G C Electric Solar Review 2024 - Is The Price Right?

Installer
Installing solar since 2014
10.0
(Expert Rating Score)

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Updated on 2023-04-13

GC Electric Solar Overview

GC Electric Solar has been a small, family-owned, and locally operated EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) company since 2008. Based in San Diego, the company also serves Greater San Diego, Vista, Carlsbad, Coronado, Encinitas, Riverside County, Chula Vista, Poway, Mira Mesa, Pacific Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Scripps Ranch, National City, Del Mar, Ocean Beach, and Orange County. They have a current annual revenue of less than $5 million. 

As one of Southern California’s top-rated solar and electric energy companies, GC Electric Solar pride itself on facilitating the move to solar, making it as easy as possible, and delivering quality installations to homes and businesses of all sizes at competitive prices. This is achieved by custom designing and installing each project in-house without sub-contracting to third-party providers – their success is reflected by the company’s BBB rating, certifications, an extensive list of customer testimonials, and favorable ratings across a range of different websites.

 

 

Services and Specifics

GC Electric Solar Products

One aspect that makes the company stand out is its range of products. These include: 

 

Solar Panels: GC Electric Solar utilizes Panasonic solar panels, which experts regard as one of the top solar panel brands for residential and commercial solar installations. They handle the full design and installation process, and installation options include all roof types, ground mounts, and solar carports. 

 

EV Charging Stations: GC Electric Solar custom designs and installs Level 2 DC charging stations from 50kW to 350 kW for residential and commercial customers. 

 

Power Backup Solutions: GC Electric Solar design and install and retrofit existing battery backup, storage systems, and whole home generators. They also provide meters and monitoring systems to track storage and performance.

 

 

Costs and Installation Process

GC Electric Solar Costs

While the company does not provide any basic cost estimations, experts have noted that the typical size of their permits is approximately $14 969, with 73.68% of their public projects ranging between $5,000 and $20,000. Upon further investigation, a 6kW photovoltaic solar system installation averages $8,052.44. 

Compared to the average cost of a 6kW system in California in 2022, this price is significantly below the market average, making their prices extremely competitive. With this estimation and customer reviews, GC Electric Solar may offer the cheapest solar panel installations in California. 

Residential customers are entitled to the 30% Federal Tax Credit, and commercial customers are entitled to a 26% tax credit and up to 50% depreciation for state and federal taxes. 

 

GC Electric Solar Legitimacy

GC Electric Solar is a highly legitimate company. Evidence to support this includes:

  • The company has been accredited by the BBB since 2016 and has an A- rating.
  • The company is one of the few authorized Panasonic Premium Installers, which also includes the 25-year manufacturer-backed, workmanship, product, and performance warranties on panels, micro-inverters, and racking from Panasonic.
  • The company is an EnergySage Elite Installer.
  • The company has a verified contractor license #995108
  • The company is rated as one of the top 10 fastest-growing electrical and solar contractors in California.
  • They are licensed and certified by all major EV charging manufacturers. 
  • They have conducted over 2000 residential installation services in San Diego and Orange County.
  • Their website includes photographic, descriptive, and customer responses to their residential and commercial projects.
  • Customer reviews across multiple platforms highly recommend the company.

 

GC Electric Solar Maintenance

GC Electric Solar’s driving principles are quality, safety, workmanship, and technical expertise, and this can be seen in their customer reviews. Across all platforms, customers consider their employees pleasant, prompt, professional, and knowledgeable, with many of the reviews addressing the employees by name and expressing their excellent communication skills, and going the extra mile. 

Customers also found the panels of extremely high quality, the installation experience to be simple and efficient, and the overall experience to be very satisfactory. It is important to note, however, that there were a few complaints, mainly surrounding contractual miscommunications – these were addressed and resolved by CEO Sepehr Nozari. 

Overall, the extremely favorable ratings, free quotation, and comprehensive installations with continued technical support and warranties highlight their high levels of maintenance. 

 

 

The SolarEmpower View

With their competitive pricing, high-quality panels, experience, accreditations, and excellent customer service and reviews, GC Electric Solar is an extremely worthy long-term investment.

 

 

Contact Details

Phone: (858) 999-3929

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 910413 San Diego, CA 92191

Address:

San Diego – 934 South Andreasen Drive, Suite E, Escondido CA 92029

Irvine – 8 Corporate Park, Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92606

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://usa-gce.com/

Industry Certifications

ASES – American Solar Energy Society
ASES – American Solar Energy Society

Service Types

Solar Panel Installation

Service Areas

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FAQ

Is GC Electric Solar worth it?

Yes, our analysis found GC Electric Solar to be an excellent solar panel installation provider.

Are GC Electric Solar trustworthy?

Yes, GC Electric is accredited by the BBB and has an A- rating, a verified contractor license #995108, and an EnergySage Elite Installer.

Does GC Electric Solar provide a free consultation?

Yes, and it is a simple process conducted on their website.

G C Electric Solar Solar Details

Established
2014
Workmanship Warranty
25 Years Remote Monitoring, 10 Years Leak-Free Warranty For All Mounting Points, 25 Years Workmanship Warranty
Licensing Information

#995108

Contact
Headquarters
P.O. Box 910413
San Diego, CA
92191
(858)-999-3929
Office Locations
934 South Andreasen Drive, Suite E
Escondido, CA
92029
8 Corporate Park, Suite 300
Irvine, CA
92606
8.7

G C Electric Solar User Reviews

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Ron Galon
Ron Galon
April 12, 2023
I had selected GC Electric…
I had selected GC Electric for solar via the EnergySage website, but ultimately went with the piece of mind of going one of the three local San Diego area Solar companies that were willing to refund my initial deposit if the NEM 2.0 application wasn't submitted on time. GC Electric & Solar wasn't willing to do the same. I was willing to take the risk even so, but it took 3 critical days to get the contract from GC after I informed them I was ready to move forward. Therefore the chances of meeting the NEM deadline were minimal anyway at that point.

You should look beyond the tempting price. I recommend paying a little more and going with a very local installer who's only 30 minutes away if there's ever a problem and you need them to come out.
Matteo Simone
Matteo Simone
March 22, 2023
Good: – Competitive pricing – Employees on-site…
Good:
- Competitive pricing
- Employees on-site were nice and communicative

Not so good:
- They performed the quote virtually so there were some things that weren't clear
- There were unused holes drilled in our roof (sealed before they left)
- Communication with the manager was difficult due to an online-only portal

Bad:
- Communication with the owner was not professional. An initial misunderstanding about a few conduit supports turned into the owner making combative replies which made things challenging and stressful.
Charlotte Becerra
Charlotte Becerra
February 2, 2023
We received a referral to…
We received a referral to GC Electric through Energy Sage. After receiving numerous bids we talked to Frances Belba and knew we would choose GC Electric after our first conversation! Frances was direct, informative, knowledgeable and professional. He was not pushy and always replied to my questions and concerns immediately. GC Electric's bid was fair and the best out of all the other companies! Finally, when we decided to go with a family member's business, (who's discount was too good to pass up) Frances celebrated our good fortune and sincerely wished us good luck with our solar goals! I will always refer GC Electric to anyone who asks for an excellent company!
Jiawen Zhang
Jiawen Zhang
December 17, 2022
Guys are quick, responsive, and…
Guys are quick, responsive, and responsible. I'm very pleased to have everything done within 3 months given the current market condition. Price is very competitive and parts used are among the highest quality. Definitely recommend to everyone!
James Maida
James Maida
October 23, 2022
Great company to do business…
Great company to do business with. They were prompt, got the job done quickly and did a great job. If you hire this company be sure to ask for consumption monitoring. It's an add-on relatively low cost option. They didn't bring it up until I asked for it. Even that additional install was fast and efficient.
Han Huang
Han Huang
September 25, 2022
Panels were installed on 2021…
Panels were installed on 2021 of November.
Wife and I were thinking of installing solar for awhile and we finally went about getting estimates and found G C Electric provided the types of panels we wanted and went ahead and chose them as an installer. We had additional questions and Francis was kind enough to show up on site to answer all our questions fully.
Once the contract was signed and the date set for an install, all was quiet. Most companies would call a few days in advance to confirm that they are still on schedule and to expect them at x time for peace of mind. We got a call the morning of install a little before 6AM that they were on the way. Crew was professional and the install finished ahead of the estimated time they provided.
There was a hiccup in the PTO process where the inspector showed up, but the G C employee on site couldn't provide the necessary requirements for the city inspector to approve the PTO. This caused an extra day and a reschedule a long with an additional cost out of pocket to me of around $123 that was not covered by contract. There were also issues where they inputted the incorrect email address to Enphase, while a small issue mistakes happen. It required that I contact Enphase to do a email reset.
Overall G C Electric has been respectful and professional. While there are some small issues they can fix to make the customer experience better. The company overall provides decent pricing and their on-site crew does an excellent job from install to helping the owner setup and learn about how to monitor their solar setup.
Ernest and Sherry Evardone
Ernest and Sherry Evardone
September 17, 2022
Highly recommend G C Electric…
Highly recommend G C Electric Solar for your solar system needs. Their pricing is very competitive after comparing with other companies. But more importantly Sepehr and team were very responsive in answering all the questions we had regarding the entire project beginning to end. We were provided a timeline and was always promptly updated when anything would change or come up. Ultimately our minds were put at ease and we couldn't ask for a more smoother process.

On the day of the installation, the team was very professional, on-time, and quick! Once the final inspection was completed and we were live, we were given a tour of the accompanying mobile app to the system to see it all in action!
David Wang
David Wang
September 9, 2022
I have signed a contract…
I have signed a contract with GC after I have read many reviews of previous customers and talked with GC personnel like Francis and Sepehr. They are very friendly and responding my questions very quickly. During the 3- month waiting, I could use their ProofHub link to monitor their updated progress. After waiting is done, they have completed the city permit, solar panel installation and then SDGE inspection. They took only one day to complete the installation. Very efficient!

We have now enjoyed our solar panel working. We could use a phone App to see how efficient our sun panels are generating electricity. Last week is very hot. Because we have sun power, we could turn on AC to cool down without using much SDGE electricity. That is wonderful! Thank you GC team for your great work. That is working! My money have been paid off in a daily basis. I am very happy to recommend GC team to other customers.
Tricia Tyree
Tricia Tyree
September 6, 2022
Just received my 1st electric…
Just received my 1st electric bill after having GC Electric Solar install my panels. I was thrilled that there was a credit of $21.42. I thought that I would be responsible for the gas and fees. The process was was amazing, I would highly recommend them.
Mike Stevens
Mike Stevens
August 31, 2022
Contract signed, install date about…
Contract signed, install date about three months later was provided (which was stated as the max waiting period in the contract), inspection took place about 10 days after install, passed. PTO was issued a week after the inspection passed, and monitoring was accessible a day after PTO was issued. So far so good, after some rain it doesn't appear that there are any roof leaks.
Communication is all done pretty much via email at first, and then through the ProofHub app. Don't expect a response immediately, but they will usually reply within a few hours. They're in the volume business, which is likely why their prices are so competitive. When they provide a date in the app / contract, pretty much just expect those things to happen since there's not much communication beyond that.

Update: 9 months in , the system is functioning well, but I received an email stating that I still over over $600 for "permits and fees." I asked for details since I had never been notified about this, and then I was told the charges were actually for an inverter that I had replaced. I never had an inverter replaced. Then I was sent an invoice stating that I never made my initial deposit, plus I still owed some permitting fees and fees from the power company. I had to go back through my bank statements and pull copies of cancelled checks and screenshot my account to prove that I made my initial deposit. I understood per the contract that I may owe fees in excess of $250, but since they had an incorrect email in their accounting software, I was never notified about a past due balance until they emailed me directly 9 months later. Unfortunately I lost out on $60 from the tax credit due to this, but at this point it's not worth my time or money amending my return.

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