ReVision Energy

Bottom line up front: let the buyer beware! I contacted them for an estimate and finally heard back from Amy Farnham. I asked for a draft contract up front so I could read the terms and conditions in order to optimize our time. Amy provided that just before she was due to see my house. I read the contract and found that it did not contain the standard construction clause that if the contractor damages your house during installation that they will be responsible for either repairing the damage at their cost or working with the homeowner to get it repaired on their dime. I asked whether that clause could be added and Amy said no, after previously saying that the contract terms were flexible. Thinking she might not know much about construction, I went the extra mile and touched base with the Branch Manager, Dan Clapp. No joy from Mr. Clapp who obviously had not read his own contract or thought I was brain dead! He told me in an e-mail that ReVision has never damaged a house (which may be true) and would cover all damage if they did. Wrong! Funny, if you read the contract, it says only the contract terms are legally binding, not anything they convey verbally or in writing (like e-mail). Trust but verify folks! Tried to elevate my question to founders Bill Behrens, Fortunat Mueller, and Phil Coupe and found that they do not utilize the same company e-mail convention. Obviously, they do not wish to be contacted by their clients and post their bios without contact information! At that point, figured it wasn't worth my time to chase these guys down any further if their contract was that one sided. Contracts should protect both parties and they should be open to minor mods like that one. My advice: shop around. Don't go with amateurs. Understand it is a newer industry, but shop around and select one with extensive construction (not just solar) experience. The only one who cares about your house in the end is you. Remember, if this goes south and goes to court, you're hosed with their contract.

unknown

no contact, cannot find out what is available.

unknown

Four people did the solar panels all in one day. They installed the heat pump later and it took about six hours for two guys to complete. They were very professional, they were friendly, they do all the rebate paperwork for you, answer questions, leave information. We had an issue with one of the rebates and they handled it to our satisfaction. We also had an issue with a leak and they came right out and fixed it with no questions. I would highly recommend them to my friends.

A few months after my solar panels were installed, the software told me that one of the panels had failed. Investigation revealed that a squirrel had built a nest under the panels on my roof. ReVision energy came out and removed the nest and installed a hardware-cloth-based squirrel fence in the space where the panels meet the roof. They were polite and took a day and a half to get it right. One of the workers accidentally broke a storm window. However, they paid for the window and brought the frame to a hardware store. I picked up the frame a week later and installed it myself. I was satisfied and realize accidents happen. However, a squirrel came back a month later. Apparently ReVision had missed a spot when installing the fence. To be fair, it was a more complex job than it first appeared to be. They came back and fixed the problem. They wanted more money than I was comfortable paying, but we haggled a bit and came to a more reasonable price. From the onset they covered the cost of two panels and microinverters (since the squirrel had started to damage a second). We disagreed about what might be covered under warranty, but in the end ReVision made some concessions and gave me a break.

I got estimates from three companies. Although all three were ernest and sincere, I had the best feeling about using ReVision Energy. Steve C. came out and surveyed my property after initially using google satellite images to see if my home was suitable for a solar electric system (PV, photovoltaic). He was very courteous and professional and spent close to two hours with me. Two weeks later a structural engineer visited my home to determine if my roof was suitable. He recommended that I install a dozen "L" brackets on the supports of various attic roof supports to bear the extra 1,000 lbs of weight the solar panels would add. I did that with a friend's help in about 30 minutes. About two weeks later a very polite crew of young installers came to my house. Because my home is old and the roof a bit uneven they predicted it would take 3 full days of installation. It took 5 days. However, the project manager really wanted to make sure that the panels looked uniform and level from the ground. They did a great job. Two master electricians also came to my house to upgrade my electrical service. Same level of professionalism. I have had the system for exactly one year and it has surpassed my expectations. Steve C. had predicted the system would generate 5-6 MW of power. For this first year I got 6.4 MW! I sized the system to be 30% bigger than my current needs so that I could get a Chevy volt plug-in electric car in the future. Currently I pay no electricity costs and National Grid owes me a credit of over $300. MA allows me to sell SRECs each quarter to help me recoup the cost (tradeable credits sold to power companies to help them meet renewable energy needs mandated by the state). The fed. gov also gave me a tax credit of 30% and MA gave me a $4k rebate and 1K tax credit. My break even point will be in 7-8 years. The work is warrentied for 5 years and the parts for 25 years. I bought Suniva panels. It added about 1K to the overall price, but the panels are made in America (Georgia). I would use ReVision again and would happily recommend them.

From start to finish, ReVision was prompt, professional, knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating. They recommended a design to meet our specific needs, and made all the arrangements for us to receive any government rebates we were eligible for. We would highly recommend ReVision for anyone who is considering converting to solar energy.

After selection, work was scheduled within a reasonable time frame. Installation took a little longer than expected with the plumber making final connections after dinner on the last night - but he stayed on to get the water back on and the system running. Support from ReVision is excellent with even the smallest questions being answered even after more than a year from installation.

Revision came over surveyed the site, gave an estimate, and then installed the panels and all other hardware. They installed 20 panels and all needed electrical in two days, working in some very adverse conditions. Also their office staff was very helpful in applying for all the rebates and working with PSNH to get all the interconnect permits. I also had a small window of time in which I could install the panels and they worked their schedule around to match mine. They also took the time to answer my many questions.

We would highly recommend them. They were efficient. They were polite. They did a superb job of what they were doing. The company themselves when they came out initially to give us cost estimates and everything; they stuck to what they said. They helped us every step of the way with rebates and all that kind of stuff. We have had other people here doing other things but this particular team was top notch. I absolutely would use them in future. I am speaking at a panel tonight on solar and they are the reason that I am going.