NATiVE Solar Review 2024 - Our Secret Shopper Explores

Installer
Installing solar since 2007
8.4
(Expert Rating Score)

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Updated on 2023-06-14

About NATiVE Solar NATiVE Solar is one of the longest running, most established Texas-owned and operated solar installation companies in the state. Comprised of a team of solar industry professionals with unrivaled skills & expertise, award-winning NATiVE Solar has earned its reputation as one of the best, most dependable companies delivering intelligent, custom solar solutions to both Texas homeowners and business owners. Since 2012, NATIVE has leveraged its diversity as a custom home builder and solar installer to grow into the leading solar installer in the state of Texas. With offices in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, NATiVE established a state-wide presence designing and installing solar PV systems for home and business owners. The current solar team have the combined experience and execution history of over 1,000 solar projects totaling over 60MW of capacity in Texas and across a dozen other states. Unrivaled skills, knowledge, and experience are applied to every NATiVE Solar system, meeting the solar energy needs of any and all Texans. The majority of projects NATiVE Solar takes each day are referrals. Referrals from happy customers. Referrals from our friends and neighbors we meet in the communities we serve. Referrals from home and business owners with systems we didn’t install but service. Referrals, even, from other solar companies when the project is too complex or difficult. Now that says something right there. NATiVE Solar is the go-to choice for all Texans’ solar energy needs.

Industry Certifications

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

Service Types

Solar Panel Installation

NATiVE Solar Solar Details

Established
2007
Licensing Information

TECL-26718

Contact
Headquarters
1450 W Hwy 290 #1794
Dripping Springs TX
78620
(855)-253-6284
6.5

NATiVE Solar User Reviews

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A. Nicole Abrams
A. Nicole Abrams
June 9, 2023
When our original solar installation…
When our original solar installation company went out of business and left us with a nonfunctional system, the NATiVE Solar team stepped up and got everything going smoothly again. NATiVE has been there for us ever since.
Michael Fisher
Michael Fisher
May 20, 2023
We are quite pleased with…
We are quite pleased with the installation both in terms of quality and the effect it is having on our electric bill.

Native Solar is a professional organization and I am convinced that we made the right decision in choosing them for our system. They have been around for a long time and know what they are doing. We actually received a quote from them in 2013, but decided we couldn't afford it at that point.

They did a site survey and recommended a combination of equipment that would work best for us. They are not locked into one brand of equipment, so they can make the right choice for your installation instead of just trying to make what's available from one vendor work for you.

We purchased a built-in car charger as part of the system, so now we can power my wife's car at no cost as well.

In short, these people have the expertise to do your installation the right way.
W Gaines Bagby
W Gaines Bagby
May 18, 2023
My whole experience with Native…
My whole experience with Native Solar has been amazing! After checking with several installers, we decided on them because they took the time to really listen- and thoughtfully answer. And through our interactions, we found they really get the whole process at a very deep level- from solar to batteries to gensets and how they all interact- and also how they can be installed to satisfy our energy requirements, according to Austin codes. Casey and Derek were both fabulous. Derek in sales and operations and Casey on the actual installation. Ours was a fairly complicated install, and it would recommend Native Solar without reservation.
Norma Martinez
Norma Martinez
May 9, 2023
I wish there was negative…
I wish there was negative stars to rate my overall opinion of my decision about the investment of these panels
05.09.2023 2 years of regrets.
Frank Curry
Frank Curry
February 7, 2023
They do what they say…
They do what they say they’re going to do.
robie nagai
robie nagai
October 26, 2022
Native Solar’s people like Joseph…
Native Solar's people like Joseph Browning and, the master electrician, Eric really helped us in correcting the solar system that was not installed correctly. Native Solar was able to coordinate every aspect in getting our Generac system up and running properly.
If you are having trouble with your solar system, you would do well to call Native Solar in Austin.
Don and Robie Nagai
Charles S
Charles S
April 20, 2022
I interviewed seven companies and…
I interviewed seven companies and Native impressed me the most with their knowledge, customer support, and price. We had our solar panels for about 2 years and they are still running flawlessly!

Update. Going on 3 years now. I had an issue with my control panel that they helped diagnose. I scheduled an appointment for a replacement job and they replaced it hassle free under warranty.
Rodrigo Solis
Rodrigo Solis
November 11, 2021
I sent an email back…
I sent an email back in October, they claimed they will call me to follow up (which they never did). I contact them about a week ago and the claimed they will have an estimate ready and will follow up and still haven't heard from them, It seems you have to beg them to come and inspect your solar panels, very disappointed in this company
Andre Gilbert
Andre Gilbert
October 6, 2021
Ryan Doty, the Director of…
Ryan Doty, the Director of Marketing, offered a $50 Amazon gift card for the first 50 reviews which is a violation of Google's policies, "business owners shouldn't offer incentives to customers in exchange for reviews". Ryan Doty himself left a 5 star review which is also a violation of the 'conflict of interest' policy. I have reported these.

Even after posting the below review within minutes of receiving the text message offer, I was never issued a gift card. When inquired I was told that my review was not visible. I believe it is possible that they attempted to flag it for review that might've made it not publicly visible. I finally had to delete it and repost a positive review in order to receive the gift card and am now editing it back to my original review:

4 years after my install I discovered that two of my panels had gone offline in my SolarEdge system. NATiVE was still going to charge me despite the SolarEdge DC optimizers being under warranty including a labor stipend for warranty repairs, they said it still wasn't enough to cover the rates they charge. I looked at it to see if I could do it myself and discovered lots of issues from things that were never done right from the initial installation and brought them up to NATiVE and they said that sounded like things they could address but they never did and I ended up going through the warranty process to replace the optimizers myself and I even went through quite an ordeal with SolarEdge to get ownership of my system transferred to me with installer access so I could set up the monitoring and alert notifications on my system for whenever there is a problem because NATiVE couldn't be bothered to do it and said that isn't something they do even though they're the only ones with the access to configure those settings. I've learned the hard way that after installation support is a very important factor when selecting a solar installer, and make sure any promises you get are in writing.

Some of the issues from install:
- They used cheap zip ties for cable management. Many of them have fallen off after just 4 years. I contacted a local solar supplier and found a wire clip specifically designed for the Iron Ridge rails for about $8 for a pack of 20. Why couldn't they have just used those? I'm buying them and redoing all of the cable management myself.
- I found places where the wires are pulled really tight against their strain relief and some placed in areas that cause chafing over time, poor practice.
- Breaker switch for lightning arrestor was not labeled.
- One nut attaching the panels to the rails was loose.
- One connector has a clip broken off.
- Rusted screws on junction box and at conduit bend.
- Incomplete cut at the end of a rail so end cap doesn't stay on.
- Trash (plastic bags) stuffed in then end of an aluminum support.
- I'm still trying to determine if the end clamps are the correct length because the way they're installed doesn't look right to me.
- After having the design and site reviewed by Austin Energy prior to installation, Austin Energy required that the tilt of the panels be adjusted on both sides of the roof due to the East/West orientation. This required aluminum legs to be added to change the tilt angle. I was quoted an additional $832 and negotiated to pay half of that cost and they covered the other half. During installation I noticed the aluminum legs had only been installed on one side of the house. I made a phone call and explained that it was supposed to be on both sides of the house and they tried to argue with me about it and said that was all the material they were given so it took some back and forth but finally they got it done.
Jerry M
Jerry M
August 4, 2021
After the sale service….NON EXISTENT. They…
After the sale service....NON EXISTENT.
They made an improper design on my system and I didn't catch the flaw due to my naivety but once educated....I got it. They also failed to mention that I would need to pay 300 to 400 dollars every 4 years due to changes in the inverter.
I've tried to get them to resolve it and all they want to do us upsell.
Horrible experience

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