Review for Big Dog Solar Energy

Office location: 620 Pheasant Ridge Drive, Pocatello ID, 83202

02/03/2022
SY Middleton, ID

Horrible Company

We would never recommend this company, nor will use them on our next project for our mountain property. First problem. Unknowingly to us, Big Dog was using a 3rd party rep for our system design & installation. They do not disclose this clearly, nor require the reps to clearly disclose, that they are 3rd party reps. More on this later here. Second problem is that our design & install 3rd party rep (who is no longer with B.D. Solar) designed the system too small to keep up with our usage and it burns through our credits too fast from early fall through the winter. Third, problem since the system is too small, we have never not had an Idaho power bill, and for 5-6 months a year, we get an Idaho Power bill is 100.00+, sometimes as high as $120.00+. Fourth problem. Everyone knows that solar is marketed that one replaces their power bill payment with a solar system payment, with maybe a few small bills here and there, especially in the first 8-10 months depending on time of installation. Once credits are accumulated you are supposed to have a net zero power bill. Once your system is paid off you have free electricity. Because our system is too small, we not only have 5-6 months where we have our solar system bill, 140.00, we also have a $100.00+ Idaho power bill those 5-6 months. So effectively all solar did for us, due to the size being too small, is added an extra $600.00-900.00 a year to our cost of electricity. Even once the panels are paid off, we will still be paying for those 5-6 months of Idaho Power bills as we will not ever have a power bill. Our bill for January 2022 from Idaho power was $101.00+ So with solar our electrical cost was $240.00+ Fifth, problem. B.D. Solar blamed 3rd party designer, so claimed no liability to them, especially since he no longer works for them as a contractor. B.D. Solar solution to help us with our problem (not caused by us), was to have us pay them another 13-16K more (on top of the 17K we spent originally) & add to our system. The 3rd party rep simply referred us back to B.D. solar as he is no longer contracted with the company. We requested some type of price break on adding to the new system since the rep was representing B.D. Solar, that request was denied. As consumers who know nothing about these systems, one would think that all reps would be required to be responsible to some degree for the system designs they are selling, as well as the company contracting with 3rd parties. Consumers have no way of really knowing how big of a system they need. Our rep reassured us many times our system was plenty big enough, and even claimed that he had added "extra" panels for our very small two-person hot tub. BUYER BEWARE! Our experience is that B.D. Solar takes zero responsibility for their 3rd party reps who are acting on the companies’ behalf, and they do not confirm that the design systems submitted are accurate. Result consumer screwed over. All B.D. Solar has done for us has cost us more money & pass the buck to the 3rd party rep, who in turn passed the buck back to B.D. Solar. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. Apparently, it is time to get a lawyer involved.