making a single phone call to the same business from which you bought your system is much easier and is more likely to get you the answers you need in a reasonable amount of time. An all-in-house provider like Blue Raven Solar makes it so you can get all the services you need, from contract questions to panel performance. 

Quality Control

Many solar system providers that outsource their installation, design, or permitting services often cannot guarantee the level of quality and convenience you expect. When a third-party contractor comes to your home to install the system, they often work outside of the bounds established by the company who sold you the system’s components. 

Because the solar company may have little control over the solar contractor, they cannot promise the system will be designed or installed to its—or your—satisfaction. If anything goes wrong or something does not work right after installation, you may not be able to call the provider for help, and you may be left to jump through those hoops to get the products and services you were expecting. 

For example, if you need a panel cleaned or repaired, the company who sold you the panels may not help because it has already outsourced those services. It could be difficult to track down who can help, and then potentially must wait several days or weeks for repairs, maintenance, and installation.

Save Time

Another advantage coming with selecting a fully integrated provider lies in the fact you can save a lot of time and hassle having only one company perform all the key activities required to go solar. 

Let’s say you are ready to go solar and have signed an installation agreement. What happens next? At an integrated solar provider, all the key design, permitting, and installation activities are performed by people who work for the solar company. This allows for faster and better coordinated planning. It also leaves no room for miscommunication or errors. 

Compare this all to a solar installer who contracts out these services. There can be significant delays in the process due to other companies preparing the paperwork, having to perfectly align schedules with contractors, and relying on outsourcing. There is no guarantee communication is valued the way it needs to be in this kind of process, and there is no guarantee everyone at these companies is on top of their projects. Your project or request could easily be lost in the shuffle or slip through the cracks at one of these third-party offices. 

A Support Team at Your Service

At Blue Raven Solar, we know how frustrating it can be to deal with a company who outsources its support services. Who wants to talk to someone at a remote call center who may not understand the products and services you have installed at your home and might not even be able to access your specific project?  

You need someone who works in your area and knows exactly what customers like you may need or want with installation, repairs, maintenance, and more. Whether you are calling us about a question with your system or repairs that you need done, you can get all your concerns addressed quickly by a team who has the knowledge and competence to respond quickly. Our team is well-equipped with your project details, system performance, and overall situation, and we can help you on the spot.

Blue Raven Solar is Integrated

We understand there is tremendous value to you in selecting a solar provider who can offer all the services and products you want in a one-stop shop. You do not want to have to make phone calls, send emails, or otherwise contact different businesses for sales, installation, and repairs. Blue Raven Solar’s mission is to make homeowners’ lives better, and we stick to three important values to keep this mission alive. 

Our first value is to develop a high-trust culture with everyone we encounter. We have created a workflow that prioritizes our customers’ needs and wants with their solar panel systems, and we are proud to maintain it daily.  

From the time you start shopping for a system, to passing inspections and permitting, all the way through installation, maintenance, or repairs, with Blue Raven Solar you get everything in an integrated package designed to make your life easier.  

Our second value is to be efficient, which includes making our customers’ experiences as quick and simple as possible. We know efficiency is important in our work so you can save money all the time, not just when we think it is convenient for us to help you out. 

There are many great companies out there, and we do not claim to be the only one worth looking at. However, when you decide to go solar and are looking for a provider, we recommend you select an integrated company who will take care of all the key functions.  

Our third value is to continuously improve, and we use customer and employee feedback, situation analysis, and our experiences to make sure that we are never complacent with our performance. We promise to bring you our best efforts, products, and services, even if that means we have to work a little bit harder and go a little bit further. 

Experience the Difference with Us as Your Solar Installer

Everything we do at Blue Raven Solar is to give our customers the best experience while making the switch to solar energy, and we take pride in our ability to maintain all our process steps in-house, because we know in the end, it benefits homeowners all over the country. 

We were selected by Redfin as a top climate, solar, and outdoor expert! See the article we were featured in: The 10 Sunniest Cities in the U.S. That You Should Move To

Going solar is a big decision, so knowing who to trust with your energy is a good place to start. We are committed to being a trustworthy, efficient, and top-of-the-line solar company — complete with designers, custom proposals, permit experts, installers, inspectors, and contacts in your local utility companies to ensure your solar panel system is done in the best way possible. 

Start your solar journey with a company you can trust; request a free quote from one of our solar experts. You can join the future of energy today.  

Learn more about how Blue Raven Solar can save you thousands.