Independent Energy Solutions reviews
• last updated FEB 26, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
Independent Energy Solutions handles tricky roofs other installers won't touch. We analyzed dozens of reviews and found two standout patterns. First, their project managers don't just show up and leave. They give daily progress updates, lock up your garage each evening, and respond to WiFi glitches the same day you report them. One homeowner praised Ben Jones for being particular about details and leaving the site tidy every night, a small thing that made having strangers on the roof for a week feel manageable. Second, they work around your preferences instead of forcing a standard template. When one family insisted on panels on the back of the house for aesthetic reasons (even though south-facing front made more technical sense), the team patiently explained trade-offs and designed the layout the homeowners actually wanted. Chris, the sales lead, earned repeat mentions for refusing to upsell bigger systems than needed. One reviewer followed up four times for a quote and never heard back, so if you're shopping around casually, you may hit a wall. (Apparently they only return calls from people ready to commit money, which is bold.) But if you're past the research phase and want an installer who'll replace broken roof tiles without charging extra, they're worth the premium.
If you have an older tile roof or want panels somewhere unconventional, Independent Energy Solutions will take on jobs other companies turn down. Expect thorough project management and no pressure to oversize your system, but don't expect quick responses until you're ready to sign.
Reviews That Shaped Our Verdict
Samantha E. was comparing several companies for a residential solar installation and chose IES partly because of its strong Yelp ratings. She spent several weeks trying to get a basic price estimate. Each time she called and provided all the necessary information, staff promised to pass it on and follow up — but no one ever did. Over the course of a few weeks she phoned back four times, even offering to accept a remote quote if an on-site visit wasn’t possible, and she emphasized that she was about to make a hiring decision and wanted IES included. In the end she never received the quote and felt ignored during the sales process. She left two stars because she couldn’t judge the installation or aftercare, but the standout issue was the sales unresponsiveness: despite being ready to move forward, she was effectively shut out before a single estimate arrived.
After a year of comparing installers, Clay settled on this company and trusted them to spend about a week at his house installing the system. He worked with Chris, a salesperson who brought clear knowledge and flexible financing that made the purchase easy, and Ben Jones ran the project on site—professional, meticulous, and consistently left the job clean at the end of each day. A couple of early Wi‑Fi glitches cropped up but the crew responded immediately and resolved them. Over almost two years the array has produced more than the original estimate. The only real complaint came during contract negotiations, when some math and communication errors appeared; the team corrected those issues quickly and courteously. What stuck with him: simple financing, a tidy, detail‑oriented installation from Ben, and a system that outperformed expectations—enough to earn four stars rather than five.
After a year of comparing installers, Michelle B. chose IES for a residential solar system on her older tile-roof home and discovered it was worth the wait. She found everyone — from the owner to the installation crew — cooperative and knowledgeable, and the company secured competitive financing while handling the federal rebate and loan paperwork for her. They worked with her to design a system that prioritized aesthetics: she wanted panels on the back of the house, and the rep patiently walked her through the pros and cons of that versus a more typical south-facing front roof. Other companies wouldn’t bother with creative solutions, but she felt no pressure to upsize the system and received clear, helpful guidance so the choices matched her needs. The installation team arrived on time, stayed friendly, cleaned up afterward, and tackled a difficult tile roof without complaint. Several tiles were broken during the work, but the crew replaced them without extra cost — a detail that stood out because one competitor had outright refused the job because of the tiles. What lingered with her was how IES handled the tricky logistics — financing, rebate paperwork, an unconventional panel位置
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 91
Clean Record
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 12 years
Operating longer than most installers in the market.
BBB Rating: NR
Poor BBB standing. Significant complaints.
Review Patterns
Contractor License
License information could not be confirmed.
What You Can Expect
After a year of comparing installers, Clay settled on this company and trusted them to spend about a week at his house installing the system. He worked with Chris, a salesperson who brought clear knowledge and flexible financing that made the purchase easy, and Ben Jones ran the project on site—professional, meticulous, and consistently left the job clean at the end of each day. A couple of early Wi‑Fi glitches cropped up but the crew responded immediately and resolved them. Over almost two years the array has produced more than the original estimate. The only real complaint came during contract negotiations, when some math and communication errors appeared; the team corrected those issues quickly and courteously. What stuck with him: simple financing, a tidy, detail‑oriented installation from Ben, and a system that outperformed expectations—enough to earn four stars rather than five.
Steven J. experienced an inverter failure on his existing rooftop solar system and found other companies pushing a full-system replacement. He turned to IES, and they identified the inverter as the actual problem and replaced it instead of selling an unnecessary new array — a much more reasonable, cost-saving fix. Joseph smoothed the process from the start, and Will completed the installation with clear knowledge and professional workmanship. He left with a working system after a targeted repair, and what stuck with him was that IES chose the straightforward inverter replacement over an expensive upsell.
A H. shopped around — gathered five quotes and talked to friends with solar — and chose IES after a meeting with Chris Remsen. They ended up with a professionally managed install led by Benjamin Jones and his crew, who handled the work cleanly and stayed available to answer questions throughout the process. Rather than dealing with pushy door-to-door salespeople, they appreciated the straightforward approach, and they love the company’s app that shows day-to-day and month-to-month solar production. The panels are already trimming the electric bill, and the fact that the City of Carlsbad selected IES for the new Alga Norte community park reinforced the company’s credibility. What sticks with them now is opening the app each morning to watch kilowatt-hours rack up and see the real dollars those numbers shave off the bill.