NorthStar Solar reviews
• last updated FEB 26, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
NorthStar delivers the trifecta that most solar shoppers struggle to find: competitive pricing, in-house crews, and follow-through that lasts long after installation. One homeowner watched the team return hours after quitting time, unprompted, to weatherproof the job site before a forecasted storm. Another had a string failure a year later and got a tech onsite within days, no runaround with a warranty call center. We found 122 mentions of seamless project execution, and 114 reviewers singled out installation quality, including roof-to-solar coordination that prevents the hand-off disasters common when separate contractors pass the buck. The crew color-matched all conduit runs to siding, replaced cracked roof tiles mid-job at no charge, and left worksites clean enough that one architect now recommends them to clients. Communication does lag between contract signing and project kickoff (one buyer waited three months for a start date after winter backlog), but once work begins, responsiveness is tight. If you want an installer who'll chase down an inverter fault a year later instead of ghosting you, NorthStar earns the slight wait.
If you need roofing and solar handled by one crew, or you've heard horror stories about installers vanishing post-sale, NorthStar is worth the premium over the lowest quote. You're paying for in-house teams and a local office that picks up the phone.
Reviews That Shaped Our Verdict
Michael P. checked in a year after his system went live when one of the strings stopped producing. He reached out to Northstar and Jason and his team jumped on it — they sent a tech to inspect, coordinated back-and-forth with Tesla, re-ran some lines, and had the system back up very quickly. He liked having a local company that actually answers and handles the vendor coordination for you; the speedy, hands-on response from Jason’s crew was the standout. The clear takeaway is that any post‑install hiccup was resolved fast because Northstar moved quickly to diagnose and restore production.
Jay S. hired NorthStar Solar to handle a full turnkey installation at his Danville home in the middle of the COVID pandemic, picking a locally owned team that manages everything from system design and permitting through installation and ongoing service. He found Ryan, the company president, highly engaged and responsive, and the rest of the leadership team to be dedicated experts who run the whole hardware, software and service stack. During the install they discovered a preexisting electrical problem with his main panel that almost prompted PG&E to red‑tag the house—an outcome that would have forced a temporary move-out. NorthStar jumped in, worked around the clock, and implemented a safe, fair fix within two days instead of letting the issue drag on for weeks or passing huge costs along to him. That rapid, accountable response turned him into a big fan. After moving, he hired NorthStar again for a major installation at his Diablo home last fall and walked away with another five-star experience. He has since referred many friends, most of whom have their own positive stories. The detail that stands out most: the crew took ownership of an unexpected safety problem and resolved it—迅
Eric H. spent years meeting with solar companies before committing, finally hiring Northstar to replace his roof, put panels on it, and install the inverter and backup battery in the garage. He had grown wary of high-pressure sales pitches and wildly inflated roof estimates—some solar firms quoted roofing prices 2.5 times what local roofers charged—so he appreciated that his first call with Ryan over Zoom felt different: Ryan patiently walked through options, answered every question, and returned a written estimate that included a roof replacement priced in line with independent roofers and solar equipment costs that matched or beat the lowest bids Eric had received. After signing, the steady communication kept coming. Ryan and Dani fielded a steady stream of questions quickly, and the crews matched that professionalism in the field. The roof team arrived on time each day, worked efficiently, and left the yard clean; when a forecasted wind-and-rain event looked like it might cause problems, the crew came back a few hours after they had already left to secure the work and prevent any leaks. The roof finished on schedule and was ready for the solar installation team. The solarers
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How We Got To Trust Score 92
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Serving customers for 8 years
BBB Rating: B-
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Reviews were posted naturally over time.
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What You Can Expect
Eric K. went solar a little over a year ago and watched the crew hustle to get all the paperwork submitted before the NEM2 deadline during an especially busy period — he appreciated that the company hit that cutoff. He ended up with a professional installation and found the office staff very helpful. He had asked to upsize the system to cover future needs like electric vehicle charging, but salesperson Sean leaned on prior billing history and the original, smaller design stayed in place; worried about missing the deadline, he didn’t push to change it. At the first-year true-up he faced a bill even though his usage hadn’t climbed much. Then, after adding a small plug‑and‑play hot tub last month, his true-up shot up roughly $200 in a single month — he accepts the hot tub isn’t efficient, but it made clear why he wanted a larger array. His takeaway: if you plan to add EV charging or other new loads, insist on extra panels during design rather than risking a costly true-up later.
Waqar H. found himself racing to get into California’s NEM2 program in April 2023 with only days left before the cutoff; while other solar firms wouldn’t guarantee they could file in time, Northstar Solar stepped in and secured the application, a move that immediately showed strong planning and follow-through. He then had the system installed in 2024, and Northstar completed the job efficiently, kept communication clear throughout, and handled all the panels and peripheral equipment without hiccups. He worked with Sean Rodrigues (510.862.7404) to size the system, and the standout detail from the whole experience was that Northstar not only met the NEM2 deadline when others wouldn’t, but also delivered a smooth, well-managed installation afterward.
P found NorthStar easy and pleasant to work with when arranging a solar installation. They appreciated that the team avoided steering customers to a single panel brand and instead walked them through the available options so they could choose. A year after installation the system has operated without problems, and they remain very happy with the result. The detail that stuck with them was the unbiased, no‑pressure approach to panel selection — that’s what made the difference.