How Solar Connect vets installers
Every installer in the Solar Connect network meets a documented baseline of credentials, insurance, and operating history. Beyond that baseline, we sort installers into three published tiers based on the strength of the company as a whole. The criteria are listed in full below, and we recertify every installer annually.
Vetted Installer
The baseline. Every installer in the network meets this standard.
Requirements
- Active state contractor's license (California: C-46 solar contractor classification)
- $1M+ general liability insurance, currently active and verified
- Active workers' compensation coverage for all employees on installations
- 3+ years of continuous operating history under the same business entity
- Provides written workmanship warranty (typically 5-10 years)
- Verified business address and active phone number, both confirmed during onboarding
- Background check passed on principal owner / operating manager
Trusted Installer
Above-baseline operational depth and a real track record.
All Vetted requirements, plus
- Operating tenure: 3+ years in business OR 100+ completed residential installations
- Certifications: Specialty manufacturer certifications (SunPower Master, Tesla Certified, Enphase Certified, SolarEdge Pro, or equivalent)
- Warranty: 10+ year workmanship warranty in writing
- Geographic depth: Active service area covering 2 or more counties
- Customer reviews: Minimum 25 verifiable reviews with a 4.0+ average rating on at least one independent platform
- Bonding: $500,000+ contractor bond
Premier Installer
The top tier. Reserved for installers with sustained scale, depth, and a premium service track record.
All Trusted requirements, plus
- Operating tenure: 5+ years in business OR 500+ completed residential installations
- Certifications: Multi-manufacturer specialty certifications (multiple specialty programs held in good standing)
- Warranty: 15-25 year workmanship warranty in writing
- Geographic depth: Active service area covering 5 or more counties, or statewide coverage
- Customer reviews: 100+ verifiable reviews with a 4.5+ average rating, validated across multiple independent platforms
- Bonding and insurance: $1M+ contractor bond and $2M+ general liability insurance
- Operating capacity: Multiple operating crews, more than 5 employees on payroll
- Project complexity: Documented track record completing complex installations (multi-array roof, oversized residential systems, battery + EV charger bundled projects, retrofits onto existing solar systems)