Work With Us
Orientation — What This Is
Cedar & Timber Chambers doesn't sell solar installations or recommend installers on commission. We evaluate solar providers against published standards and documented track records, then share what we found with clients who ask.
Our evaluation process follows a repeatable method. When a client considers a solar installation company, we research their credentials, financial history, and customer reports using the same criteria every time. This page describes that process—and the standards we apply.
- How we assess installer qualifications and certifications
- What financial metrics we examine before recommending a provider
- How we handle customer reports and failure modes
- Why we decline to recommend some companies despite their size
How to Use It
This guide walks through the steps we take when evaluating a new provider. Follow the same process yourself if you're comparing installers directly—the criteria remain standard regardless of whether you're working with us or conducting your own research.
- Verify installer certifications. Look for NABCEP credentials (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) on the technicians who will touch your roof. This is the trade's own standard, not a vendor invention.
- Check financial standing. A solar company promising 20-year service must still exist in year 5. Verify they're registered with your state, carry bonding, and have a current business license. BBB ratings show complaint history but don't substitute for direct verification.
- Request references, then contact them. Don't ask the company which customers loved them most. Instead, ask your local building department which installers they see problems from most often. That's a more reliable signal.
- Compare equipment specs, not manufacturer names. The panel brand matters far less than the inverter type, the wiring gauge, and the grounding method. Ask what equipment they use and why, not what sounds most expensive.
- Review the contract before signing. Look for exclusions on weather-related damage, the timeline for addressing defects, and whether they handle their own electrical work or subcontract it out. Subcontractors add cost and uncertainty.
The Detail
Every installer claims they're the best. The ones worth considering back that up with documentation. Ask to see their NABCEP certificates, their liability insurance declaration page, and their last three years of warranty claims data. A company that won't share this information is not worth your time—it's the cost of doing business professionally.
The contract is where you learn what actually happens when something goes wrong. Some installers handle all work in-house, which means they're responsible for everything. Others subcontract electrical work to local electricians, which saves them money and makes your problems their subcontractor's problems. That matters when something fails at year four and the electrical sub is no longer in business.
- Ask about their design process: do they use site-specific modeling or standard assumptions?
- Verify they handle their own inspections or work with the building department, not just sign off on contractor inspections.
- Confirm the warranty covers manufacturing defects, workmanship, and performance degradation separately.
- Check whether your contract locks you into using them for maintenance or leaves you free to use anyone.
That scrutiny sounds harsh until you're relying on a piece of equipment for a quarter of your power in year 8 and the company that installed it won't return emails.
Use this evaluation framework on any installer you're considering. When you've narrowed your options, share what you found with us and we'll help you interpret it. We work best when you've already done the research—it gives us something real to discuss rather than vendor claims.