California Solar Electric Systems Reviews

Reviewers mostly describe the sales and proposal process as clear, knowledgeable, and low pressure. A small number of reviewers report feeling disrespected or experiencing repeated outreach, so the overall picture is positive with a limited complaint pattern.Solar.com's composite of published customer feedback, not a customer quote

Clear, low-pressure guidance. Several reviewers say the sales process was informative and not pushy, with proposals that matched expectations and helped them make decisions confidently. Representative review excerpt: "Very knowledgable and low pressure."

Smooth end-to-end proposal experience. Reviewers also describe the transition from sales into planning and installation as straightforward, with some saying they received honest feedback on equipment choices. Representative review excerpt: "Everything from sales and proposal to planning and installation was smooth and effortless."

Isolated outreach complaints. A small set of reviews raises concerns about repeated calls or feeling disrespected during the sales interaction. Representative review excerpt: "This company keeps calling my house two to three times a day, Monday through Sunday, I opted out for their calls five times and they just keep calling, I just..."

Reviewers give mixed-to-positive feedback on pricing and financing transparency.Solar.com's composite of published customer feedback, not a customer quote

Pricing pricing comments. Reviewers describe a recurring pattern in this area. Representative review excerpt: "I now can't speak highly enough about how good the work they did was and competitive pricing for a very hard to do installation."

Value explained in product terms. Reviewers also note that installers explained why higher-cost equipment could make sense, including panel quality and output per square foot. Representative review excerpt: "Panel Quality They suggested US made SunPower panels, which do cost a little more, but they generate more power per square foot, so you can get more Kw power in..."

Pricing-related dissatisfaction. A limited number of reviews report problems tied to how issues were handled after installation, which affected their view of transparency and follow-through. Representative review excerpt: "On July 1, CSE said the system had simply been unplugged, a questionable diagnosis since there was no reason for someone to do that and our roof can only be..."

Communication and coordination are a recurring strength for some customers, especially around responsiveness and practical help with related project steps. At the same time, this is one of the more uneven categories, with several reviewers reporting repeated calls, delayed follow-up, or weaker ownership after problems arose.Solar.com's composite of published customer feedback, not a customer quote

Responsive support. Some reviewers say customer service and response time were excellent and describe staff as helpful when questions came up during the project. Representative review excerpt: "customer service and response time was excellent..would highly recommend them for anything solar related."

Helpful coordination on related tasks. Reviewers also mention practical support beyond the core solar work, such as guidance on battery decisions or referrals for roofing work. Representative review excerpt: "Also recommended a very good roofing company (since we needed to reshingle)."

Repeated-call complaints. Several reviews describe persistent calling and difficulty getting resolution or follow-up when they needed support, which created frustration around communication. Representative review excerpt: "This company keeps calling my house two to three times a day, Monday through Sunday, I opted out for their calls five times and they just keep calling, I just..."

Timeline feedback is generally favorable, with several reviewers saying permits, inspections, and activation moved ahead smoothly. A smaller set of reviews describes a long wait for follow-up or system handoff after installation, so scheduling appears solid overall but not flawless.Solar.com's composite of published customer feedback, not a customer quote

Permitting and activation handled well. Some reviewers say permits and utility interactions were handled efficiently, and that the system was approved and turned on quickly after installation. Representative review excerpt: "I am happy with the product, bill savings, and how helpful Ish was with setting up permits, interactions with SCE, etc."

Ahead of schedule examples. Reviewers also report installations finishing earlier than expected and passing inspection without major delays. Representative review excerpt: "They were well ahead of schedule with the installation, and the crew did a really good job getting the panels on the roof."

Delayed post-install follow-up. One review describes a long delay before someone returned to review the system after installation, suggesting that post-install timing can occasionally slip. Representative review excerpt: "It took 5 months from when the system was installed until someone finally showed up to go over the system with me!!"

Workmanship is a clear strength in the review set, with most customers describing clean, professional crews and installations that met expectations. There is a small complaint pattern around a repair or follow-up job, but it does not dominate the category.Solar.com's composite of published customer feedback, not a customer quote

Professional, well-explained installs. Reviewers frequently say the crew was professional and that staff clearly explained the work being done before installation started. Representative review excerpt: "Tom Burt was excellent at explaining all the issues, and I decided to order that system and installation through them."

Strong installation outcomes. Several customers report being very happy with the installed system and the quality of the roof work, including related coordination when roofing was also needed. Representative review excerpt: "they installed by array in june and i cannot be happier!!!!"

One site-care complaint. A small number of reviews mention a follow-up repair that was not completed correctly on the first attempt, which raised concerns about site care on that job. Representative review excerpt: "The owner apologized and tried to remediate by having his workman install the new smoke alarms--but then he installed them incorrectly even though I had told him exactly what the..."

Post-install feedback is mostly positive, with reviewers describing solid system sizing, monitoring setup, and helpful support after the system was turned on. There is one complaint about service after a system failure, but the overall set of reviews points to generally good long-term performance support.Solar.com's composite of published customer feedback, not a customer quote

Monitoring and system visibility. Reviewers mention monitoring features that let them track production in real time, which suggests the company set up the system with post-install visibility in mind. Representative review excerpt: "We also had a monitoring system installed so you can monitor real time how much energy you are producing!"

Thoughtful system sizing. Some reviewers say the system was sized carefully to match their usage needs, which they viewed as a sign of good planning after installation. Representative review excerpt: "They sized my system to the "exact" number of panels."

Service follow-through complaint. One review describes dissatisfaction after a system failure and says the response did not lead to the support they expected. Representative review excerpt: "Disappointing Service and Zero Follow-Through On March 12, 2024, we contacted California Solar Electric (CSE) because our solar system failed."

Products

Solar

Service area

California. Note: the install counts on this page cover California investor-owned-utility records only.