How do I check the quality of a solar installer’s past roof installations?

Start with the job files. A well-run installer keeps photos taken during the work, the signed design, the inspection sign-off and the commissioning record for each system. Ask to see files across different roof types and different crews, not only the showpieces the owner would choose. Gaps in photos or sign-offs on several files say something about how crews work day to day.

Next, choose the customers yourself from the full job list and ask the seller to arrange calls or a site visit. Ask each one whether the roof has leaked near the mounts, whether the system has produced what they were told to expect, and how quickly the installer answered a service call. If a roofer or electrician was brought in as a subcontractor, ask who stood behind that part of the work.

Finally, read the callback log. Repeat visits for the same fault suggest a method problem rather than bad luck. Ask who paid for those visits, since repairs the seller quietly absorbed will not show in the numbers you are reviewing. If you can, bring a roofer or an electrician you trust to one or two sites. They will notice flashing, sealant and conduit work that a layperson walks past, and their view is cheap next to a hidden fault.

Key takeaways

• Choose the customers to contact yourself from the complete job list.
• Compare job photos and sign-offs across crews, not just the best jobs.
• Count repeat callbacks for the same fault and ask who paid for them.