Solar Alternatives Inc. Review 2024 - Is The Price Right?

Installer
Installing solar since 2007
8.0
(Expert Rating Score)

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Updated on 2023-05-26

Solar Alternatives Inc Overview

Solar Alternatives Inc is an established solar installation company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. With over a decade of experience, the company is widely considered a front runner in the solar installation industry and has expanded its reach to assist customers throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. 

Solar Alternatives offers turnkey engineering, consultation, and construction services for commercial, industrial, utility and residential clients. Their comprehensive approach to energy management means customers can expect thorough systems analysis and minimal expenditure. Financial solutions, incentives management, and in-house engineering are also included within Solar Alternatives’ services. 

 

Solar Alternatives Inc Services and Specifics

Solar Products and Services Offered by ESD Solar

Solar Alternatives provides a turnkey solar installation process and executes all stages of the project with a single contract. Turnkey projects relieve the customer of inconvenience, because this method transfers to the contractor duties that would otherwise be the owner’s in a standard design-bid-build (DBB) delivery.

 

Specific Solar Panels Offered

Solar Alternatives provides a range of solar panel options to suit any kind of project and budget. Some of their most notable product manufacturer partnerships include SunPower, LG Solar, REC Group and Tesla. 

 

SunPower Solar Panels

SuPower is one of the oldest and most trusted names in the solar industry, known for developing arguably the most efficient solar panel available, the SunPower Maxeon. Their panels are manufactured with the expectation of delivering more energy, reliability, and savings over time. 

 

LG Solar Panels

LG Solar panels are developed using some of the most advanced and cutting-edge technologies available in the solar industry. The award winning “NeON” range is the company’s most popular line, and comes backed with an incredible warranty that promises unmatched product performance. 

 

REC Solar Panels 

REC Solar panels pack cutting-edge technology to deliver a blend of higher performance, improved aesthetics, and minimal environmental impact. Renowned for their Pure and Twinpeak models, REC has built a strong name for itself as a trusted solar manufacturer globally. 

 

Tesla Solar Panels

Tesla is an undisputed world-leader in tainable energy. The company designs and manufactures solar generation, energy storage, and software products, led by their world-famous flagship product, the Tesla Powerwall. 

 

Additional Services

  • Construction Services
  • Troubleshooting
  • Emergency assistance
  • System extensions
  • Critter guard

 

Installation Costs and Process

Costs

Louisiana enjoys some of the lowest solar costs across the US due to its suitability for solar power generation. Solar panel installation in Louisiana generally costs between $2.78 – $3.80 per watt, meaning that a typical 5kW system will range between $13,800 and $19,000 in total. Solar Alternatives does not advertise a specific cost for its solar installation since its system’s costs vary depending on factors such as the design, size, and materials used.

However, the company states that it is committed to offering premium goods and services at reasonable costs. Reviewers generally reported that quotations were accurate and there were no surprise costs included. Two reviewers reported excess costs and overcharges by the company, both of which have been resolved since.

Here’s an example of one of their satisfied customer’s reviews: 

“We have had a very positive experience with Solar Alternatives. From the original detailed explanation of the installation services for both our solar panels and Tesla power wall, clarity of the financial options and costs involved and prompt and courteous customer service from technicians and support staff, our overall experience was excellent.”
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Solar Alternatives also provides its customers with financing options which include loans and leases to help make the transition to solar in Louisiana easier and accessible to all. 

❗Do be warned of some negative reviews surrounding pricing, however. 

 

Legitimacy

Solar Alternatives was established in 2007 and is licensed in the state of Louisiana.
The company is BBB accredited with an A+ rating since 2020.
The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) has certified them as well, which is vital.
Solar Alternatives has expanded their service area and has offices in New Orleans, Jackson, Shreveport, Houston, and Lafayette.
The company is owned by Jeffrey Cantin, a solar professional with over a decade of experience in consulting, engineering and construction. 
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Awards and Accreditations

  • Certified Member – Solar Energy Industries Association
  • Certified Member – American Solar Energy Society
  • Manufacturer Certifications – SunPower, EnPhase, Tesla Powerwall, SMA

With an array of notable awards and accreditations, combined with excellent customer reviews, our experts view Solar Alternatives as a highly legitimate and top-level service provider.

 

Maintenance

When you visit the Solar Alternatives website, one of the most notable aspects is their maintenance section which is dedicated to explaining the importance of a well-maintained system and how the company can assist customers in this regard. The company not only provides these services for systems that they’ve installed, but also to existing or older systems that were installed by other companies.

THe company provides a solid set of warranties which includes a 25-year warranty on all their products, combined with a 25-year warranty on their workmanship. It should be noted that their workmanship warranty is among the best in the industry, with most competitors offering between 10-12 year cover.

The company makes use of its own in-house service team, which is another plus for customers. Reviewers have remarked that the company is frequently reachable whenever you need assistance.

Key Points
Solar Panel Warranty 25 Years
Workmanship Warranty 25 Years
Power Production Guarantee Unspecified
In-house contractors Yes
Free Consultation Yes
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The SolarEmpower View

Solar Alternatives Inc strives to be the trusted leader in high-quality, engineered, renewable energy systems. They use industry best practices to find low-carbon solutions to our community’s energy security issues and educate others about renewable energy technologies. The only point of note would be that customers should ensure that they fully understand all the costs involved beforehand. Aside from that, our specialists do recommend this business since it offers you world-class service while doing all of the above.

💲Cost: 7/10 ✅Legitimacy: 10/10
⭐️Quality: 10/10 📞Customer Service: 9/10
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Service Types

Solar Panel Installation

Service Areas

Select State:
Orleans
Caddo
Hinds
Harris

FAQ

Are solar panels worth it in Louisiana?

Yes, Louisiana is an excellent state for solar conversion. The state is fast-becoming one of the most attractive for solar energy generation due to its abundance of sunshine and state-specific incentives.

What is Solar Alternative’s customer rating?

Brooklyn Solar Works has a 4.4 star rating from over 40 customer reviews.

What are Solar Alternative’s operating hours?

Brooklyn Solar Works is open Monday to Friday, from 09:00 - 17:00.

Solar Alternatives Inc. Solar Details

Established
2007
Licensing Information

TX

Contact
Headquarters
5804 River Oaks Rd S.
New Orleans, LA
70123
(504)-294-3650
Office Locations
5250 Galaxie Dr.
Jackson, MS
39206
4120 Metro #500
Shreveport, LA
71109
2525 Robinhood Street, # 1100
Houston, Texas
77005
7.0

Solar Alternatives Inc. User Reviews

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Brandon Carlson
Brandon Carlson
March 16, 2023
Manufacturer Review Our product, the SolShare,…
Manufacturer Review

Our product, the SolShare, was recently installed by Solar Alternatives, Inc. in Jackson, MI. Our technical staff was extremely impressed with the professionalism, expertise, and positive attitude of their team. A special shoutout to James West and Thaddeus Nadelson as their dedication to the client and community was always front and center. Thank you, Solar Alternatives team!

-Brandon with Allume Energy
Amy Nicole Stewart
Amy Nicole Stewart
March 3, 2023
Another update: someone I have…
Another update: someone I have never received a call or email from is writing me acting as though they have. This is the most mismanaged company and yes, there is a lien on my home preventing me from getting a construction loan and yes their salesperson promised such a thing would never happen. Electric bills are approximately $300/month and my note is $215 and so what am I paying for? Roof damage and customer blaming. That’s awesome. Beware. Do not hire this company.

Just an update because I going to consult a lawyer. I will also be filing with BBB and the State Attorney General. For the second time the person who was supposed to be helping me resolve issues has an email address that is bouncing back. Meaning they no longer work there. Beware of this company. It’s a nightmare and they lie, a lot. I have a lien on my house preventing me from getting a construction loan and I was told there would be no lien-I asked because a similar thing happened to a friend. They lied. Now I am paying high Entergy bills and the note on this system because it still doesn’t work and no one is contacting me. This is a disgusting company. I am just so sick.

Pretty disgusted. I have been waiting for some redeeming quality. Sales people are great and then everything else falls apart. I was sitting here waiting for the fourth crew to come and I thought they were just installing a breaker. Someone went into my attic and told me the panels were installed improperly and that all of them would have to come down and he tried to make it sound like a good thing. That they would caulk all of the holes. How can I trust anything that this company does moving forward? I am really unhappy here. It’s so incredibly frustrating. As one other review stated it has been a different crew everytime and no one communicates and obviously nothing has been done properly. I am so angry about all of this.
Isaac X. Pinhas
Isaac X. Pinhas
October 12, 2022
I’ve asked to be contacted…
I've asked to be contacted by the owner and was not. My POC doesn't answer and inbox is full. I'm at the point where I have very little recourse than to start sharing the experience:

I am a certified project manager with experience in construction, real estate, etc. I understand the value of paying experts to do a job. I signed a contract for a pretty large solar system with the understanding that Solar Alternatives would be providing technical ability, knowledge, and the system combined with execution of installing and commission.

SolAlt are absolutely experts when it comes to solar and electrical knowledge, expertise, and perhaps design. However, from my experience, they are hardly qualified to call themselves novices when it comes to managing a project. To say my project has been mismanaged would be an understatement - it's more that it hasn't been managed at all.

There have been at least 6 different crews at my house. None has really had an understanding of what is going on nor were tied in from the previous crew. I have played the roles of consultant, project manager, as well as customer - going over the project with every one of them on each visit and troubleshooting the shortcomings of the design. Pointing out when things were obviously misaligned. Nobody was going to notice that the largest array of panels was installed a foot off center on a perfectly symmetrical house? I had them fix the front and had to climb on my own 40-50 foot roof to realize they did the same in the rear. Obviously they weren't going to mention it.

Once I signed the contract and paid my initial deposit, the following has been the normal protocol from SolAlt: no or extremely slow return emails, no return phone calls, no acknowledgement or return call when asking to speak to the owner, arriving any time they feel like on scheduled work days, no show on one appointment altogether. It's just been a litany of disrespect, wasted time, and wasted money.

It's nice that their automated system sends me a text every time somebody is on the way. It's less nice that I also receive several more texts, phone calls, and emails. For every visit. At about 7:30 AM. For no less than 6 visits now. That recently switched to no notice at all fyi.

My install is still not complete 4-5 weeks after the start of the job. I'm sure it will be completed some day, but I'm not convinced at this point it will ever be completed to the specs agreed upon. I paid extra for a cosmetically appealing system with borders around the panel arrays, etc. Instead I've had ugly metal brackets and wires across my roof for about a month. Time will tell, and I'd be happy to modify my review if things change.

I will say that everyone I have interacted with from Sol Alt on an individual basis has been extremely friendly. The people are great. The problem here seems to be with the organization or lack thereof in the company. Having interacted with more than a dozen employees now, and bringing it up to technicians on a one on one basis, they all have similar reactions as if this is the norm in terms of disorganization and in terms of customers' dissatisfaction about it.
ron matherne
ron matherne
October 6, 2022
Great work, great local company!!…
Great work, great local company!!
Christine Morris
Christine Morris
October 6, 2022
Nathan came to my home…
Nathan came to my home for service call on Solar Panels not working. He uncovered several issues, and shared thorough info. Nathan was knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and pro-active. He went above and beyond. Also, my panel installation from several years ago is still strong and sturdy, with no breakage - even after Hurricane Ida! John later joined Nathan on this service call, and was also helpful. Extremely pleased with service and resolution that I received..
Stella Bailey
Stella Bailey
June 14, 2022
The solar panel system from…
The solar panel system from Solar Alternatives has helped our organization achieve one of its goal of transitioning to renewable energy and having a positive impact on the the planet. When we learned about the benefits of going solar, we didn’t have second thoughts on having a solar system installed. They can even help you audit your energy consumption and make sure that you are saving monthly.
Leona Morris
Leona Morris
June 6, 2022
If you are looking for…
If you are looking for a seamless solar panel installation in New Orleans, you better work with Solar Alternatives. From start to finish, they keep you well informed about your solar panel installation and how much you will be saving over the years.
Russell Schafer
Russell Schafer
May 10, 2022
Spent 97k with this company….
Spent 97k with this company. Paid in full in October 2021. Took five months to actually have my equipment work. Also they promised that they could fit more panels on my roof than they actually did. They told me in the end that they just never measured my roof but went by estimates from Google maps. That blows my mind as they certainly could have taken a tape measurer to my roof as I gave them full access.
Anyway my panels and batteries work now but I've lost around 5k in the process. Do not give them the last third until Entergy signs off on the work and allows you to start producing. That was my mistake. Learm from my example.

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