Semper Solaris

Very happy with Semper Solaris. From the onset, they were knowledgeable and extremely professional. Several of the previous solar companies my wife and I dealt with were high-​pressure sales, with sales staff not able to answer basic questions when pressed. The Semper Solaris team was very informative. Kelly was very responsive and happily answered any questions we had, promptly and fully. The installation crew was always polite, professional, on time and neat and clean. I’ve seen other solar installations with panels that look to be haphazardly attached to the structure and unattractive conduit that stands out from a distance. The Semper Solaris team assured all of my eighteen SunPower 345 w panels were straight and true, and that the conduit needed was unobtrusive and painted to match my home. My wife and I were so impressed with this company we recommended them to her parents/​my in-​laws. They are even harder to please than we, and are equally as happy. I would certainly recommend Semper Solaris to anyone looking to install solar.

We had several estimates for solar. By far Bill Young with Semper Solaris was the most knowledgable. He was clearly here to educate us. There was no pressure. I had reviewed Semper Solaris on Unilocal and saw all the glowing 5 star reviews. We found the entire process extremely easy. They took care of everything. Installation was quick, clean and professional. When we received our first bill from Edison we had a few questions. Called Bill and he was at our door in 15 minutes to review the bill with us. That is service!

Pleased with the overall results with our solar panels. We bought ours cash and love the fact that we arent paying SCE anymore. The total process from them comming ito our home and explain the product and process from turning on the switch to start using Solar power was about 3 ½ months. Im assuming it took a bit since we contacted them Mid Sept and with the holidays and allin Nov Dec im sure that is why it took a bit longer than expected. It also deoends on YOUR CITYS turnarounds for permits. SCE was pretty fast about 1 week later after city approved it. We also had to wait for HOA approval about 3 weeks.
Everyone we came in contact with were very professional and answered our quesions almost immediatly via email. The fact that we got Veterans discount EVEN BETTER since both my husband and I served in the Marines. I love the sunpower app on my phone. It tells me how much solar power im powering and using.
I highly recommend this company because it met our quality and price arena. The price will always depend on how much electricity you use in the summer months and regular months. We live in Temecula so we definitly needed our solar panels and its definitly worth it!

Slightly irritated with this company. I have had a system on my roof for a couple weeks now. Went through the Hero program, great program by the way!
I received emails from hero saying that everything is complete and all inspections were passed.
If that’s the case then why is it that the system is still disconnected from the grid and inverter in the off position and no interface attached to my router?
Tried calling the fellow that has been here multiple times for inspections that were rescheduled or could not happen for one reason or another. But he doesn’t answer his bloody phone or return calls… ever…
Called the office in SD and spoke to a young lady who said she would forward my question higher to the service department. And wait for it… nothing.
Makes me feel as though they were only interested in the sale. At this point, I’m feeling a bit remorseful.
Tread lightly

I couldn’t be more satisfied with my experience adding solar to my home with Semper Solaris. I purchased a PV system with eleven 345 w panels to provide 3.795 kw. I met with Andrew Nelson and he provided all the right information I needed to make the decision. Andrew was very personable, straight-​forward, and non-​pressure. He provided a quotation without delay and was responsive to all my questions. Andrew worked with me until I was satisfied with the package. It is a large investment and I felt like I got a really good deal.
I was also sold on the Semper Solaris positive reviews and the Sunpower system reputation in the industry, including their 25-​year warranty which is transferable to a new owner should I ever sell the house. That’s a big plus.
The plans and specs for my system were put together quickly and they were complete and professional. I was able to receive HOA approval for my application in just a few days. The installers were courteous, efficient, and thorough. They coordinated the permit with the City of San Diego and approval from SDG&E to add the solar system to their grid. They also installed a monitoring system so I can view the solar energy production from my system online.
I would also like to mention great customer service from Creslyn Mason, Semper Solaris Operations Manager. Creslyn responded to an email question I sent on New Years Day about the system, although I wasn’t expecting a response until the next business day. Also, Vanessa Antaky in accounting was outstanding and cheerfully helped me get all the invoices processed before the end of the year for tax purposes. For me, that’s about as good as it gets!

I began educating myself on solar panels back in July 2015. I started with Sun Run and Verango and learned quickly that their business model did not have a support system in place for homeowners looking to purchase their solar panels. They were both extremely aggressive and called repeatedly even after I made it clear we were not a good fit.
I continued my education with Sullivan Solar, Peterson Dean, Action HVAC and Semper Solaris. By the end of August 2015 I knew what I wanted and what I didn’t.
There are two major players in the solar panel world SunPower and SunWorld. SunPower panels have a higher wattage (345) than SunWorld (250) so theoretically I would need fewer panels however the higher wattage panels are slightly more expensive.
So, before you can make a decision you have to know what you want. I choose a higher wattage panel (24 total) with one string inverter (SunPower and SMA).
Petersen Dean never made contact again after the initial estimate. Action HVAC is a heating and air conditioning company, they added solar to their business later. So, for me it was down to Sullivan and Semper. Both sold/​installed SunPower and both were committed to the solar business.
I choose Semper because I liked the professionalism that came through when Laura worked with me on my estimate and design. We signed contracts at the end of August.
Throughout the entire process every person that I spoke to at Semper was professional and courteous. They handled everything from making sure my panels were placed in the best location and at the best angle to absorb the sun’s rays, to upgrading my electrical panel, painting the conduit to match the color of my house, getting approval from the City each and every time an inspection was due (approved on the first try) and submitting my net metering request to SDGE.
My panels are on and are generating electricity every day the sun shines. Semper Solaris delivered!!!

We just had our Sloar Panels installed by Semper Solaris.
They were beyond outstanding! The install took 4 ½ hours (3 technicians). The technicians were so nice, efficient, well trained and competent
What a pleasure! Pain free!
They scheduled the State inspection and arrived prior to the inspector arriving to prepare the panels and me.
Everything involved with our project went so smoothly (except for the State permit which was a State problem not Semper Solaris)
It was a great pleasure working with Semper Solaris.
They have a superior product made in the USA.
We are thrilled with the whole project from beginning to end.
Please speak with Semper Solaris they are exceptional.
Peggy G-​R

We had an awesome experience with Semper Solaris! They handled everything professionally, on time and I would highly recommend them.

Really impressed by this company. I received bids from six solar contractors. Solar City wouldn’t touch us because of our ceramic tile roof, and none of the other contractors offered SunPower 345W panels. SemperSolaris tackled both, and did a stellar job.
Not only did SemperSolaris handle just about all of the paperwork and permitting with the Santaluz HOA, financing company, and SDGE, they made the installation look so clean and flush that it can’t even be seen from the street.
The system is now online and it has already started lowering our electricity bill. And if you have an EV, SDGE still lets you keep your EVTOU2 rates with solar. That means, you can generate and sell back to the grid at peak rates and charge your car during super-​off peak (17 cents per kWh). Nevertheless, today was the first time I charged my car during the day (which I never did before solar because it was during peak rates). Although the energy generated from the PV cells goes through the grid first before coming back, it was a pretty neat concept that my car was being charged (at least in some part) from THE SUN.
Also, if the power goes out during the day, the system came with two GFCI outlets so I can run several basic appliances DIRECTLY from the sun power being generated, such as a fridge, microwave, etc in an emergency where the power is out.
I used to think nuclear was the practical solution to meet America’s energy needs while solar was inefficient and impractical, and thought the shutdown of SONGS in San Onofre would be a huge setback for SoCal’s energy needs. Having solar installed has completely changed my mind on the subject, and I am now an evangelist of solar. And thanks to the absolutely stellar performance rendered by Mike, Mark, Carlos, Tony, and Don, I am an evangelist of Semper Solaris.
Bravo Zulu Semper Solaris.

Well here is my honest review… We researched and had several quotes by the tops rated companies in the area and I narrowed it down to Semper Solaris and Baker electric. I was leaning toward baker until a co worker told me he had his solar put in by Semper and that he had a good experience. The referral swayed my decision and we signed up with Semper. The salesman Mark was a good guy and seemed like a straight shooter. All the permits were taken care of by them with exception of the HOA but the information was sent to us by Semper so that process went smoothly. Installation day was here and it went smoothly install looked clean although the tubing/​piping that we were told would be routed through the attic was not the installers said they only do that on single story homes. The next day I looked at the install since by the time they finished it was dark I noticed all the manuals for the panels and the inverter were sitting on top of the inverter box outside and had gotten wet from the night dew. It would have been nice it they’d given them to us since we were home and we like to keep all the information. Next we had our inspection the Solaris person came to the house and got things ready he undid a panel in my garage turned on the unit and went through the inspection an hour or two go by and they are gone. I look outside and the solar inverter in still on and the panel in my garage was still off. I had been told by Mark it wasn’t supposed to be turned on until we get the go ahead by SDGE and why didn’t he replace the panel box when he left I call them to see if I’m to turn it off or are they still working on the inspection. Turns out no so I turn off the system and screw the panel shut myself. We finally get the go ahead to turn on from SDGE. I turn on the inverter and I’m stoked. We were told we would receive a email from Solaris with log on information so we could monitor our power production through the sunpower app a week goes by then almost two with no email. I email Solaris and I turns out one of our panels wasn’t communicating so they weren’t able to get us logged on. Someone had to come by the house and fix the issue now we are monitoring our production. My coworker that referred me to Solaris was showing me his production and his also had his consumption as well I was wondering why mine didn’t show our consumption it turns out I didn’t have a energy consumption meter that my coworker received. Once again I make a call to Solaris and I’m told it’s extra I ask my coworker if he remember paying extra for the consumption meter he doesn’t think so but who knows. TIP if you get solar get it, it’s pretty cool. My rating is between 3 – 4 stars but as we know there is no half star ratings
Update…
Shortly after writing my review I was contacted by Semper regarding some of the issues I encountered during my solar process. They were very concerned about the issues in my review and did everything possible to rectify and correct them. I could really feel how important it was for them to make sure I was completely satisfied. They really are dedicated to providing excellent service and I would be happy to refer Semper Solaris to anyone in the market solar

Semper Solaris DELIVERED! I was skeptical of their promise to deliver on and install my solar system by end of the year. The tax credit was important (30% is good for the Feds) Mike was great to deal with during the ‘sales process’ and was accommodating of my schedule and time. Once the decision was made to move forward, it was literally a process of several weeks (from city inspection to the great blessing of SDGE to turn the system on) Mark handled the installation. No games or slackers here. Mark said they would be there on a specific day and time to install, and when I got home from work the thing was done, and couldn’t tell that anyone had been there. These guys rocked. Once I got the SDGE go ahead, Mark was gracious enough to stop by the house and turn the system on while I was at work. These guys just have their stuff together and it is evident in their scheduling and commitment. Mike and Mark THANK YOU! (and yes my neighbors get a nice $ 500 referral fee) so if anyone reading this review goes with Semper Solaris tell them Tara sent you LOL

This business is so amazing that I probably don’t need to even leave a review… but I will anyway. They showed up and installed a 12 panel system in about 5 hours. They kept me in the loop in the whole inspection process and I was up and running within a couple weeks. I have had my panels almost two years and at one point recently I had a short that disrupted my service. Semper called ME before I noticed the problem and had it fixed immediately. I have referred three people so far and Semper has paid me a generous referral fee each time.

Semper Solaris did a great job with my home Solar. The salesperson Anela was very knowledgeable and great to work with. Anela gave a very accurate estimation of the KWH I would get with my panels. After numerous estimates and meeting with other solar companies, I chose Semper because I felt Anela was honest. After my solar was installed, my SDG&E bill now ranges from $ 100-​$ 200 per month, instead of $ 300-​$ 670! I was the previous top 100 SDG&E user in my neighborhood! I can’t believe my bill was ONLY $ 100 with my air conditioning running in the hot summer almost every day! Semper helped my finance with the credit union at a low interest rate.
I also looked into renting solar panels, and after much research I found that I paid a little more initially by purchasing, but the panels are mine, and will save huge amounts of money when there are paid off. They used quality rated Sun Power panels (unlike other companies that wanted to use low grade panels made off shore).
This is an awesome investment from a great company. They were a pleasure to work with.

Tell them Angel R referred you.
I have read all of the comments and I am not a typical re-​poster unless I can back up my claim on how great these guys are. Semper Solaris is at the mercy of SDG&E when it comes to installations. The installation is quick and they make sure you’re completely satisfied with the overall service. But SDG&E are the culprits when it comes to converting your power. Sometimes it takes weeks for SDG&E to schedule a date. You just have to understand that Semper is not to blame for third party faults. I’ve had more than 10 friends who chose Semper Solaris and are extremely happy. I don’t work for Semper but I’m a Vet and they know me well, so I make sure people use my name as reference because I believe in the quality work they do. Semper Solaris takes action and do a damn good job in customer satisfaction hands down.

Mark was very helpful and professional. He helped us determine exactly what we needed to meet our home energy needs and didn’t try to sell us something we didn’t need. He provided a turnkey solar energy solution with a solid construction schedule which was completed on time. The installation was swift and clean. Now our energy costs are only a fraction of what they once were. I highly recommend Semper Solarir for your residential and commercial renewable energy needs. Call their office and ask for Mark Albano, he is very helpful.

Semper’s exceptional Unilocal rating prompted me to get an estimate from them in early July 2015.
They use the best products (SunPower Panels/​Sunnyboy Inverter/​SPS) with competitive pricing.
I signed a contract and purchased the 16 panel 800 KW (per month) project that was completed start to finish in 8 weeks. I could make this a very long post, but no need; 1) best products 2) competitive pricing 3) exceptional workmanship 4) courteous and prompt attention to issues 5) outstanding customer service start to finish.
I don’t miss my $ 300 a month electric bill. No need to look further; Call Semper today!
Update 9÷24÷15:
Sunday 9/​20, our neighborhood experienced a «blackout» on a bright sunny mid-​day. I ran an extension cord from the Sunnyboy Secure Power Source (SPS) 1500 watt backup power supply to my Frig. No power. Checked the SPS GFI and it wouldn’t set. Called service and they came out on Tuesday ⁹⁄₂₂. I emailed Semper and told them I wanted a phone call from the CEO. I wanted to be helpful and suggest better quality control (QC)
Update 10÷21÷15: I was contacted by co-​owner Kelly and we discussed the project and my concerns. Also, I am receiving monthly comprehensive energy reports in e mail from SunPower and Semper.
I highly recommend Semper.

We met with Mark I., Semper Solaris sales rep, to compare between solar companies and learn about the different types of solar panels. Mark’s presentation made it obvious that Semper Solaris’ solar panels are of great quality, the company also has an efficient monitoring system that can be viewed through a smartphone app. **KEEP IN MIND: Not all solar panels are the same!
Mark was punctual, professional and very informative. I’m glad we decided to meet with Mark because I feel confident that we made the right decision in choosing Semper Solaris. From the beginning to the very end, the communication with Mark and SS was great.
I’d highly recommend scheduling an appointment to meet with Mark, it’s free and you’ve got nothing to lose! In fact, you have everything to gain because you’ll save $$money on your SDG&E bill!
Here’s a quick rundown of the entire process of getting solar panels for your house:
(1) Meet with Mark
(2) Get a loan or pay in cash for solar system (SS will assist you with this as they have a good working relationship with a local credit union, and interest rate is really low!)
(3) Submit plans to HOA (if you have HOA)
(4) Wait for city to approve the solar panel drawings (SS will take care of this step)
(5) Wait for SS to install solar system
(6) Once installation is complete, SDG&E has to go out to property to approve
SS came out and installed our system in one or two days! Any time the installers had to come to our house, we were notified by phone. The communication was great. The only thing is that it took a few months for the system to get installed, but I believe that was because the city was backed up.
Overall, I would highly recommend Mark I. and Semper Solaris!

Overall, Semper Solaris is a great company.
Only 4 stars, due to the process took a really long time and I had to call a lot for updates. I had Mark Ivory come out to my house in November 2014. He went over everything and answered all my questions. I was still unsure if solar was the best option. Well, after careful consideration I call Mark back in December and had him come back out and signed a contract. He told me it’s about 8 – 10 weeks out for production. A few weeks go by and I get a phone call stating I need to add another panel to get the quoted kilowatts I need. I wasn’t really pleased at this. As this added another $ 1400. The production process seemed to take a really long time and panels were not install until March. The installation crew were a couple of guys that were pretty cool and explained everything to me about the process. They installed the internet monitoring system on my router. Then the second wait begins, waiting for the city. After 4 weeks of waiting, I was informed the city rejected my plans because my unit was installed inside the garage and the plans said outside the house. The plan was always to have it in the garage because I had an emergency outlet installed on my system for power outages. So they had to resubmit. That finally got approved and then the wait for SDG&E began. That is a pretty quick turnaround 10 days. My system was finally up and running May 20^th. I will say the Internet monitoring is awesome. I check it all the time. On my best days I produced 31 kilowatts. The system is working great.
I opted to by my system outright. I will tell you to carefully consider buying it instead of leasing. My payback is around 5 years and the system will have paid for itself. 25 year bumper to bumper warranty. My neighbors who have older systems have 3 – 5 more panels than I do and produce the same power as me. If you are serious about solar. Give Semper Solaris a call. Veteran owned and operated.
After writing this article. I am changing it 5 stars. Sometimes you have to wait for a quality product.

All I can say is … Stellar Service.
I cannot express enough how satisfied I am with the whole Solar Experience. My husband and I had made appointments with several companies and they all seemed to blow us off. Bummer for them because we were serious. We finally sat down with mark Ivory with Semper and we were so sold on their product and company. we got more panels, better panels and supreme service from them.
We were told that it would take the county about 2 months to approve the plans but, because Semper Solaris has a history of quality work with the county, our plans were approved in about 2 weeks. From the time they had the county approval, our system was installed and approved by SDGE within 2 weeks. Gosh that is fast.
The team that installed the panels came out and did it in one day. The lead guy (Jacky) was AWESOME and super friendly. He had a real knowledge of the process and, even though he was goofy and fun, totally knew his stuff. In so many ways, he reminded me of my own husband (as a young guy) and it was quite endearing. I know that is a side comment, but it is rare when you feel a connection with a contractor working on your house. Totally great installation team, and there were several guys busting it out. Jacky came back for the county inspector and to take care of the router connection.
That’s another thing, you want this device… It connects to your router, sends a signal to the panel manufacturer to indicate how the panels are doing. you also install the app and program so that you can see the kWh produced by the hour, day, week, month, year… It is my new favorite thing. Even still, I log onto the app several times a day just to see and lovingly touch the bar chart on the glass screen. Nowhere else will you have that kind of relationship than between you and your solar.
There are so many reasons to get solar now. I know Mark Ivory will fill you in on all of that better than I could … but don’t wait.
Tell them Marjie Short referred you and I get a sweet bonus. Please and Thank You.

So the Semper Solaris team totally made up for the earlier appointment mishap. My system got installed a lot sooner than expected. Everyone that came out to my house was extremely helpful and were proud to work for Semper Solaris. I asked a ton of questions and enjoyed watching the work as it was being completed. Their employees were able to answer everything I asked and walked me through each step in the process. I definitely want to thank Jerry, Phillip, Trent and everyone that worked on my system.
After everything was said and done, I’m extremely happy with Semper Solaris and recommend anyone who is thinking of going solar to meet with them. If you don’t you’re only doing yourself a disservice. Semper Solaris has the newest/​efficient panels out on the market and it cost less then some of the other companies who had a lesser product. Thanks again Semper Solaris.