Sopris Solar

Sopris Solar is great...until they receive your money. Then you can forget ever getting in touch with anyone. They have never fulfilled the contract and installed the critter guards on my system. After a year I now have 2 panels not working and no one will call me back. I've tried calling daily (for 4months) then weekly for over 6months. I have been trying for over a year to get someone to call me back. Plus I have a hole in my wall where they tapped into my electric panel that they never fixed. I could write a book with all the things wrong before and during install, but right now I just want what is owed and my panels fixed

I would like to start this off by wishing I could take back time and never use this company. To begin I just received my building permit for this project and the panels have been installed and running for about 1 year at minimum. I have tried getting in touch with this company multiple times and using the main number which says it's disconnected along with all the other numbers that I was given during this project. I was promised that I wouldn't have an energy bill and if I did to contact them and they would re-evaluate the panels and the production and if more panels were needed they could get them installed. Starting in may a guy by the name of Cade *** emailed my wife about adding in battery and it's on behalf of Sopris while at the end of the email he has a signature and address for Emporia Energy. Why do I bring this up well when I was getting the estimate and talking with a sales rep from Sopris I was told they installed my neighbor's panels and I later found that to be incorrect and a lie but it was too late to get back out as the panels had been installed. We had an issue when it came to turning the panels on with Xcel which we were able to get sorted out but the fact that the company I paid money to didn't have an idea what needed to be present for the switch on blew my mind and took 2 weeks to get sorted out and it was a sticker and some metal tag. I don't know who or were this company is but the fact they don't answer phone calls and I have no clue how to have panels add and or service is frustrating. I have a loan that Im paying but I need the extra panels added and or a company that can help me out because this company is worthless.

Sopris Solar collected $10,773.10 from us when we signed our contract for a 15kW residential solar installation on November 21, 2019. They collected an additional $24, 320.00 on December 22, 2019, stating that this additional advanced payment was necessary to ensure installation before the end of 2019 when the tax credit for home solar would be reduced.
Section 5.6 of our contract states, "Seller does not guarantee a time of completion but guarantees standard installation time for completion withing 3-months of contract signing."
Furthermore, Section 5.9 of the contract states "Seller (Sopris Solar) shall submit all necessary documentation to Xcel Energy for the purpose of applying for interconnection and net metering applications."
It has now been over 6 months since we signed the contract and Sopris Solar has still failed to provide verification that the system has been approved by Xcel and has not delivered or installed any equipment.
We began asking to terminate the contract and receive a full refund back on March 3, 2020 – eleven days after the end of the contract period. In an email dated March 19, 2020, Nathan Billmaier states "We need to be transparent here in that we are not in a position to refund all of your money right now." Ten weeks later, we still haven’t received a dime.
Fearing that our funds were unrecoverable, we have made several further attempts to achieve a completed, commissionable system. We are contracted for a larger than usual system – 15kW as compared to a more average 5kW system. As with most residential solar systems, the design of this system requires that it be attached to the Xcel power grid in order to function. It can only be attached to this grid with Xcel’s permission. We have refused to let Sopris Solar begin any installation until they have approval from Xcel for the system, lest we end up with a pile of useless junk poking holes through our roof. Sopris has asserted numerous times that this approval takes approximately 2 weeks. 6 months later, we still have not received verification of Xcel’s approval. In most of their correspondence, Sopris lays the blame for the lack of Xcel approval on our electrician for failing to supply them with a HERS report - a stamped engineer's report that states that the system size is warranted. Nowhere in our contract with Sopris does it say that our electrician is responsible for providing this report. Per section 5.9 of the contract copied above, all documents needed to apply for interconnection are the responsibility of Sopris Solar. When questioned about this, Sopris sent screen shots of an online application to Xcel applying for the approval that was filed in March - weeks after our contract expired. We had these screen shots reviewed by an Xcel engineer and were told that they looked like an application only and gave no proof of approval.
Recently, Sopris Solar also made claims that COVID19 has delayed the installation. Our contract deadline for installment was February 21, 2020 - a full month before COVID restrictions went into place in the US. Furthermore, all our other contractors have been working, with precautions, throughout COVID and have met all their deadlines.
We believe that Sopris Solar promised that they could secure permission from Xcel for a 15kW system that they never had any means of getting approved, and collected over $35K from us based on this assertion. Their only incurred expense for us so far is a $350 building permit. They then took the rest of the $35,091.10 they were paid to purchase the materials for our system and spent it elsewhere.

Sopris Solar installed my solar panels. Lots of problems, late installation, and misappropriated funds. We resolved most of that, although two of the panels never worked. I needed to have the panels taken down so that I could replace my roof. The contractor I found discovered that Sopris had mis-installed the inverters, stripping wires and voiding their warranties. They documented all of this with pictures and narrative. The cost to fix this issue is $2,317.90. I forwarded this documentation to Sopris, but no response.

We had work done by this company in may of 2019 And we have had a lean put against our home I have paid everything and full and they never pay their contract company. N the owner refuses to return phone calls our work with anybody to get this result.

We are requesting a refund of our down payment of $6.988.78. Sopris Solar owners continue to lie to us about install and it has been well over 12 weeks with nothing. When we signed the contract 11/25/19 we were told it would be up and running by the 1st of March. We started to worry when nothing but them taking our money and telling us that they would now order the product and have it delivered. In January we went back on Solar Review, Yelp and the Revdex.com and regret every dime we have given them. We stated on the 17th of January to Scot that we will pay when everything was complete and up and running. After that they continue to call and ask for the money and that we should not worry. They stated that if it is money problems that they could get us a loan. They know darn well that we have the money. We feel they have breached the contract by not following through with delivery of product and install. We do not want Sopris Solar to step foot on our property due to how they have taken money from other customers and have left them hanging. We will drop seeking a lawyer if our money is returned. If not we will seek filling charges against them for being a fraudulent company and our $6,988.78 back.

Contracted with this company to provide Solar panels for the home. Have paid the company over 20K dollar for the work to be performed. The company over several months keep saying someone will be out to start the work and no one shows. I keep calling to get the work scheduled have been getting the run around. It’s been close to two months since I’ve paid for the installation and any materials that would be needed to do the job and no work is being done. I believe at this point the company is not going to perform the work they have been paid and contracted to do.

After not meeting my expectations and not being able to come to a mutual win-win solution or amicable exit, I chose to take them to court. In my case, the court ordered them to refund my full deposit plus collection costs plus interest (2019-07-12). I have since learned there are at least two other cases involving this company 2019cv33498 and 2019cv33648.
I did not receive a response to the demand letter for payment. Attempt to garnish the funds resulted in the bank denying the request due to "No Funds per Federal Exemption." No further explanation was made available to me. On 2019-12-06, they did finally respond with "you will be receiving a partial refund", which is not only unacceptable but clearly less than the court order. However, to date I have not seen a single penny of the amount owed me. I contacted the Colorado Attorney General's Office as indicated in the KOAA NEWS5 INVESTIGATES article on this company, but my individual case didn't fall within their jurisdiction.
If it were up to me, this company would have already lost its Revdex.com accreditation, be rated an F-, and its principals would be put on a Corporate Mafia watch list.
Apparently, the Revdex.com partially agreed with me. There was a short period around November 9-12, 2019, in which this company was listed on the Revdex.com site as "THIS BUSINESS IS NOT Revdex.com ACCREDITED" with a rating of "NR." However, by 2019-11-18, the Revdex.com had reinstated them to ACCREDITED/A+. Maybe the Revdex.com would like to share what happened here?
I have provided the Revdex.com details of my case with supporting evidence and detailed why I believe this company should have its accreditation revoked for cause and its rating adjusted to F based on the Revdex.com's published "Revdex.com Accreditation Standards," "Overview of Ratings," and "Standards for Trust."
Be sure to do a web search for "Linkedin Sopris Solar founder" and read the Attorney section, then search for the founder's name with "disbarred on consent, bringing contraband into a penal institution, possessing a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and possessing cannabis with intent to deliver" or "He made only $3,600 in return for destroying his career and his life." I wish I had seen this information prior to signing my contract.
NOTE: I tried to give zero stars, but the Revdex.com system forced me to give at least one.

Sopris solar has violated the contract I signed with them for panel installation in 7/2019 and failed to explain or respond to my repeated requests to complete the project without further delay. I do not trust their word and cannot allow them to continue this fradulent action.

In May, 2019 I paid Sopris Solar $7,688 to install solar panels on my house. To date, there has been no delivery or installation of these solar panels.

I previously filed a complaint with the Revdex.com. This was complaint number *** In response to this complaint, Sopris Solar instructed me on December 2, 2019 to contact Chris *** at (208) 283-4432. I did as instructed, and Mr. states that he cannot install the solar panels because Sopris Solar hasn't provided him with any solar panels or materials for installation.

Contracted for solar panel and system install. After installation, my wife and I discovered that the "Critter Guard" that www.soprissolar.com promised us as part of our contract wasn't installed. Leaving us to tend to a bird nesting situation under the solar panels, not to speak of the mess that birds are making.
I've tried reaching the company on a few occasions now with 1 response but no action taken. Honestly, as a customer, I didn't expect this type of customer service from Sopris Solar; as a matter of fact, I was told during and prior to contracting that everything will be taken care of if I ever needed any support or follow up. Disappointed to say the least!

FRAUDULENT.
Stay Away from Sopris. They have defrauded me of 10k and refuse to get back to me through multiple channels.
There are enough other companies with great reviews out there, why take a chance?
I decided to go with Sopris in March 2019 based on positive online reviews up to that point. The salesman (who has since left because he felt they were unethical) was positive and friendly and said they could get me rolling in a 10-12 week window.
I wrote them a check for 10k in advance and took a loan on the rest.
Then nothing. Every communication from that point on was initiated by me, not them. No project timeline or deadline/deliverables.
They finally told me that the city of Fort Collins was holding up the permit process. I believed them. Now, long after the fact I have discovered that Fort Collins never received a single piece of documentation from them till then end of June.
After reaching out to them with several days response time, I finally got a subcontractor at my house in late August for several days.
He abruptly quit after not being paid by Sopris for 4 different jobs and now (apparently) has a lien against Sopris for unpaid bills.
I wrote and called Sopris at that point to cancel our contract and asked for repayment of the remaining 10k.
Since then I’ve emailed/called/texted the president of Sopris, Nathan ***, and project manager Scott ***. weekly requesting to be compensated for the 10k down payment and had ZERO responses.
I’m told their ability to operate in Fort Collins has been revoked due to other homeowner’s similar experiences.
November 7th, a third-party PR firm got a hold of me to attempt to get me to give Sopris a chance and let them finish the job. After my firm but polite ‘no’, they have also failed to respond to attempts to reach them.
Sharing my horrid experience seems the only recourse left to me.
Nathan *** please feel free to finally contact me to resolve this.

I signed a contract in May 2018 ,The correct permits were not pulled and after several failed Inspection due to not having the correct permit pulled They finally agreed to pull the correct permit with me nagging Sopris to pull the correct permits.Then we failed inspection multiple times and the system finally passed inspection in November 2018. I request an EV charger be installed in the front of the garage and they proceed to install it at the opposite end of the garage. I requested them to correct this multiple times and finally gave up and hired another company to relocate the EV Charger. The new contractor found several issues with in the circuit breaker box that was upgraded by Sopris that needed to be fix. Stay the hell away from this company. I can say that since the system has be on it seems to work but for how long who knows.

Sopris Solar has failed to pay a sub-contractor who has now placed a mechanics lien against my property.

In May, I made a payment of $7,688 to Sopris Solar, to cover half the cost of having solar panels installed. Six months later, nothing has been installed. In August, an application to XCEL Energy was completed for Solar Rewards. Since then, no progress has been made. When I contact this company, I rarely receive a reply.

My name is juan *** and the last two days Allen *** worked on the solar panels on my house and im 100% satisfied with his work....mi nombré es Juan ***. y los 2 días pasados él señor Allen *** a trabajado en los paneles solares de mi casa y estoy 100% satisfecho con él trabajó

Absolutely PERFECT experience. I hired Sopris Solar to install a panel system on my home in Evergreen, CO and the entire process was seamless. The sales guys came out to meet me in Denver and answered all my questions and were very professional. (even bought me lunch!) The system looks great, the panels are working well and now I may have them install a system on my Denver home. Very happy with this business - glad I stayed local - highly recommended. The price on the panels was good too and was less than a national company that I contacted. These guys are good. Thank you Sopris Solar.

Shopped around for solar and talked to three different companies. Sopris was not the cheapest quote but the seemed the most competent and response time on emails and texts was the fastest so I chose them based on that and I really liked the sales guys. everything went smoothly and I have a 6kW system up on my home. The electrical took a little long, but nothing too big. I''m very happy with the service I received and the panels look great too (went with Solaria panels)

I have a home in Avon and my family (where I grew up) in Wolcott Eagle county used Sopris Solar for a few jobs so I chose this company based on their recommendation. Now I'm happy to recommend them to others. They did a lovely install on my home and the entire process was concise and to the point. I paid half of my install quote up front and they kept their promise at the price point of the original quote for our system. Everything is up and working as promised and I'm happy with our choice. I would definitely recommend this company for solar panel installation. Our house is medium sized.

Signed contract 05/06/19 with an estimated 2 month time to install. From May 05/14/19 to 07/17/19 I heard nothing from them. The salesman that originally sold me called me to poach me to another company stating that he was leaving Sopris because of poor management, and that they had not even submitted my building permit yet so it was legally OK for me to cancel the contract (he was right on both accounts). I called the Operations manager *** and was told that everything had been submitted and we were on track. I chose to believe him thinking that maybe it was a disgruntled employee, but that was not the case.

After weeks of getting the run around, with *** stating that contractors would be on site to install, I was finally fed up. I reached out to the building services department on 08/06/19 and they stated no permit had been submitted. I then emailed *** to cancel my contract as nothing had been submitted and I was within my legal right according to the contract that I could cancel as long as the job had not been commissioned, which it clearly had not since there was no building permit even submitted. The owner of the company ***, then reached out to me on 08/07/19 to tell me that they had a time stamped receipt for when they submitted the building permit months ago and that the electrician would come out the next day. The electrician did arrive the next day and installed a production meter (which I later found out is not required by the city and will not be inspected by them unless it is removed). I thought that for sure they would have to have a building permit in order to do that, so I thought we were back on track.

After a couple more weeks of them telling me that someone would be out that week or the next, I decided to reach out to the building department again. This time the building department told me there was a permit, but it was not submitted till 08/08/19, one day after *** the owner told me that the permit had been submitted months ago. I asked for the time stamped receipt from *** multiple times, which he did not provide. I also learned that they hadn't submitted the job to the utilities until 09/06/19. Both *** VP of Operations and *** Owner, repeatedly lied to me that the building permit had been submitted months ago, and kept lying when they found out it wasn't, by telling me they would install the next week or the one after that (I have the emails and texts saved). *** stated himself that he actually went to the building department himself to make sure it was submitted and he said "we are all good".

Technically, since the original email was for me to cancel the contract due to the job not being commissioned (referenced on page 13 section 12 of their contract), would have affected them financially, they are bordering on fraud for purposefully lying to me to prevent that. Not only have they lied continuously and not finished the job, but they installed a production meter, without a permit, that is not needed and will prevent the city utilities from inspecting and approving the system.

I am blown away that this company has an A+ rating here. Their business practices are highly unethical and their ability to run a business is compromised, if not a complete failure. When speaking with the Fort Collins Utilities and Building Services they stated that there were several other projects of Sopris Solar's that were in question as well and they were meeting with *** to ensure compliance.

The time an effort that I have put in to this is far beyond any reasonable expectation of a company with an A+ rating. I have given them many chances to make it right, complete the job, and admit their wrongdoing. That has not happened so I have no other choice but to seek resolution through the Revdex.com. Please feel free to reach out to me to get my direct correspondence with the company, which I have saved and will show their willingness to deceive their customers for their own financial gain.