I want to share my experience with Certasun factually so other homeowners can weigh it for themselves.
I signed a solar installation agreement with Certasun on July 15, 2026, for a 9.66 kW system. On September 2, seven weeks later, the company told me they can't move forward even with a signed contract. The reason given was that they could not find a way to access my roof- a very standard lot and row home in Chicago should not be a problem for a company that operates here. But that's the problem- investments in training and equipment don't really exist at Certasun I've learned. Just old fashioned ladders, anything more complicated is a no go, but you won't find that out for many weeks.
Two problems with how this unfolded.
First, responsiveness. Throughout the process, replies were slow. The most concrete example: two different Certasun employees worked with me to schedule a follow-up on-site assessment (the first one wasn't done completely?). I arranged my day around it. No one showed up, and no one called or texted to reschedule or explain. For a company whose own materials describe a senior team member conducting an early site assessment, missing that appointment without a word is hard to square.
Second, the timeline. The roof-access question is precisely what an early site visit exists to answer. Instead, it took seven weeks and a cancellation to get there. A physical assessment up front would have identified any access constraint in the first week, not the seventh, before I ever signed or waited.
On the roof itself: this is a two-story single-family home on a standard Chicago lot. Roof access is the foundational requirement of any rooftop solar install, and it's something experienced crews manage as a matter of course.
To note, my full deposit was refunded quickly and without argument, and the operations staff I dealt with at the end were professional and courteous. I have no complaint about how the money was handled. However, at this stage, nearly two months in, starting all over and following up with bids puts me two months of time that Certasun wasted completely. I expected better.
But the overall experience, slow communication, a no-showed appointment I took time off for, and seven weeks to reach a conclusion that a single site visit should have produced, left me unable to recommend them. If you're considering Certasun, or any solar installer, my strongest advice is to require a completed physical site assessment before you sign a contract or pay a deposit. read more