ComplaintsforSIG Solar

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contracted with SIG Solar to have my roof redone, old pool solar panels removed, new home solar panels installed, and a new pool solar system installed on the garage. The issue is that the new Pool Solar System. SIG Solar hired a company (for $7,000.00) that installed a new system that has not worked since it was installed in April 2023, and we have since found was installed improperly in every respect.We originally tried to get the system corrected by the original installer throughout the summer of 2023. He was not able to figure out the problem or correct the issues. I finally reached out to SIG Solar to have them correct the issue. I asked that they provide a new contractor to review and/or fix the system. They refused. I had multiple vendors come out and they each immediately saw that the system was installed improperly (no outflow pressure due to poor system design and no way to drain pipes for the winter to prevent freezing and breaking).Mid State Solar provided an estimate to replace the system ($5,700) and I offered SIG Solar to have them direct bill their invoice. I also had their roofing company look at the project, and they stated that the roof would need repairs to maintain the warranty on the new roof. I again let SIG Solar know and to have it direct billed. I have called 8 times and have sent multiple emails to the office. I have asked for the emails to be sent to the owner ***********************. I have had no response from anyone. I did have a text message exchange from the son of the owner (*****). He no longer responds after stating that the original installer is willing to fix the system and they will not do anything else. I said this was not acceptable since their subcontractor installed it wrong and could not find an issue for 4 months.All I want is my system replaced with a correctly installed one, the roof repaired prior to the new install and to have SIG Solar pay for it.

  Business response

  10/11/2023

  In response to the complaint, after the customer's thermal ********************** install in April and passed inspection in May, the customer was out of the country for most of the summer and did not contact SIG Solar to report the problem until August.  SIG Solars subcontractor who installed the thermal solar for the pool went out to evaluate the problem and it was discovered the solar thermal panels needed to be placed in the opposite direction they were installed in to fix the water pressure issue.  In the thirteen years that SIG has used our thermal solar subcontractor this is the first time we have ever had a customer complaint regarding our subcontractors work. While unfortunate but unavoidable, from time-to-time in construction mistakes are made due to specifications and intricacies that are not capable of being caught until a project is complete.  When mistakes or imperfections do happen, we have always stood behind our workmanship and fixed the problem ensuring no additional costs are passed to the customer.
  *********************** thermal solar subcontractor is more than willing to remove the current thermal solar system and fix the problem (including the roof repair) by installing a new system with the thermal panels going in the opposite direction to improve the water pressure issue, with no additional cost to the customer.  SIG has reached out to the customer on several different occasions to schedule our subcontractor to come back out and fix the issue; however, the customer refuses to allow the subcontractor on the property to complete the repairs.  The customer is asking SIG to pay twice by hiring another subcontractor to complete the work for the customer's thermal ********************** system.  If we do consider hiring and paying a second subcontractor to do the work and they make a mistake our concerns are the customer will not allow that subcontractor to make it right and demand we pay once again another subcontractor. 
  The customer states in writing, All I want is my system replaced with a correctly installed one, the roof repaired prior to the new install and to have SIG Solar pay for it.  All of which we were willing to do and have tried to do; however, the customer has not allowed our subcontractor whom weve already paid to do the work access to the property.  The customer had made demands and threats via texts and emails late in the evening past 10pm which is outside the business hours of operations, and this understandably speaks to our lack of response to those messages.  SIG Solar along with the subcontractor would like nothing more than to fix the solar thermal problem, and despite our multiple attempts at fixing the issue the customer has repeatedly refused.  Even though the customer is unwilling to allow our subcontractor to replace the previous thermal solar system, SIG Solar and our subcontractor have agreed to pay the customer the amount requested, $5570 so the customer can have the work done by an outside party.  We sincerely hope this satisfies the customers needs. 
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contracted SIG Solar to install solar at my home. They knew from the beginning that my home is a manufactured home yet they scheduled the incorrect inspection to get it permitted. I have since contacted them several times trying to get a hold of ******************* and ************************* to resolve my issue and I am getting no resolution. This has cost me a job opportunity by not allowing me to sell my home with an unpermitted solar installation. I expect this issue to be resolved and a partial refund of the installation costs due to the hardship this has caused.

  Business response

  06/07/2023

  The customer's statement regarding SIG knew from the beginning that the project was on a manufactured home is not accurate.  Both our company and our sales representative are experienced with outfitting manufactured homes with solar, we can show many jobs over the years where we ordered correct inspections, structural engineering, etc and completed the job without a hitch (other than the state's hold up timewise which is out of our control).  We know the process with manufactured homes, and would not have proceeded the way we did without that vital information.  Our sales representative visited the customer in his home at night, in a rural area, with no obvious signs that it was a manufactured home, nor was this fact disclosed to him by the customer.   The job was submitted to the correct building department, as far as the facts we were given told us.  Tuolumne County issued the building permit with no question, so even they had no record that this was a manufactured home and didn't deny our application.  They in fact collected payment and issued an approved permit.  Only after our install was complete and we were seeking a passed inspection from the same county that issued the green light to us, did the inspector tell us the home was a manufactured home.  The customer's home was all by itself, not in a manufactured home community, in a county where many homes look similar to his and are not manufactured.  We were not derailed as we should have been from the county, or by the customer himself.   We moved forward and thought we were taking care of him to the best of industry standards, as we strive to do with all of our customers.
  We have since begun to rectify the situation, which does take time:  we obtained structural engineering at our expense, as well obtained attic photos which the state requires; and manufactured homes have no attics.  We hired a roofing contractor (at no expense to the customer) to obtain these photos, and this also takes time.  The largest wait comes from the state itself, which handles these permits for manufactured homes.  Unfortunately, we have zero control of the time the state takes to issue the required permit. 
  The lack of communication from the county, the fateful meeting at night when it was dark and the rep couldn't tell the difference, and the fact that it took an inspector from the same county that gave us the green light to tell us we needed to take it to the state is extremely unfortunate, but we are doing all we can as a company to complete the job for the customer.  As far as updates from our office, we have informed the customer that the state is on the state's time, and we cannot dictate how long it takes to get the required permit back to us.  We are doing all in our power to take care of our customer, we just don't think he understands the process we go through enough to accept the time constraints, which would also have been in place if we knew the home was manufactured from the beginning. 

  Customer response

  06/10/2023

  I am rejecting this response because:  The business' response is inaccurate and is attempting to shift blame for their mistakes. They state that their company and sales representative are experienced with outfitting manufactured homes with solar and can show many jobs over the years where [they]ordered correct inspections, structural engineering, etc and completed the job without a hitch yet when their director of business development came to my house and went over my solar options he failed to either notice my home was a manufactured home or ask a critical question involved in procuring the correct permits,structural engineering, etc. They are trying to pass the blame to me for not disclosing the fact that my home is manufactured. I in no way concealed that my home was manufactured nor did I tell ***** otherwise. My home is clearly a manufactured home and it was evening time when ***** visited my home not night. If they are as experienced as they claim then why is it my fault they failed to ask vital questions and that they wanted to make a quick sale without doing their proper due diligence. I have no experience in solar or what is required for it and that is why I contacted what I thought was a professional and reputable company to handle this for me.
  After seeing their reply, I am now in doubt that they did the proper structural engineering before installing my system.
  
  Also, the financing company they brokered for my solar loan clearly knew that my home was manufactured and even had me get various documents regarding my home being a permanent structure prior to issuing the loan.
  
  Regarding updates from their office, I had to threaten to write a Better Business Bureau complaint and pursue further action after repeatedly contacting SIG solar before they would provide any information regarding the status of my solar permitting, I have multiple emails as proof of this, and if I had not submitted this complaint and also complained to co-workers who knew another sales rep at SIG solar, I do not believe ****** or ***** knew or cared enough to get my issue resolved and get the roofing contractors out to obtain the correct structural engineering reports and attic photos.
  
  Unless this issue is resolved to my satisfaction, I plan to post this story publicly to warn others not to contract with SIG solar and instead seek out a more reputable solar company that is not just looking to make a quick sale off of changing solar policies.
  

  Customer response

  06/14/2023

  I am rejecting this response because: The business has not replied to my previous response. They copy and pasted their original response.
  

  Business response

  08/14/2023

  Again, we understand the customer's frustration at the mistake made on both our part and the part of Tuolumne County not recognizing this was a manufactured home, but it was an honest mistake.  We have no motive nor incentive to do the job incorrectly, this mistake has also cost us time and money to correct, which we have done.  We have installed many manufactured homes in the past and this has never been an issue until this project.  We do apologize, and have corrected the mistake.  The job has been completed, which is both the customer's request and our duty.  As we stated before in our previous response, dealing with the state is unfortunately a waiting game, and we are at the mercy of their timeline.  Since that response, the state did come out and make their final inspections, which we passed with flying colors.  The job is completed and finaled, and we consider this matter to be resolved.  We again apologize to the customer for the mistaken identity of his home, and have since put more double checks in place as to avoid this problem in the future.  His original request was for us to finish the job and refund his money.  We did finish the job, and can provide proof of the state final if needed.  We can offer to refund the solar loan payments he made in the waiting period relating to the state taking over the permits and inspection.  We attempted obtaining that payment information from his lender proactively, but they denied access to that information in the name of privacy policy, which is understandable.  So, if the customer wishes to receive a refund on his preliminary solar loan payments corresponding to his wait time, all he needs to do is contact our office, and they will instruct him how best to provide his loan payment info so we can reimburse him for the payments he may have made up until the final inspection was obtained, which is 8/9/23.

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have been working trying to get our solar system installed and working with PGE but the company has now, since putting the system on our roof and starting our solar loan with mosaic, been given the run around. We were told that we could put our well on as aggregate metering which is on our property but has a different meter and address than the house. They are now telling us we cant do that and that its not in the contract so they dont care. We have been waiting and waiting for them to fix problems since it was installed and we have now paid 4 Months of the loan bill on top of our PGE bill. We had the inspector come out many time because they were not passing permits, when we spoke with him as to why he told us that he wanted a diagram to show our transfer switch and the solar system and how they are connected. They scheduled an inspection and did not tell us so we were not there and it magically passed after the problem was not fixed. We have been having back and forth with the company for the passed weeks and no resolution yet. I have contacted the inspector that told us why it was not passing to find out why it did pass without the fix and Im waiting to hear back. The company told us they would not consider any reimbursement for the loan because it was not on them, but they are the only reason it didnt pass inspections. I asked what reasons besides that and they have not given me any other reasons. I feel like we are being scammed at this point.

  Business response

  08/14/2023

  I'm not sure why this is open? Job has been completed and is operating per contract.

  The final originally failed because there was a switch installed by customer (not SIG). And second inspection was failed was because the customer took acetone to our  labels that we wrote for inspection...and erased all labels made that was needed for inspection. (again, not our fault)

  2nd meter was never agreed upon because there is a separate address and PGE wouldn't approve it. The customer was made aware.

  2 meters were aggregated 

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed an agreement to insatall Solar T they sold me a *********************************** 2 extra panels with Q8 micro inverters 3 weeks after financing approved salesperson said he could only give me one extra panel I then took to their messenger and asked about it. They said theyd honor agreement. So two panels free A couple weeks later I get docs for MID and the micro inverter are Q7 I call and ask they contact sales person that ends up telling me it will cost extra. I agin take to messenger where ** assured as we stated before we will honor agreement. I ask not to deal with sales person any longer I might add here I have never gotten a copy of my contract, so they make arrangements for sales manager to come out and go over what Im expecting. I told him same as I stated here. He made it sound like it would in fact be honored though he did say hed meet with owners. After a couple weeks hadnt heard back I texted him and asked if we were on same page , no reply, I texted next day , no reply so later I contacted their office and they said theyd sen a message. Finally reply was hed had oral by surgery and hed call next day. I stated that didnt sound real promising and asked if I should wait to gave council he didnt reply. Next day I got a text theyd have their att contact me. Even after assurances they honor the agreement. I asked for a copy of agreement they have refused. Financing is arranged though they say find someone else no money has exchanged hand. Financing is arranged and includes new roofing. I can not get what was offered in price, and financing options they offered. Roofing isnt getting cheaper. I think it is unethical and the least.

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  Dear *************************, thank you for your review. We set a high standard for ourselves, and were sorry to hear you were not satisfied in your experience. After reviewing your project in depth and speaking with numerous people involved with your project, we wanted to respond the only way we know possible, the *** way with honesty, integrity and full transparency.
  From the very start, before you had any differences of opinion with ***, we had given you a complimentary panel of power on your system completely FREE, to which. Instead of responding out of a place of gratitude, unfortunately you chose to respond with intimidation tactics and demanded TWO free panels or you threatened to cancel.
  You then had requested IQ8 modules from our sales team, to which you were graciously given completely FREE of charge. This is also what is on record that you signed. You then demanded equipment outside of your contract (not listed nor purchased) to the tune of $9,000, to which you threatened to blackmail us with a smear campaign if we did not give you. We even drove to your home to meet with you personally to resolve cordially, but yet you demanded free equipment or threatened to run a smear campaign on us.
  Furthermore, you are on record verbally harassing our employees verbally via numerous text messages demanding equipment that you did not purchase nor were you willing to. We have documentation of all correspondences and feel your actions, threats, intimidation, and harassment do not align with our core values. 
  While we are in the business of customer service, we also will not be bullied, blackmailed and intimidated by individuals who are trying to use social media threats to obtain thousands of dollars of FREE equipment that you did not sign for or purchase. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Important dates:******* Contract 14AC3B0F-2EBC-4D96-9370-0EF39D05C436 signed by us on 8/28/2021 Signed by SIG, via ******************* 8/28/2021 Inspection completed 12/16/2021 Oakdale (Crane) contract 92D6801C-32FA-41E7-B4CA-247095E0BF1D signed by us on 9/17/21 Signed by SIG, via *******************, on 9/16/21 Inspection Completed 11/5/2021 Amount of money paid to the business Oakdale: $31,416.00 *******: $21,440.00 What the business committed to provide you We got into contact with SolarInstallation Group August 2021. We contracted to do two projects, one in *********** and one in Oakdale, **.Installations were completed on both projects with two main outstanding issues:1. In addition to the cost of the project, we also came to an agreement that we would receive a $1000 multi project rebate after the projects were complete.Key quote from *******************: We do offer a discount of $1,000 for the second project when doing multiple projects.,And again in 1/28/2022: "I apologize for not staying connected and up to date with these ongoing issues. My lack of communication is my fault. I'm happy to take care of the multiple project discount we had discussed."2. We were told that we would be able to have EV chargers installed at both locations for $500 EACH, and for the two installs we thought this was fair, with the understanding we would get both installed.The EV plug in ******* was installed, but the Oakdale one was not.What the nature of the dispute is Issue #1:From the time of both project completions, we have not received the multi project discount, despite numerous attempts to communicate. In all, it has been 78 days without a rebate check from them. Communication with the sales person have been sporadic, sometimes requiring several inquiries to get a response, and still no resolution.ISSUE #2: Oakdale EV plug has not been installed. Due to additional costs beyond vendor expectations, they promised to give us an update the following week but that never occurred.

  Business response

  08/25/2022

  After a lengthy negotiation process offering one free panel for each project *********** asked if we could throw in another free panel for the Oakdale project. Essentially it would be an incentive for him to move forward with both projects. I obliged. After some time *** then called and asked if we could give any other incentive, possibly a multiple project discount? I mentioned we could give $1,000 off if he were to execute on both contracts. There had been a lot of communication with the customer and his son ***** not only directly with me but with our office staff. After the projects were completed I wasn't keeping up with all of the back and forth communication with the office as they were trying to figure out adding a dedicated outlet for an electric car at the Oakdale home. When *************** called me directly asking about the $1,000 I paid him directly via Venmo while on the phone call. Please see The receipt of the Venmo transaction (Attached).

   

  As far as the additional Ev charger. ******* had unrealistic expectations in where it could be placed .We werent able to install it at the 2nd home where he wanted it, and therefore, did not do the work. This would have been an additional charge outside the scope of work that was paid for. No money was collected or exchanged for this addition. It was simply not able to be done by our electrician. 

   

  Customer response

  08/31/2022

  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  To the Better Business Bureau,
  
  
  The main issue is the amount of time it took for us to receive communications. If ***** had responded to us in a timely manner on these matters we would not have had an issue with them.
  
  
  We negotiated two types of discounts: multi-project discount and high-output discount. The high-output discounts were applied to the individual contracts, but the multi-project discount was only in email communication, and not applied for several months despite several emails with ***** and the office. 
  
  
  Finally, ***** got hold of ***** and it was only at that point he honored the discount. 
  
  
  Yes, ******************* did honor the rebate on May 11th, 9 weeks after the initial filing to the Better Business Bureau.
  
  
  
  As to the ** charger, this was discussed with SIG on site, and there was no mistake where we wanted it. But all they had to do was call us back and let us know it was not doable, instead of leaving us hanging with no response whatsoever.
  
  
  We were unhappy with how things were handled in terms of timing.

  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩