Solar SME Reviews

Solar SME installed 19 solar panels on my home and I just got my Permission to Operate and turn the system on. I am very pleased with the team from Solar SME including Levon S (who kept me informed and handled the paperwork) and the installation team led by Rashed. The panels look great (sleek, straight and low profile).

For those getting into Solar for the first time, please be aware that it is a 'process': from permitting, to permit plans, to interconnection agreements, inspections, etc. As far as EnergySage goes - Joe F was most helpful in looking over the quotes and answered all the questions I had in an unbiased manner. HATS OFF to Joe at EnergySage. My Experience consisted of Contract signed in May, installed in September (4 months).I just received Permission to Operate from the Utility Company, and the installation is complete. After multiple quotes, Solar SME was the company I decided on going with based on reviews, and I would recommend them based on my experience. The installer was professional and took pride in his work. He was very thorough in ensuring the equipment was double checked from delivery before it even went on the roof. I purchased a 3.96kw system - (9) 440w Aptos panels with 3 Hoymiles microinverters which have room for expansion. My representative that I dealt with at SME was Henry C. He was very responsive. Every time I had a question or concern, he was able to get me an answer, and if he didn't have the answer, most often within hours of the question he had my answer for me. Henry was able to accommodate my requests in regards to material delivery and install dates. The fact that the quote included Solar-Insure helped me in my decision to go with SME based on the other quotes I received. (I recommend you inquire about that if you're getting quotes from other companies). Overall, the experience was pleasant. I'd recommend SolarSME, they handled everything professionally, and efficiently. They were personable, and didn't leave me hanging when I had questions, or was waiting for something to be addressed.

It went very smoothly, as they told me in advance that the time to get all the permits and all that would take a couple of months and it did. But once they got gone and the supplies arrived, it went very fast. I was very, very pleased. The two installers that I had were amazing. I think I had my solar panels put up at the end of September, and of course, in the northern hemisphere the most sun comes probably in June or July. So most of my experience so far has been in the winter months, the shortest days of the year. So I'm keeping track and that app was amazing because it tells me the information day by day, how much I'm collecting and I can see if that days get longer I'm collecting more and more sun. So I'm curious, I actually to get through whole year cycle to see if I can break even, right now I'm not. But that's because again, I think it's probably the time of the year, probably one snowstorm. And I'm thinking about maybe adding a few more panels.

It went very quickly. Two men came, and they installed the panels and in one day it was finished. They were great. I had no complaints. The only problem I had was with my energy provider hooking up the meter, and they kind of dragged their feet on that, but that had nothing to do with SME. A lot of people have asked me about my panels, mainly whether they were cost-effective. And that's yet to be seen because I haven't been through the summer months yet. they just did everything for me basically. They took care of all the inspections and everything. It just seemed like it was an easy process. And everybody was really nice.

My Solar system had a problem that caused it to shut down and not even get electricity from the grid. Fortunately Solar SME and Solax both arrived the next day to fix my system and get it running in peak condition. I have Solax batteries, inverter & Saraphin solar panels.

Recently we experienced a roof leak during a heavy rain. Once we found the leak we determined it was from the solar instalation last fall. When we called we were connected with Faris Atal to arrange repairs. After sending pics of the leak he arranged to have a team there the next morning. He noted he wanted to have it repaired before heavy rain projected for the next night. The next day the 3 man team arrived on time and made a thorough repair quickly. The next night there was a very heavy rain and no leakage. I'm very happy with our solar system from Solar SME and the quick response to our problem.

I chose Solar SME because it had good reviews and based on the referral from my friend. They installed a 20 panel Aptos system to accommodate the most of my current consumption. The installation took 2 days with no problems so far. Rick H, the Project Manager is very responsive to address my concerns/requests every step of the way. I would recommend Solar SME to anyone interested in the installation of a solar system. They would handle the paperwork from pulling the permits from the Utility Company, City, County Office and the HOA. It was a pleasant experience to go solar with the quality service provider.

I chose Solar SME because it had good reviews with very few poor reviews. They installed a large (54 panel) system with battery backup. Some installation problems occurred along the way, but Solar SME constantly worked hard to overcome all problems. When a component was suspected to be defective, an Uber driver delivered a replacement part within six hours after the discovery. most often when I sent an email to the project leader, David, he would call me within minutes of my sending the email to discuss my concerns. After the detailed project plan was created, I checked the ratings of each component in the system. I was pleased to learn that the Panasonic solar panels were very highly rated and the Enphase system was very highly rated. I would recommend Solar SME to anyone interested in the installation of a solar system.

I went with Solar SME as they offered a strong warranty, provided the panels I was looking for, and had good pricing. I also appreciated the detailed quote and breakdown of expected performance that was supplied. My Project Manager for the installation was Rick H. While there was some initial communication issues, everything including permits from the City and Utility Company were delivered without any issues. Terry was my installer and he and his team did a great job with the installation and cleanup. I appreciated them taking their time to explain the different aspects of the system and electrical. They also rode out of their way to pick up the rail system which was delayed by FedEx in shipping. The only issue we have is one with a configuration with the electric measurement used by our home which should be fixed shortly by a follow up visit. Easily resolved and no major issues.

I found SolarSME through EnergySage and I am super happy with the end result! Sales: I felt that the package, warranty, equipment, and price were all the best fit. I worked with Ray C and couldn't say anything negative about the experience. He spent over an hour on our initial consultation appointment, thoroughly answering all my questions, never rushing me off the phone or to the next topic. He was the most honest of the sales people I talked to with one notable exception (see cons below). Very attentive and quick to respond to emails, but he balanced this well with not seeming super pushy either. He gave me time and respect to consider other options while not blowing up my phone with texts and calls and emails. Project: Rick, the project manager, has been wonderful and responsive all the way through the process. He took care of the plans, home inspection, permitting, and install. Their affiliates (inspector/installers, etc) have been super efficient and friendly. From the date that my contract was signed to the date my panels were installed was roughly 15 weeks. Just awaiting final building inspection. Can't wait to get the permission to operate and get the system switched on. Cons: -They subcontracted the work out despite saying it is their installers and that they have local warehouses. Maybe they do their own installs locally to Texas but I'm in PA. I do not feel this affected the job quality or scheduling but I would have respected the honesty approach more. -They asked me to store the panels in my garage before installation. Minor inconvenience, but I'm sure this also saved me on the project cost. -Both Sales and the project team were kind of desperate for reviews, but again, maybe saved in overall cost if they can do higher volume of business.

I worked with Noman M. from Sales, Robert H. for the Project Management, and Frank for the installation of the system. I enjoyed working with all 3 and if I ever want to expand my system, I would be happy to work with any or all of them.

Solar SME very good company, very reasonable in price, and quick to address any concerns that I experienced. It went smoothly. They were very responsive and they provided adequate resources to ensure my customer satisfaction was thoroughly complete.

They are a very good company, very reasonable in price, and quick to address any concerns that I experienced. It went smoothly. They were very responsive and they provided adequate resources to ensure my customer satisfaction was thoroughly complete.

The installation process went well. When you get the solar, you don't know all the right questions to ask. And by the time you have the solar panel installed, and you start having issues one after another, that's when the problem comes in. Sometimes they were very quick with their answers and sometimes they were not. They should give their clients more Information as far as when the panel is installed and you have permission to operate, they should tell their clients that they need to get in touch with the power company. And have you enroll in their buyback program, because if you don't have a battery pack to store the excess energy that your panel makes, it goes to the grid, and you don't get credit for it if you don't call them, which I think Solar SME should have done that. The clients don't know what are the process they're supposed to do. And that's where I have a problem with them. Because when my panel was installed for 3 months, I was still paying the same high bill when I shouldn't have. And it was in the middle of the summer and they never called me back to ask me if I was happy, if it was okay. I had to figure it out on my own why I wasn't getting credit. And then they tell me that. How I am supposed to call the company, if you didn't tell me? I've never done this before. You want the clients to be happy with your service, so now I am I am leery to even recommend anyone to use them, because I don't know if they will be there 10, 15 years on the road.

One panel began going bad in December. Faris oversaw the process for getting a RMD approved by Panasonic and then getting a local electrician to install. While it took many months for Panasonic to authorize replacement, Faris stayed in touch to get the job done.

Was a little worried upfront. Was hoping to have it done prior to end of year but I understand things are a little crazy right now but David A did a great job following up and keeping me informed of the process. Can’t really complain about anything as the panels are up. Areas were kept clean. Crew was thorough and process went pretty quick once started. Price wasn’t too bad either considering the size of my system.

I cannot say enough good things about Solar SME. The process from start to finish as been excellent. After our installation was completed, Basem reached out to me to address some issues I was experiencing with my system. Now the system is generating full power as planned. Truly amazing customer service and a pleasure to work with. I will be reaching out to them for all solar needs as well as recommend to other. Special thanks to Basem Y!!!

I recently worked with Raza K of Solar, SME. After almost 2.5 years of enjoying my solar array - also through Solar, SME - the inverter stopped functioning. Raza K professionally walked me through the warranty process with the manufacturer, coordinated all the appointments and support, and personally made sure my solar power system was up and running before declaring the job complete - around the Thanksgiving holiday, no less. So grateful!

Faris helped me troubleshoot my solar panels. They all of a sudden stopped showing that they were generating energy via the app. I called for support and Faris when above and beyond connecting with me to the vendor and following up the next day to ensure my issue was resolved. I wish Solar SME could train all their employees like Faris.

From start to finish my solar installation was very smooth. Rick my Project manager was very helpful and informative from start to finish. William my installer was very kind and fast on install. I am overall very happy with my entire experience with Solar SME and would recommend them for anyone looking into solar!

It was a pleasure working with Ray C who was extremely knowledgeable & professional. Solar SME was not the first company that I talked with but their amazing customer service and honest pricing made choosing them easy. Thanks Solar SME

Great experience from start to finish. Solar SME designed the system as I requested. Giving me the system that I need today and room to update and increase capacity as needed for my future ELECTRIC CARS. All my electrical demand is supplied cleanly by the sun. :)

I have an overall great experience. The financing rate in the industry was definitely hard to beat! I had a small issue and it was resolved very quickly! The panels are very sleek, all black, and came with some housing to give it a great design! It took a day, but I didn't need many panels!

Great effort. Typical sales model as to be expected but most willing to get the job done. Xavier has a great business sense and follow thru approach firstly respecting my time. Great job.. However, for me the investment makes no sense at this time. Thanks.

Mr. Omar A. is a sale advisor, not a salesperson. He gives you honest information so that you can make an informed financial decision. Mr. Omar is a very knowledgeable and professional individual; I recommend you work with him on your project, without reservations.

Solar SME was was inform and answered all of my questions. With solar being new to me, they made my husband and I feel comfortable and informed the entire process. I also like that they use top grade products that are durable and will last a long time.

Solar SME delivered what they said they would. Had to overcome some local coding obstacles when coming to a new area for the first time, but they persevered and built us a wonderful ground mounted solar array that is working better than advertised. I highly recommend Solar SME.

Three managers changed over 8 months. Not met the code on outbuilding. Attempted to convince me to pay on survey after signed the agreement. Setbacks on short supplies. Delivered to wrong address that caused delay. Then installers not followed my location instructions. When I asked the company for revised the contract after canceled the part of trenching but they won’t and force me to get the cash after completed the system. However they don’t have money to give me the refund. Have to do the legal action- started w bbb now. Just very disappointed with company’s lack of integrity and malpractice. The team are not on same page between departments.

I had a really good installer. He's very fast, efficient, and he worked with me. He would listen to my suggestions and he would suggest things. And it worked out really well.

It was not the smoothest process. The company took quite a bit of time to get it scheduled, then it got scheduled. And during the install, there were issues and the install crew wasn't from the area so they finished, but couldn't turn anything on, and then had to come back while I was out of town to fix the problem.

Xavier and Andrew were a pleasure to work with because of their fantastic professionalism and support. Overall, Solar SME did an outstanding job on our large and complex residential installation.

I'm beyond disgusted at this point! After 8 months- 5 beyond contract - my solar panels that were just installed last month got turned off by the local utility, SVEC, because conduit was run into their utility box - and it shouldn't have. And all the fancy connectors I'd paid for weren't used either. this on top of a torturous process just to get to this point -what a waste of time and money! Now I've got a lock box on both SVEC and Enphase meters and I'm not sure if/when it'll ever be fixed, considering the company's Headquartered in Texas and I'm in NW Virginia And the stupid thing is, THE SYSTEM WORKS! This has all happened b/c Solar SME didn't loop SVEC in sufficiently, so they were on board and ready to go when it was all installed; and that isn't my job. Just SMH at this point. Everyone sucks here,....

Mike B. was an amazing representative. He was thorough and complete is his understanding nformation. He did not object to revising quotes as our need changed. He is a five star!

I have had Solar from solar SME for a few years. Recently a couple inverters went down. I contacted Solar SME and they had the new inverters sent and installed within a few days. Great to see them respond even though it had been so long since the original installation. They really do a great job of customer service. I would like to thank Roman O and his team for jumping on the repairs and getting everything back up and running smoothly.

This had been quite a long process, however, my new solar system is very powerful in terms of power output. Panels look great on my roof. I had been approached by several solar companies and I chose SolarSME because the Google solar reviews of other customers. Their reviews seemed to be a step above every other solar company. During the installation, SolarSME contracted Hannah Solar out of Atlanta. These guys did a terrific job installing all the panels, the inverter and showed me how to use the SolarEdge app to monitor my new power source. I also got to interact with Joseph and the owner of Hannah Solar. Terrific guys! There were some challenges along the way, such as delays, a Solar edge inverter problem but, as with anything, there’s always a challenge or two. I rate a company based on how they respond to problems. That’s why I gave SolarSME 5 stars. I can be extremely demanding of people and with all the pressure I put on them, they performed at a very high level. They were calm, incredibly responsive and took care of any issues in a rapid manner. Farris in compliance was highly competent and slayed a problem we had with an inverter and he hustled to get it resolved without taking his foot off the gas pedal. Mario also did great follow up work and remained calm and responsive and, in the end, got it done. I’m completely confident I’m in good hands and, at this exact moment, my solar panels are creating 10kw. Well done SolarSME Team!

Excellent Customer Service and Support I called SolarSME for help when one of my Enphase IQ7A microinverters stop reporting power generation. Akil D contacted me right away to review the situation and scheduled a team to visit my site. The team was dispatched within a week even though the closest support office is over 2 hours away. Akil called frequently to update me on the status of the site visit and the details of the resolution. The two young men who came to assess the problem were able to replace the failed microinverter in one trip and the panel was back online the next morning. They were all very professional and polite. The entire visit was covered by the warranty so I did not incur any costs. I am very pleased with Akil D and the SolarSME team!

We recently finished our solar project with Solar SME and are very amazed and satisfied with the company and project in totality. We had gotten a solar quote from a door to door salesman of a different company, but decided to do some research and get other quotes to compare. Josh was our salesman, and he took the time to answer my questions, laying out technical specs and helping compare the system they designed to the competition. I never felt pressured into a sale, and Josh was very helpful in explaining some of the discounts and offers they had. Next, we worked with Henry our project manager. He worked quickly and was amazing with communication at every step along the way. He also helped to quickly replace a panel that was damaged in transit. Thanks to Henry and his management, the project was finished ahead of schedule. Our installers were very punctual, and respectful. Overall, we are very happy with the end result and thankful for the team at Solar SME for completing our solar project! We have been recommending them to our neighbors who have been curious about our new panels! Thank you Solar SME!!!!

I selected solar SME for my solar panel project. Everything progressed quickly and smoothly until final inspection by the county. It turns out that the previous home owner made some shady and out of code modifications to the electrical system that needed to be resolved before panels could get permitted to operate, PTO. At the time of the initial inspection, I specifically asked if the existing system was adequate for the pending installation and I was assured it OK. To be fair there was no problem with the Solar SME work but I felt misled and was facing additional costs to correct the previous owners work before the panels could be used. I was frustrated and quite mad. The problems were very obvious according to the county inspector and I should have been informed at the beginning of the project not at the end. In spite of my attitude, my project manager Cyril put up with my anger and kept pressing to get everything completed and operational to my satisfaction. Everything now is turned on and working well. Each day I check my power generation (hoping for sunny days) and my electric usage on nearly every day is less than the power I am sending back to the utility (negative electric bill). So, in total I’m satisfied with Solar SME but they get 5 stars only because of Cyril (ask for Cyril as your rep).

We chose SME to install our solar panel system after reviewing options available from EnergySage. The project began in June of 2022. My project manager was Areej Y. There were a number of steps that were required for completion. The panels were installed on the garage roof and the generated electric power was routed through a sub panel. After the initial proposal was made I elected to add additional panels for potential additional future needs. Getting permit approval had delays with some minor changes. Initially I was told that projects take 12-16 weeks to complete however with the permit delays now 20 weeks out from the start I had to put a hold on the project due to a 3 month overseas need. Once the permits were obtained however delivery of supplies and instillation went very well and was completed in April 2023. The final Permission to operate and a change in the power company electric meter took another 5 weeks. In June of 2023 the project was finally completed and operational. The biggest frustration was the difference in time estimates for completion of the project. I was very pleased with the services I received from SME. They were always available by email or phone. I was kept up to date with the status of the project. The few changes that occurred were appropriately handled. I don't know how the time delays could have been managed differently. Perhaps there were nuances that a local company may have handled differently but there is no way to know that.

“solar on metal roof” 1 2 3 4 5 Solar SME was the third solar company that my husband and I engaged since deciding to go solar. We have an unusual metal roof that the other companies were not able to accommodate. Andre at SME was great in making it happen. Andre communicated with us frequently every step of the way. Letting us know what was next for the project, getting us the financing needed, and the right installer who found out how to install the mountings while preserving our roof warrantee. He was very diligent in letting us know what was needed for each step. Andre was very active in making sure that the installer had everything that was needed for the mountings. Thank You Andre! We love our solar! Less

Zen H of Solar SME was very easy to work with as I dug into the state residential building code with him during the planning stages to maximize production and minimizing building code offsets. No matter how many changes I made and questions that I had about the types of inverters/panels available and the layout, Zen worked with me and answered all my questions to ensure that I was satisfied. Once the plan was submitted for approvals and permits, they were approved without a hitch on the first go around at every step. As with all major projects there were a few glitches, but Solar SME always responded immediately and made it right and quickly, too. In one instance, after the materials had been received and the installers showed up, it was found that the wrong tilt supports for the north roof had been shipped with the materials. Zen immediately responded by shipping the correct parts overnight to keep the project going. Solar SME's subcontractor for the project was also top notch and also very responsive. After installation completion and once the PTO from the power company was issued, I discovered that a couple of items were missing for monitoring production which was needed for the subcontractor to commission the system. The response time to get the parts over to me and for the rep to show up onsite to get the system online was same day!! If there's one thing I'd have to say about Solar SME, it's that they were always available at every step of the project and this was instrumental for timely completion. -- Regarding the question below with the unrealistic multiple choice options: "How long did it take from the time you signed the contract to the time your system was fully installed?" It took more than four months from contract signing to operational. This was due multiple revisions on my part and the permitting process.

I used EnergySage.com to collect 5 quotes for my residential solar panel project in PA. The transparency EnergySage provides is unsurpassed. The standardized process meant the 5 quotes were really easy to compare and I was shielded from numerous duplicative sales calls. I highly recommend using EnergySage.com for your residential solar project too! Solar SME was one of the five providers to bid for my project. They weren't the cheapest, but I selected Solar SME for a follow up call because I was drawn to the quality of equipment included in their quote. In particular, they use industry leading EverVolt panels by Panasonic with an efficiency rating of 21.2% and end of warranty guaranteed production of 92% in 25 years. Those numbers were meaningfully superior to the other 4 quotes EnergySage had obtained on my behalf. My follow up call with Ray C gave me the confidence to proceed. Ray's presentation was very clear and very compelling. He is a true subject matter expert. He had all of the facts at his finger tips, and answered all of my questions to my satisfaction. He also added a rebate to help make the quote from Solar SME even more compelling. I'll update this review as my project progresses, but so far, so good! I'm very excited to being going solar! *** Update ***: my project went live today and I love the app which shows how much power I generated. Much thanks to Emir K from Solar SME who guided me through the entire process with patience and skill. He was consistently responsive and helpful. 5 stars!

I decided to get solar panels when I ran the numbers and determined that the rate of return for the investment was better than I could get in any money market account or even long term in the stock market. The return is money that you are no longer paying to the utility for electricity. I was fortunate in that I had plenty of south facing roof space and no tree cover shading the roof. I used Energy Sage to obtain quotes. I had sales people from many companies come to my house and tell me all sorts of things, some of which were true. Solar SME did not have a sales person come to my house to try and sell me and that was nice. I obtained quotes from 5 different companies and Solar SME was the lowest cost per kWh. I would have gone with another company despite the low price with Solar SME if another solar company had a higher consumer rating, but no other company had such a good rating as SME. Sure, there were some complaints with Solar SME on some rating sites, but they were about delays outside of Solar SMEs control. Now for my experience. It was great. I signed my contract on December 23, 2022, and the installation was completed on February 28, 2023. The city completed its inspection on March 3, 2023. I received my Permit to Operate from CenterPoint Energy on March 7, 2023. I turned on my system on March 7, 2023. Signing the contract to solar panel operation was 74 days. The roof inspector that came to inspect my house at the request of Solar SME was Garrett with Illustrious Home Inspections. I was very impressed with Garrett. The site manager for the installation was Frank. Frank and his team did a great job. I was happy with the installation. Even though my roof looked good, I put a new roof on my house before the installation since I had about 5 to 10 more years left on the life of the roof. The solar panels will last more than 25 years, and I didn’t want to have to pay for removing the panels to place a new roof in 5 to 10 years. Zayd was my project manager. He had to arrange everything and obtain approvals. He handled homeowners’ association approval, city permitting and inspection, application for the Permit to Operate, ordering the equipment, and scheduling the installation crew. Zayd kept me informed every step of the way. He did a great job. I bought a 5.7 kWh system without a battery storage system. I do have an interconnect on my electricity panel so that I can hook up my generator. I had recently upgraded my electricity panel so that cost was not included in my cost. Had I known that I was going to install solar panels in the future, I could have waited and that cost would have been part of the solar panel installation cost. I was able to pay cash and not finance. The most kWh that I use at any time is about 3.1 kWh. Unfortunately, we do not have “net metering” in Texas like some other states. For example, in California, when your system produces more energy than you use, the meter runs backwards so that you effectively get paid the same amount for the extra you produce as you pay for the electricity that you consume. That is not the case in Texas. For the electricity that I consume, I pay taxes and transmission fees. For the electricity that I sell back to my electricity supplier, I only receive credit for the base electricity cost and not the taxes and transmission fees. Fortunately, on the plan I changed to, they will pay me for all the excess that I return to the grid. Now in the summer, I can keep my house as cool as I want. I am also looking forward to the generous tax credit that I am going to be able to take on my 2023 taxes.

Solar SME was the best bang for our buck. That's why we chose them. However, I am recommending them, because of the service end of the bargain. Andre L was my contact and was always ready to talk and explain the steps in the process and work through rectifying the minor bumps in the road that always occur with a job of this scale. The final product looks beautiful. Likely unrelated to Solar SME, but I wanted to share in case this is helpful for future buyers: The financing options are poor. Increasing the loan amount to get a better rate is not a wise decision. Pay off in one fell swoop if you can. Or find financing via a HELOC or refinance.

I had the pleasure of working with Zen who was my sales associate. This was my first time looking at a solar system for my home. He was very patient and took the time to explain the pros and cons of various systems they offered. I was able to get a great cash deal on a Qcell system that is now up and running…I am just amazed to see that I am not even dependent on the grid from the hours of 8:30am to almost 6pm….I did have to change electric providers that offers net metering to earn some valuable credits that will help get my bill super low..Anything gotta be lower than the $280-$330 I was paying..…I do have to mention that Solar SME was the only company honest about the tax credit and not lie and say it was a cash rebate…Many other companies I got quotes from said it was a rebate and I would get cash back from the government…So untrue…..It’s a credit towards your tax liability folks…Again Zen explained it properly and was very honest….I am so happy with the system and the work these guys did….definitely A+++++ in my books.

Solar SME just finished the installation of our solar panels and it was a great experience. Everything was explained up front, with updates as the project progressed. Areej Y was our project manager and she did an excellent job of keeping everything on track. We were under a hard deadline to have the job completed in 2022 and this was a huge challenge due to shipping delays, trucks breaking down and inclement weather but through it all Areej, and the entire team did a great job. The installation was completed yesterday and they even had a tech out today (New Year’s Eve) Running system checks. If you are thinking about going solar, I would definitely check Solar SME.