Look for experience, proper licenses, insurance, references, proximity, and a provider you can trust and work with. To ensure a reasonable price, solicit bids from several providers and compare offers. Ask these questions also:
- Do they provide a timeline and checklist?
- Do they offer on-site inspection and bill analysis?
- Do they provide a multi-year financial and energy prediction?
- Will they handle all paperwork, permits, utility agreements, etc.?
- Is there a full system warranty for five years (or more)?
- Have they accounted for shade, poles, wires or future buildings?
- Do they include annual maintenance checks or cleaning?
- Is there a monitoring package included, so you can view the results of your solar system over the Internet?