West Coast Solar reviews
• last updated FEB 26, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
West Coast Solar's customer service has collapsed since their earlier years. Reviews from 2017-2020 describe prompt installations, responsive reps, and attentive follow-up. But newer reviews tell a different story: one homeowner waited three months just to get a response about underperforming panels, only to receive a four-word reply saying "your panels are working correctly" with no diagnostic report. Another customer fought for four months to fix a system that produced zero power because the crew used cheap HomeDepot wire instead of the manufacturer-spec cable. We found 40 reviews describing roof damage, bird-poop buildup from missing guards, or multi-month repair delays. The post-sale support score of 3.7 confirms what the stories show: once the installation crew leaves, you're mostly on your own. A handful of longtime customers still praise the workmanship, and the sales reps earn consistent praise for patience and technical knowledge. But the company's own CEO now tells frustrated warranty claimants to "get an attorney" rather than schedule a repair visit. If you need a solar installer who'll actually show up when something breaks, keep looking.
If you value a company that stands behind its work after the deposit clears, skip West Coast Solar. Their sales team will treat you well, but the moment you need warranty service or a repair callback, you'll join the growing list of customers left waiting for months.
Reviews That Shaped Our Verdict
Sonny Ayodele Idowu installed this company’s solar panels on his home in 2021 and had extra modules added to cover all of his electricity usage. He expected the system to eliminate annual true-ups, but instead saw a $600 true-up for 2022 and a $1,000 true-up the following year. Three months before writing, he asked the company to investigate why the balance had climbed; the only response he received was that the panels were "working correctly," with no diagnostic report or data to back that claim. He ended up with rising yearly charges and essentially no post-sale support—just a brief reassurance and no evidence—leaving the installation without the follow-up he had counted on.
Lynn Chen chose WCS for a residential solar-plus-battery install after a close friend recommended a persuasive local salesperson who matched a competitor’s price and promised a hands-on, local experience with no third parties or manufacturer hassles. That pitch won her and her husband over — but the personalized service never materialized. She watched the installation get pushed back repeatedly over almost three months, then hear that their job was lower priority and get shoved out another three weeks. Office staff spoke to her in a condescending way and implied she was getting "discounted" service. The crew mounted the batteries on the side of the house before the panels were up, and those batteries just sat there collecting dust for about a month. When the system finally went live, they were supposed to get a walkthrough of the monitoring app; a year later she still doesn’t know how to read it. The system underperformed compared with the promised output — instead of covering roughly 124% of their usage, it seemed closer to 75% — and Lynn kept paying Pacific Gas & Electric about $200 a month. After roughly two months of operation, automated error emails started arriving. She
Wayne Harrington bought a solar system for his Brentwood, CA home and discovered one panel malfunctioned while still covered by the installer’s 25-year warranty. He made repeated service requests by phone and email and watched them go unanswered; when he pushed for the repair, West Coast Solar tried to alter the original warranty language and insisted he agree to new terms before they would proceed, and ultimately told him to have an attorney contact their legal team. He felt stonewalled and bullied by management during that stretch, and grew frustrated by what he saw as a refusal to engage on the straightforward issue of a failing panel and a disputed service fee. After persistent follow-ups, he finally met with Aaron Bryant, CEO of West Coast Solar, and the two sat down to find common ground. That meeting led to action: West Coast Solar swapped the malfunctioning panel under the warranty. The fix arrived only after escalation to the company’s CEO, and while the replacement resolved the technical problem, he wished the process had been far simpler and the company’s service team more responsive from the start. Wayne walked away with a working panel and a sense that a direct, in
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 65
No Red Flags
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 14 years
Among the longest-standing installers in the market.
BBB Rating: B-
Mixed BBB standing. Some unresolved complaints.
Natural Review Patterns
Reviews were posted naturally over time.
Contractor License
License information could not be confirmed.
What You Can Expect
Lisa N. had a WCS solar system installed on her home ten years ago and was pleased with the original work. Recently she discovered an inverter had failed only after a surprisingly large energy true-up flagged the problem. For three weeks she has been trying to get the inverter replaced but has encountered slow, evasive responses and no technician scheduled to install a new unit. What started as a decade-old, well-installed array has turned into a frustrating fight for service — the installation held up, but the company's long-term customer care has not. The takeaway for buyers: installation quality may be solid, but expect pushback getting warranty service or a prompt replacement down the road.
Lisa S. has relied on West Coast Solar panels on her home for about eight years, and for most of that time they performed well. A couple of years ago she hit a snag that WCS addressed quickly, so the earlier repair left a good impression. This time, however, the system stopped working and she ran into radio silence: countless emails and phone calls went unanswered, and it felt as if the company had vanished. It took five weeks for the necessary part to be ordered and for a technician to arrive and install it. The tech himself was professional and competent — and clearly not to blame for the long outage — but appointments were cancelled or rescheduled by WCS three times during the wait. She walked away reassured by the hardware and the field technician’s skill, but still bothered by the five-week blackout and the company’s poor communication.
Alan H. discovered his tiled roof one year after a solar installation plastered with pigeon droppings. He hired a licensed roofing contractor to lift the roof tiles and clean the mess after realizing the panels had been fitted without proper bird guards. When he confronted the company’s general manager, Tommy Hernandez, Hernandez brushed him off with “take a hike.” He has since entered litigation over the cleanup and the company’s response.