South Coast Solar LLC - Profile & Reviews

What a wonderful Christmas present we received from South Coast Solar! My wife and I decided a couple months ago that we wanted to reduce our monthly bills and the timing was right to go solar. I spent numerous hours online gathering information about solar and then decided to use an internet resource called EnergySage to assist in finding the best solar options for us. It was really quite simple, all I had to do was tell EnergySage how much electricity we were using annually by uploading my most recent electricity bill to them. I simply scanned the bill and submitted it to them via their website. On the EnergySage website I was also able to read extensive information about the many paths available to go solar, then wait until EnergySage contacted multiple solar vendors with my information and the vendors to get in touch with me. One of the first vendors to contact me was South Coast Solar, a master dealer of SunPower solar equipment. I worked with Grant Sheffer to determine the best and most cost effective solar solution for us. Grant was extremely knowledgeable and proved he was interested in doing the best for us by answering every question I raised. Grant would make a great teacher as he never resisted answering any question and never made me feel like I was ignorant about solar. He literally spent hours working one on one with me. He really surprised me when I asked if it would be OK to submit his plans and quote to other solar dealers to see if they could compete with the prices quoted and he agreed it was a good idea as he wanted me to get the best deal possible for us.

Interestingly, in communicating with other solar vendors, I found their salespeople were unable to answer questions I raised with Grant, and when they did provide answers different from those Grant supplied I did additional research only to find Grant was spot on with all his answers. No other vendor offered me a quote on the same setup with a better price, despite the fact that they didn’t need to do the work of configuring the system, just quote me a price. In fact, the closest price quote I received from the other vendors was nearly 10% higher.

But my work still wasn’t done as I then researched customer reviews for South Coast Solar and the competitors who were the closest in price as I was willing to spend an additional $2,000 to go with the vendor with the best reviews. Not surprisingly, based on reviews I found online, South Coast Solar not only had the best price, but also garnered the best reviews from their customers. I didn’t find one bad review for South Coast Solar so I decided to have them supply and install the solar system as specified.

We did wait a while for the installation to begin but that was due to the fact my county was slow in approving the permits required for the installation. Finally, the workmen showed up for the installation. The installer guys were extremely friendly and were also willing to answer any additional questions I raised. In less than 24 hours the solar panels and associated electronic equipment were installed and the property was cleaned up, I was pleased to see the installers also used appropriate safety equipment during the installation as my roof has a substantial slope to it and I am always afraid when anyone gets on the roof that they may fall off! At the completion of the installation the equipment was tested and shown to be in proper working order. I am still waiting for the county to inspect the installation and for the local electric company to replace my electric meter, but when that is done I will be pushing power back to the electric grid during daylight hours and only drawing power when the sun is down.

South Coast Solar with SunPower also has the best warranty on the market and a guarantee that the panels will produce as much electricity as quoted or they will pay me double the cost of any electricity not produced. Only Master Dealers with SunPower provide that guarantee!

A big thank you to Grant Sheffer, Scott Oman, and the installation crew for helping me move to solar as seamlessly as possible!

They did the work in one day and the charger wheels as advertised. Their prices seem reasonable and the technician was knowledgeable and interesting.

I chose South Coast Solar from Columbia, SC because of the knowledge that Grant Scheffer shared with me during our consultation. Grant never tried to force me to accept any sales pitch. I was immediately impressed that Grant walked down the outside of my house to verify any shading; he looked in the attic to ensure the structure could support the panels and electrical wiring could be installed and looked at my outside electrical boxes. Grant told me about the cash rebate that the panel company was offering. Grant offered state laws and information that help you to understand that is process is taken very serious by the electrical companies and the government. There is a lot of paper work involved in this process, along with engineering drawing. Columbia is only 50 miles (1-hour drive) from me so they are closer to get to me if I need repairs or equipment upgrade. I had two other quotes also. Grant had the same 310-volt panels as the other two sales reps from Charleston, SC and they were asking $35,000 for the same brand panels with no cash rebate. South Coast Solar had the same panels for $24,000 with the end of the year cash rebate from the solar panel company. The other two Charleston based companies were so overpriced. I asked Grant is there other voltage of panels about any other panel and he said yes. There was a 410-volt panel for about $3,000 more. I wanted a quote for those panels and those are the panels I chose.
South Coast Solar offered a 25-year warranty on the solar panels and the labor. Other companies did not. The Better Business Bureau had the company listed with a very good rating and any complaints were resolved. (No business is perfect and as long as your customer service can work to appeal the customer, I can work with that.)
South Coast Solar from Columbia, SC sent three installers, Stevie, Bennett, Chris and Steve to my house on Feb. 28, 2020 to install my 9.02kw system, 22 SunPower 410AC modules with SunPower monitoring. These four young men did an excellent job. They involved me in the entire process and explained everything to me as they installed various components and equipment. I received a really good education on solar panels. These young men were very polite and respectful. They never deviated from the engineering drawing even when I told them I approved of relocating a few solar panels to the other end of the house on the back. These young men take this process serious and they work by the laws that keep them safe and employed. I was truly impressed that another Master Electrician, Steve, showed up around 12:30pm to verify and ensure the work of the electrician and his wiring was in code and correct.

Suggestions for improvement – always have more than one price quote to a consultation. People are on fixed budget so have a price range from a low price to the best quality price. Some people like low and some like the latest and greatest in technology. This is a win-win for everyone. I had to ask was there any different panels and I went with the higher grade panels but I needed way less of them.

South Coast Solar is hitting on all cylinders! Their sales representative met with us personally and followed up promptly with a comprehensive system design and competitively priced proposal. (We got three other proposals before selecting South Coast Solar.)

The installation team worked carefully and safely, following the system plan to a "T". We've suffered no roof leaks and our system has generated power at promised levels, even during the cloudy winter months. Our utility bills averaged just $80 per month for November/December versus $191 last year.

The one system glitch we encountered was once-a-month interruptions in our system reporting. Our system continued to produce power, but our on-line system reports would suddenly stop even when our router was functioning. South Coast Solar's technical representative called within an hour of my reporting the problem, and was quickly able to explain and resolve the problem.

Bottom line: We're delighted with our South Coast Solar system.

My SunPower experience has been delightful and enlightening. They have been totally professional and honest with me from the first meeting. Charro and Scott have been more like mentors and friends than sales folks. Their honesty and professionalism has been like a breath of fresh air in today's world of hustlers and cons. I have been interested in solar power for some time, but have been waiting for the technology to get to the point I thought it was worth the investment. Well, with my Tesla Power Wall and solar panels I can say that my wait was worth it! We live in a rural setting and power loss happens far too often. My Tesla wall and solar panels have kept us up and running without a hitch. My power bill is lower than I expected and during the summer I'm selling power back to the power company-NICE! As I said, Charro is amazing how energetic she is to find the answers to my solar power questions. She overcame every little obstacle (there weren't many) and basically handled everything. Scott is an incredible engineer, not just for the electrical panels and all that technical stuff, but how he can make everything come together flawlessly. If you are lucky enough to chat with him, he's really a bit of renaissance man. Very interesting fellow. His crew was courteous and professional. Cleaned up as they went, and are really good at what they do. I wish SunPower did more than solar panels because I'd use them for any project I had-they are just that good!

South Coast Solar installed a Tesla Powerwall battery backup system and a Tesla EV charger for us. They also installed an additional solar panel to our existing solar array. They were very professional and the quality of their work is exceptional. Scott Oman is the most knowledgeable person I have met in the solar industry. Our powerwall installation requirements were unique due to having two 200 amp breaker boxes. Scott proposed an innovative solution that allowed us to power all circuits from the powerwalls. I had contacted 2 other installers who obviously did not understand the uniqueness of the installation. The logistics of the powerwall and tesla charger installations were very challenging. Mitch went well past the call of duty to complete the installation. His tenacity and determination to overcome several unusual obstacles was exceptional.
Weeks after the installation, we had a minor problem with the information displayed on the Tesla app. Scott returned to diagnose the problem. He spent almost an hour on the phone with a Tesla technician/engineer to resolve the problem. This is indicative of their support after installation.

Our panels were installed more than two years ago. The service at that time was first rate. We recently had a problem with our monitoring system after a storm. The response was prompt and Max was very patient in working through the issue with me by phone and was able to walk me through solution to the problem. His quick diagnosis and ability to communicate in language I could understand got us back online within an hour. It is very reassuring to know they continue to provide excellent service after installation.

Our system was prfessionally installed .Couldn't have been easier. All the permits and phone calls were done for me. No problems at all. I would like to thank Charro Hanahan,Kathy Thoulion,Mitchell Jefferson and the whole crew who worked at my house for the great job.

These guys have really great customer service. I spoke with 3 different people at the company over the course of 2 weeks and they were all knowledgeable, intelligent and professional. Such a rare thing these days. And they were able to fast track getting my wall charger in. Great job!

I'm am a VERY happy customer and I get happier everyday!!!!

Okay, so I'm not big on leaving reviews, but I know people out there are still on the fence about solar, and how it works, and how it's installed, etc...so here's my experience, I'll attempt to be as brief as possible.

Firstly, I had been researching solar and it's costs and potential and quality for 8 years, I'm a 40-year-old dad with a family of 4, with an 1800 sqft home in the suburbs of New Orleans, and I had a dream to create a home that runs on Clean energy. Turns out it was no problem!!! I purchased a beautiful home that had not been updated since the 70's and it had window units for AC. I had the whole home foam insulated and added a low energy use 4 zone mini-split HVAC system from Daikin. I also went with appliances with good energy star ratings but note these are all things from Home Depot or Lowes.

I knew to have round the clock clean power I would need both the Solar Panels and the Battery, and if I had the battery I would also have back-up power in a grid power loss situation, which are not irregular in the New Orleans area. From my years of research I knew that Sun Power Panels and Tesla POWERWALL were the best of both technologies. I do not have the largest roof surface, and I know Sun Power panels gave some of the most power generation per panel, and are the most robust. That's what led me to South Coast Solar and their CTO Scott Oman. I left a message expressing my interest in solar on the South Coast Solar website and within the our I was on the phone with Scott, and he was sitting with me at my table the next day with satellite picture of my home, and several schematics of solar potential that he was able to calculate using other satellite imaging...Friggin' Awesome!!!! We discussed a lot of options for types of systems, longevity, schedules, electrical offset, cost etc.
...And Scott is so chill and knowledgeable, it was a complete no pressure meeting, super educational and fun.

Needless to say...we got the ball rolling, some techs came out to measure the roof, and the parts were ordered. I went with a 4.7 Kw panel system and the Tesla Powerwall 2AC (13.5Kwh storage.) To keep the labor costs down I agreed to wait for both the panels and the Powerwall to arrive. Sun Power can ship their panels right away, but this was right when Tesla was getting their new delivery system online so we waited about 40 days for the Powerwall, but now Tesla is delivering their product much faster. The whole system was installed in a day and a half, and it would have gone up in just one long day if it hadn't rained the first day around 2p (don't want to be on a roof with lightning around.) 5 fantastic technicians were involved with my install in addition to Scott Oman the CTO. Two polite and incredibly knowledgeable electricians named Mike and Jared, who where great on-site problem solvers, and were kind enough to indulge my curiosity as the install progressed. Then there was the panel team who remind you of both mountain climbers and spelunkers, the crew chief was Bo (awesome sense of humor) and his co-installers Charles & Dylan. These guys were working hard on ladders and the roof with full safety gear in the hot sun so I was diligent to say out of their way, but I couldn't help but notice the excellent communication between them, and their full awareness of the specifics of the work in front of them.

The install was followed by 2 inspections (electrical & city) & the re-programming of my utility meter, none of which I was present for. My system has been up and running for 6 weeks and has been flawless. I am able to track it's operations via the Tesla AP on my phone, through my Sun Power account, and with a 10 year labor warranty I know South Coast Solar has a portal to check the status of my system from their office and let me know if anything is out of sorts.

The TESLA POWERWALL has an awesome STORMWATCH function that I already used when Tropical Storm Barry brushed up against us in July. The system is hooked up to the National Weather Service and if there is any serious weather approaching my zipcode the powerwall automatically switches to stormwatch mode and force fills the batter from the grid and locks it to only be used in case of a power outage. I watched it do this and it was super cool. And yes we lost power in the storm (or I should say my neighbors did) my family and I never lost power thanks to POWERWALL.

I always loved a sunrise, but now there is a secondary thrill to seeing the glow of early morning light through my window shades. Thank You South Coast Solar for being the best and using the best in solar and storage.

South Coast Solar installed my first PV array of 14 panels ten years ago. When that job was about halfway completed, the sales rep noted that I had a larger roof area facing almost due east that could hold a lot more panels, with only a 9% loss in efficiency due to orientation. I used my tax credits to make a down payment on a second array of 30 panels. The lower electricity bills over the past decade have been a big relief.

I paid a deposit to reserve a Tesla Powerwall over a couple of years ago. Another solar company that also dabbles in roofing (or vice versa) was provided as a contact when the Powerwalls became available in my area. I called and had to stay home one day for an appointment so that a rep could come out to see my existing PV setup. The guy that came out really did not seem to know what he was doing, had to have everything shown and explained to him, then made me wait weeks before contacting me to say that they could not provide a quote because they were waiting on Tesla. At that point, I decided to call SCS since they already knew what I had. Scott quickly diagnosed that I needed two Powerwalls due to the large output of my PV panels, noted the substantial discount Tesla gives for additional units, and gave me a quote. The preliminary site visit to determine placement of the Powerwalls was done at my convenience. They were very accommodating to install the Powerwalls freestanding in my alley, since there was little free space left on the exterior wall of my house.

I did follow-up with the initial company interested in the job and learned that their sales rep was fired because of his lack of follow-through on jobs. You would think that somebody else would pick up his workload. The quote I eventually pried out of them was many thousands of dollars more than SCS, plus they never realized the overload problem with just a single Powerwall. I got another quote just to have a third one from another major player. That sales rep tried to pressure me into signing a contract on the spot by offering a $1000 discount, even though the "discounted" quote was again thousands of dollars more than SCS. I was also misinformed that I would have to add four additional PV panels to qualify for the federal tax credit. When I responded that I did not want to add anymore PV panels to another plane of my roof, and would find a company that would install the Powerwalls with just my existing PV plant or not add battery backup at all, then they decided that the extra PV panels were not necessary. The new quote for just the Powerwalls was still outrageous.

I cannot recommend South Coast Solar highly enough. Everybody on their team is willing to work with you to give you what you want. Every decision point that was reached through the installation process was brought to my attention, and I got to make the call. The finished installation was much cleaner than I expected. Finally, they activated the system before final inspection because Hurricane Barry was bearing down on us. When the inspectors came out the following week, everything passed.

What can't be said about this company. They are absolutely AMAZING!!!! From start to finish this was an excellent experience. I was a little hesitant to add anything else solar after I had an absolute nightmare with Blue Raven Solar but am I glad I found these guys. After spending almost two days trying to fix all the problems Blue Raven left in the wiring of the strings they perfectly administered their knowledge into my new system and left it looking and running to my full satisfaction, never leaving any stone or my concerns unturned. I would like to thank all of those involved from my sales rep, Grant in Charleston, SC, who was extremely knowledgeable, worked diligently with me through the pain staking agony I had to deal with from Blue Raven Solars incompetent rear ends, and how about this......actually found me better and almost $8,000 cheaper then the original quote equipment for my house. I mean really people, how many sales reps do you know of that would do something like that after you've already agreed to pay a set amount. One that cares about his customers and their pockets and not just lining his with more. I would also like to thank Beau, Mitchell, and Stevie for all of their knowledge, determination, hard work, and excellent customer service throughout this process. When spending two days alone trying to troubleshoot and fix another companies screw ups and not having a bit of a chip on your shoulders, I not only highly appreciate that but deeply respect and yearn to be more like that myself. I forgot to mention that as my luck would have it, I think it runs in my families bloodline lol, I received a lemon inverter that they patiently troubleshot and then told the manufacturer they wouldn't settle for anything less than for it to be expedited overnight bc they knew how frustrated I was from my last solar experience with Blue Raven Solar. This whole experience made up for the last one and helped to mend my wounds a little. After the completion of that then it was time for the Tesla Powerwall 2 to be installed. Let me just tell you people, if you've never heard of or are thinking of getting one, do it......they're worth every penny. Take it from someone who's electric company only pays them back 45% of every KW pushed back to the grid from MY OVERPRODUCTION!!!! Not to mention the app allowed me to catch them trying to charge me almost DOUBLE the KWs used in one friggin day. When it was time for these to be installed I had the owner's themself show up all the way from Louisiana. Thats dedication.....to show up to a customers house bc you're a little behind schedule and don't want to make your well paying customer wait for another week or two. I tip my hat to Scott and Robert for that and here's another mind blower, they opted to stay and finish installing this when it was pouring rain the entire day they were here. I did electrical work for several years myself and I wouldn't want to be standing in the rain and messing with electricity even if the power is supposed to be disconnected by the power company. Takes guts and determination to do this. All bc they wanted to leave me happy as well as not wanting to make me have to disconnect from the grid again and cause me to be uncomfortable in my own house during some scorching hot weather. Any of you near Charleston SC know exactly what I'm speaking of lol. After roughly close to a full days worth of work they competed it and had me self powering my entire home through the night. As I stated in the beginning, I was hesitant to even want to do more solar after the nightmare Blue Raven left me but South Coast Solar fixed that and then some. So much in fact I ended up buying a 2nd Powerwall from them bc I'd rather have a little on standby in the event of a power outage. If you've ever lived in a hurricane or any other natural disaster then you know the inconvenience it is to go 3 to 4 weeks without power. It SUCKS!!!! I don't have to worry about that thanks to them any longer. This company can and will take care of you from all different angles. For those of you that have read this, you're missing out on a wonderful company (as I stated earlier) from START to FINISH if you pass them by. Take it from this 110% completely satisfied customer. They will take care you!!!! You won't regret it using them!!!!

Very nice people. They know what they are doing. They are really there to help you. If you want solar power go to South Coast Solar

Michael and Jared were very professional. Did a great job!

Contacted Max at south coast solar and the customer service was above and beyond. He not only answered questions knowledgeably but also came out to look over the system. Very impressed and grateful.

2nd time they've done a job for me - both times very good service. Workers appear to be very knowledgeable about their job, don't waste time. This time I'd say they went beyond the call of duty. 2 days after they left, I sat in my attic to check for leakage - none. Fair pricing, polite folks, good work. What else can I say?

The South Coast Solar technicians were extremely knowledgeable and professional, took care of the issue and cleaned up really well after completing the job.
Within a few hours after I contacted South Coast Solar I was able to get a quick response and schedule service within a day of my initial contact.

Very please with the solar panels, all personals representing South Coast Solar
were all very professional at there work.

Have had my panels for several years without a single complaint. Customer service is exemplary!

Everyone with South Coast Solar has been awesome to deal with from the sales rep (Tommy Dawson) who walked us through the entire process and explained everything to the support team in New Orleans (Max and crew). Ashley was on top of everything and was crucial in us getting the system started up in time for the tax incentives. She was truly awesome to work with. Beau and the installation crew were very professional and thorough. Our system looks great compared to other competitive companies and has been in operation for a little over 2 months. I'm glad that we went solar and we used South Coast Solar to do it!!!

Excellent company, products, installation, and coordination. Best warranty. Low pressure sales and very knowledgeable people all the way down the line. Always willing to help and professional. Would recommend without any hesitation.

All the staff that I dealt with were very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Installation was completed quickly, neat, and ahead of schedule. The specification on the products also were some of the best that I found.

The professionalism of the personnel, in sales (Robert Suggs), administrative (Ashely Shuler) and installers (all of them!) was spot on! Robert took us through all the detail we wanted on panel types, recommendations, how many panels 'made sense', etc. He took his time to personally come out to discuss with us. Ashley was excellent at following up with us when we had questions as well. The installers were very thorough and had things up and running quickly. The follow through on the install was also impressive - getting everything certified and done in-time to take advantage of the tax incentives this year. Truly appreciate such a great experience!

South Coast Solar, led by Scott Oman, did a great job for us getting our solar panels installed. Scott met with us at home, went through all of the options (6 of them), helped us obtain HOA approval and ensured the installation went smooth and efficient. Beau and the install team were competent, professional, protective of our house and considerate of our schedules. They did a great job installing, connecting, cleaning up and explaining the whole system to us. We are totally satisfied and would recommend them to anyone else interested in having PV panels put on their house.