2015 is quickly coming to an end and there are more solar panel installers than ever.
Homeowners in every major metropolitan area have an abundance of choices for their solar power needs. There are now a wide variety of solar installers to choose from in terms of size and specialization. So how does one find the right company to work with?
The answer revolves around one word – local.
Local solar installers offer quite a few advantages over the larger, national solar companies.
Here are three key advantages –
- Price –
Due to local, smaller solar installers having considerably lower overhead, they can offer truly low cost solar power. The difference in price can allow for savings of more than $10,000. Low cost solar installers can offer significantly lower pricing because they do not have to make up for huge marketing campaigns, massive office space, large number of employees, and satisfying investors’ expected return on investment. - Better Overall Customer Service –
Smaller solar contractors are also able to offer a higher level of customer service. In many cases, homeowners who deal with local installers are able to communicate directly with the owner of the company, if need be. In addition to the owner, smaller companies tend to have staff who are all passionate about what they do. This absolutely leads to a better customer service experience. When a homeowner knows he’s dealing with a company that truly cares about the service they are providing, it really shows. - Agility –
Local installers are also much more agile in their overall operations. This is beneficial in being able to more quickly adjust their prices as the cost of solar panels, inverters, and balance of system costs decrease. They can also more easily change the specific products offered to provide the best and most current technology. Basically, being a small, nimble company allows for changes to be made that can benefit homeowners much sooner than later.
At what point can a local company be considered more of a regional one? This is a good question as there is no exact distinction here. If a small-to-medium size company can expand to nearby cities and manage to keep costs down and level of service high, then it can still be considered a good option.
The overall goal here is to achieve low solar power pricing while still getting great products and service. Again, only smaller solar companies are able to provide this valuable combination. It will be very interesting to see how the solar company landscape shapes up over the next few years. One thing seems very clear – smaller solar companies will thrive for years to come.
