Solar SME

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.

Great Experience at a fair price. I am very happy with the installation. Travis, my project manager, helped me in every step along the way. I highly recommend SolarSME.

Areej guided me through the process of installing the panels and answered all of my questions in a timely manner. The crew that did the installation were efficient and professional.

We had a positive experience working with Solar SME for our installation in our Baltimore city row home. The price was very competitive and the installation occurred without any defects (eg no leaky roofs). Our contact Johan was very attentive to our concerns about our roof and would usually respond to my emails within hours. Would recommend.

We had the pleasure of working with Adam S while reviewing the details of the quote for our solar project. Adam was super responsive answering the questions that we had about the proposed equipment, warranties and timeline for the project. He is very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and eager to help with any concerns.

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!

It took about 3 months for the Solar panels installation. The whole process was pretty smooth with guidance and updates being provided by Solar SME at every step. They took care of all the approvals. Andre L who worked with me from start to the end was always quick to respond to any questions and was very helpful. I would definitely recommend them.

Despite the challenge of starting the contracting process while my house was not yet built, we were able to get everything set up, installed and operating on a good schedule. A few bumps along the way (installer stepped through ceiling but SolarSME stepped up and paid for the repair, malfunctioning monitoring component replaced promptly) but overall, a satisfying process.

Just got done with my solar panel installation. Awaiting final inspection. The contractors worked hard, fast and safe to make this successful. I highly recommend this solar company. The delivery company broke a couple solar panels, I text Dan M who spearheaded everything and within the following week new panels were delivered. He answers promptly and checks to ensure I’m happy with this process. I’m so excited and cannot wait to be solar powered.

“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.

We had Solar SME design a project for our house. Initially, everything went well. Then we had to deal with PECO, our local utility company, who dragged out the timeline and made a few requests to change the design, one of which was a large change. This also reset the timeline for permits with PECO. Johan, our project manager, communicated everything with us and helped us through the process. He was not afraid to reach out to us via phone or text If he did not hear back from us. This was key at times given I do not have access to email at all times. We did end up with some changes to the original plan, but Johan worked with us to make sure we were taken care of, and all parties felt happy with the changes and final product.

From the beginning of the process to the end, it was very nice working with Ryan F. He always promptly answered the phone and if he did not have an answer was always quick to get one. He helped us with financing, and we chose the higher interest option to avoid the large financing fee associated with the lower rate. I didn't have to worry about anything because he handled all the permits and any available rebates for me. There was a snag when the panels I had been quoted were on back-order, but he negotiated a compromise for some available panels and went with the brand and option I selected to replace the original. The material were ordered and delivered in a timely manner. They didn't sit in my garage for long. Once he assigned Frank as the lead installer, Frank came in and handled it like a boss. He knows his stuff, and he was willing to work with me to get the configuration I really needed for my large home to put what was necessary on the critical load panel. Unfortunately, there was a delay between the final installation test and the turning on of the system because some additional breakers had to be obtained. That delay caused the system to not fully update and set up. It took several days of close monitoring on my part, and several calls to Enphase support. But every time I called Enphase I got a different tech, and they were all amazing in their knowledge and getting down to business. The system is up and running and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm a bit short on battery but should get through the winter with the setup I have. I will need to add an additional battery before the summer comes. No project of this size is without difficulties, but Solar SME and Enphase made sure everything got resolved to my satisfaction.

This review is for the initial experience of the quoting/proposal stage. We just signed the contract and are starting the process. So far so good. Solar SME’s initial proposal was sound and their response to my initial modification request was quick and accurate. Their combination of equipment, guarantee and price one the day. They weren’t the absolute cheapest but the combination of factors provided the best overall. Ray C (my consultant) was quick and concise. Not too much fluff or pressure update post install and operation: Solar SME was easy to work with, delivered what they said they would in a timely manner. Michael the project manager was to the point, got the job done and has been very responsive to a couple of service inquiries after install. The construction lead (Frank I believe) was outstanding in his communication and work ethic. Another update approx 1 year later: Everything is going well with the system. Anytime a component goes down (usually a micro inverter not reporting) my contact Basem Y responds to me email with in a hour or so and has the system running like it should. The service with this company has exceeded expectations and I hope they continue to grow and thrive.

Solar SME had done an excellent job or scheduling the shipment and installation of the solar panels. However, five of the solar edge panels were broken in shipping. Identical panels were not available on the market, so the project was not complete at the initial installation. Solar edge has now provided a different type of panel to replace the broken ones, and they have given instructions on how to make them work. While a number of different things have been tried, the current situation is not functioning adequately. Solar SME is waiting for new instructions from Solar Edge to get this new configuration to work.

I finally turned on my solar system last week and I am very happy! I would like to say thank you to the project manager Mario A; he seemed to truly care (5 out of 5 in customer service). He responded quickly to email/text messages and took care of the planning, permits, scheduling, and everything in between. I also want to give a shout out to the install crew; Dejay and the team did an excellent job. We had some early communication hiccups regarding panels and financing, but that was ironed out. The process also took a bit longer than I hoped because my roof needed repairs and some weather delays. Ultimately, Solar SME delivered a great solar system on my roof. Thank you.

Solar SME designed and installed my solar system in 2018. They provided incredible service and unbelievable value. Unfortunately after three years my SolarEdge inverter stopped working… this was the moment of truth where we would see whether the lofty warranties were worth the paper they were printed on… I have to applaud Basem Y for his exemplary service. Within 24 hours of the inverter failing Solar SME had filed a claim with SolarEdge and received an RMA! And within two weeks the replacement inverter had arrived at my house. Basem was in touch with Frank (technician) who had a team member at my house within a few hours of the inverter arriving. My mind is blown —I can imagine a company doing what’s right, efficiently and effectively, when I am about to pay them thousands of dollars— however, I am in awe when a company stands behind their product years later. Basem’s white glove support was the embodiment of my top-notch SolarSME experience. This company did a great job, and I really appreciate how professionally run Technical Support/Compliance is.

Our original bidding/research period was definitely good with Solar SME, but our install took a very long time to complete in large part due to a lack of local install professionals in the Austin area who work with SME. I don't know if that has changed in the last 3 years since our project. Regardless, it seems there was very little monitoring of our system from their end. It seemed that not long after our install, we lost a lot of production. I'm not clear when it started, but it looks like we may have lost 2 years of production, and thus ROI. When I finally reached out to Solar SME, it took weeks to get a technician out (I had a 3rd party who actually came out first and verified one of our inverters needed to be replaced). At any rate, a new project lead, Basem Yani, took over our account and got our issues solved and our production back up. It is a vast improvement and we are back on schedule for our ROI, just 2 years later.

Chose to work with Solar SME because we felt they were being more straightforward and honest with their quote (via EnergySage) than some other companies. Our energy consultant, James , is very experienced and was absolutely fantastic to work with! He was one of the main reasons we chose to work with SME. He was always straight to the point, was very good at clarifying complicated aspects of the process, and was very willing to adapt SME's quote as our desires changed. Last but not least, he was very clear at many times during the process that we could cancel the Solar SME offer if unexpected expenses (or anything, really) came up during the inspection. Unfortunately, our inspection revealed the need to entirely re-roof our house (putting the total budget beyond our means at the moment), and so we've decided to wait a year., but we'll definitely be getting back in touch with James next summer!

Great Product, Good Experience and Good Price Ray the sales guy did a great job in helping me understand every detail of their product and how it was better than his competitors. He also worked with me to get the price just right. He offered me two of the best financing options from all the competitors. He did a great job explaining to me every line of the contract I was signing. Wish their roof warranty was better (only two years) but only two other companies offer a better roof warranty (25 years). I ended choosing Solar SME because they offered a superior system at a very reasonable price (Panasonic panels with Enphase microinverters). After signing the contract, I was contacted by the installation project manager Rick who immediately took care of site inspections, permits with the city and HOA, plus Duke Energy agreements and rebates. Installation was quick, clean and done in one day. After Duke change the meter, Rick help me start the system and ensure the system and app were working appropriately. Overall a great experience!

Cutting to the chase, my design planning and installation were hands down the best experience I could ask for. Brian my project manager kept me up to date on what was going on, he took care of all the paperwork, and even was able to move my install date up 2-3 weeks. The installation guys, lead by Frank, were amazing, and very professional. I would most definitely recommend Solar SME. The price was good with the panels and battery that I wanted. There were some hiccups on the connection side which was easily fixed by the SolarSME electrician by calling my battery's company. Our local power company came over for final inspection and even he was impressed with Frank's work, and that was very reassuring to us.

Solar SME finished up my install last year around August-they did a great job. I have 51 solar panels and a LG Chem RESU 10 battery. Around April, the battery failed. I contacted Solar SME and they were extremely responsive and immediately started working on getting the battery back to LG for a new one. In addition, they have been keeping an eye on my solar output and found that one of my solar edge inverters were malfunctioning, so they replaced my battery and replaced the inverter at the same time. I worked with Baseem for my tech guy and Sam was my project manager-both of them are very responsive and extremely interested in resolving my problems. It took a while, but that is to be expected. I went with Solar SME because they have great prices (about half what these companies roaming around in Hampton Roads, VA are charging) and the reviews are excellent. They always respond immediately when I contact them and they keep me posted on the progress of whatever we were working on-in this case RMA'ing the battery an and changing that inverter. The thing I would recommend remembering is that they aren't a huge nationwide conglomerate. They are based out of Texas, and they have teams that travel around doing these installs, so it might take a bit for them to get to you if you need service. In my case, in Virginia, they generally have teams in Maryland and Virginia Beach area, and they had a team come out on the two different occasions necessary to change my battery and inverter-once to pull the battery down for shipment, and then again to install the new battery and inverter. So, in my experience, they work hard to get out to you if you have any issues, they do great work when they arrive, and they stand behind their work. I highly recommend them.

Choose another solar company and save your money, time, and reputation. In my situation, SolarSME failed to live up to its name, and they are failing to honor their contract. My Solar panels have been operational since late July 2022. Prior to going operational the installation was fraught with incompetence (see description and photos below) and lack of follow through. At the first anniversary of being operational the system is woefully underperforming by 23%. I reached out to SolarSME in August 2023 to “work together in good faith” according to the contract only to be led along for four months and then dismissed by SolarSME. My HOA does not allow solar panels to be installed on the front of houses, so SolarSME suggested they could install in the back using solar panel tilt legs for optimal performance. The design was created in December of 2021 and on 18 January of 2022 the project manager emailed, “Annual production with this layout: 18.05MHw per year.” I made my decision to proceed with the project based on 18.05MHw. I am currently getting 77% (13.1MWh) of the production agreed upon and according to the contract I should be getting at least 90% (16.245MWh). In hindsight, this lack of production is only mildly surprising because the installation crew had no idea how to install tilt legs. They improperly installed two arrays and then had to remove them, patch up the holes, and reattach them to the roof. This project was supposed to take 72hours and instead it lasted two weeks. The last day of the project was rushed, and it didn’t end until 9pm. They left pallets and a hole in the dry wall near my electrical panel. I brought this to the project manager’s attention multiple times, and he did nothing. He was only concerned with the final payment and 5-star reviews. I had to dispose of the garbage and pallets and then patch the hole myself. I have saved the reviews until now. In trying to resolve this issue the company says the production problem is due to shading. According to SolarSME, the shading is due to the solar panel arrays being too close indicating either a design flaw or installation failure. But there are no shading discussions in email, text, or on the phone in and around the 18 January 2022 date when I was emailed the annual production rate of 18.05MWh and I relied on that in making my decision to move forward. Annual production of 13.1MWh’s (77%) means SolarSME is not fulfilling their part of the contract.

They were very courteous and helpful throughout the installation process. They assisted us with any questions we had and found answers quickly if they didn’t have one.

Solar SME was fantastic throughout the entire process. They handled all of the permitting and paperwork. Supplies were very timely and the crew was efficient. My project manager Andre communicated with me very clearly during every step to ensure I knew what was needed and what was next. I've been very happy with my choice in solar installation.