Solar panel system with new roof in 2019. Battery backup system added in 2024. No drama, great function, indeed saving money and also eliminating worries. Starting with our first conversation in 2016 about timing and strategy, every interaction with John O. was a calm, educational joy, and his company delivered a rock-solid system. What a great loss to the community that the regulatory environment has essentially driven this company out. read more

I had solar panels installed a few years ago. Unfortunately the company has gone out of business. I've been trying to reach them to get a cracked panel replaced. John, if you could message me that would be great! We have LG360N1C-N5 panels. read more

This company is out of business, sadly. I am grateful that the owner responded and provided me with a referral to another solar installer, and a listing of my exact equipment. read more

This is a fantastic Solar company! They were easy to work with and made our Solar transition simple. We highly recommend them We are very happy with our system. Save-A-Lot knows Solar and does great work. The whole Team deserves many thanks. read more

Update ...we pulled the trigger and got Save a Lot Solar to install panels in December. They did a great job, very professional, handled all the inspections, answered all our questions, and were very careful and respectful of our brand new roof. We are 10.5 months in and enjoying smaller pg&e bills and the ability to run AC on the few very hot summer days without it sucking up energy we have to purchase! I still think it's strange that the plan PG&E provides us invents even solar customers to use the grid at the peak of the day (once you aren't producing sun energy, you are back buying from the grid) but that is a function of the California legislature and PG&E. Maybe one day they will realize that banking our energy from solar would at lease shift many customers to non peak hours. read more

Save-A-Lot is an outstanding company to work with. They do everything right from start to finish. First - a little background on me and my project. I had solar installed about 5 years ago on a previous home (different solar installer). The installation took a long time, required lots of effort on my part and multiple rounds with city inspectors. The company simply didn't know building codes for my area, nor did they pay much attention to factors that greatly impacted how well the system worked. Eventually, they did correct everything so I was generally satisfied with the final system. I hoped for a better experience with Save-A-Lot. On the current house, I asked for ~8 k Watt system with 2 battery backup units. This time, I interviewed 4 vendors. Save-A-Lot was the 2nd least expensive. The process with them was extremely impressive from start to finish. Save-A-Lot started by sending John O., the company CEO, to my home for the initial meeting and a detailed in-person inspection of my home. This gave me lots of confidence that there wouldn't be surprises late in the process. Every other vendor simply looked at photos from Google Earth or similar. John's style is to offer multiple alternatives along with his expert insight on the plusses and minuses, and leave the decisions up to me. Zero pressure. John was also willing to commit to an installation time only a few weeks out even before I accepted the bid. The next person I dealt with was Cody. He was the designer and managed much of the process. Cody came out to nail down all the technical and installation details and take data needed for city permits. There are many factors to consider. If you choose to have Cody make all the decisions I expect you will be very satisfied. Or, if you want, Cody will cheerfully explain the choices and nuances and expertly implement your specific choices. I asked Cody for some very nit picky and non-standard customizations and he accomplished them with no extra cost and always with a smile. The installation team was 4 people: An electrician, two technicians and Chris O, the project manager (who is also very technically capable). All were first rate. They worked efficiently without rushing and got everything installed in 2 days. Workmanship is excellent. When the city inspector came, he had covers removed so he could see that all was per the permit and done to code. He signed it off with zero problems - no callbacks needed. At the end of the project, both Chris O. and John O. came by to deal with some final details and to ensure everything was working well. Save-A-Lot is a joy to work with--I highly recommend them. read more

Safe a Lot Solar is an exceptional company. Not only have they installed my panels and batteries which work fine, but their follow-up when problems arise is next level. I first had panels installed with them about 10 years ago. Since then, I have expanded the system with additional panels and batteries. These installations have been efficient and professional. But the follow up is what sets this company apart At this point, solar companies have sprouted up everywhere. Consumers can't know if the company will last and if they do last, if they will stand by their work. Too often, companies court the hell out of you until they get your money. Then, crickets Save a Lot is a local company that stands with its customers and the community. Over the past ten years, I've called them out for problems. Each time, they have been responsive and fixed the issue. This includes one time when I was out of town and concerned about how a power outage would affect my 90 year old mother. They interrupted an evening birthday celebration to restore our power. This company goes above and beyond. They install high tech equipment with old school values. You won't regret using them for this major home investment read more

Had solar panels and a battery put in by Save a lot Solar in January, 2025. My electric bill has gone down very minimally in spite of having solar panels. I've asked them to check my system,( my sister had panels put in by them and she pays virtually nothing for electricity), as it doesn't seem to be working properly. I have contacted them several times about checking my system, and they have not followed through or responded to my request. I would not have gotten solar panels if I knew I would be paying about the same in electricity costs. I am a very frustrated customer. read more

TLDR; Save a Lot Solar provides an outstanding experience and takes care of their customer like family. Save a Lot Solar installed a 19 panel 7.2KW system on my roof. The entire job was completed in one day, at a reasonable price. They start by giving you a thorough explanation and education about the technology and the choices they make in building systems. They give you a custom packet that has all the specifications, details, and prices for your installation. John does an amazing and patient job in this process. After agreeing to do the work, and signing the contract, you provide a deposit, and they proceed. They told us what day our system would be installed, and promised that it would be installed on that day and no later. Having dealt with many home improvement contractors in the past, I was very skeptical, even though I had a signed contract. However, their complete professionalism from all members of their staff, as well as their 5 star Yelp reviews made me feel better about what I was getting into. They came out and did a site inspection, and I had some changes I wanted to make as a result of what was discovered. (I was picky about where some components might be placed.) There was no charge for these changes, and they were completely understandable and reasonable. Nick, Joe, Cody, and Kat communicated everything that was going on flawlessly throughout the entire process and were a pleasure to work with. On the day the installation was supposed to happen, they showed up exactly as planned, and their crew was an amazing group of professionals. They worked tirelessly, and the work was done to perfection and completed in one day, on the day they promised. The workers took great pride in their work and were all friendly and a pleasure. It was done as advertised, according to plan, exceeding my expectations. (At this point, you make a payment.) After the installation, there were issues getting my wifi connected to the controller. (I have extra security enabled on my wifi...) John and Chris both worked together to get it to work. I was on vacation when they found out my wifi connection was having intermittent issues, so they went so far as to install a temporary Cell Modem so as to not lose any data while I was gone. When I returned from vacation, we resolved the wifi, and they removed the Cell Modem. I can use an app on my iPhone to look at the real time performance data of the solar panels, which is one of the reasons why wifi / Internet is needed for the system. The system was inspected by the City and passed. (At this point, you make your final payment.) In their original estimate, Save a Lot Solar said I would get 42.86 kWh per day output. I am getting about 48 kWh, or 12% more than promised! Before the system was installed, I used about 24kWh per day. Since my system creates 48kWh, that means I now produce an extra 24kWh per day. 24kWh = about 90 miles of Electric Car driving once I get my electric car. I had extremely high expectations when I decided to have Save a Lot Solar do my installation based on the 5 star Yelp reviews here. I specifically chose them because I know first hand how painful home improvement can be. I wanted the easiest process and installation possible. They gave me that, and went above and beyond with everything they did. You can be sure I will use them for any future needs as well as recommend them to all. Each day I bask in the glory of not having to pay for electricity and I don't have to yell at people to turn off the lights when they leave the room. Thanks again Save a Lot Solar! read more

Save a Lot Solar - Enphase Panel installed by Save a Lot Solar. - Solar Installation Near Me - Oakland, California

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Don't Bother Calling. After seeing this posting I immediately filled out the form for online quote in 24 hours. Received an automated message saying they'd get back shortly. 10 days later with no reply, I tried to call and got an answering service who said someone would call me back that day. Yesterday I received an email saying they're sold out for 2025. I see they're still accepting online quotes. read more

We requested a quote from save a lot solar and a representative stopped by to take a look at our electrical system and calculated different options. The proposal was among the most competitive ones we have received. The process was clearly explained to us and we are very pleased. read more

Highly recommend. We had a great experience working with Save A Lot Solar. Their bid was less than other companies, everything was done well and on time, with a lot of communication. We feel good about having solar panels - our bills are much lower now and we appreciate the environmental impact. read more

We have had a great experience working with Save a Lot Solar. John and his team did a great job from start to finish: designing, installing, and supporting our Enphase system. At each phase of our project, they've gone above and beyond and exceeded our expectations. For example, during installation they were willing to work with us to tweak the placement of the panels to best mesh with the existing aesthetic of our home. Then recently when we had an issue with our Enphase controller and they worked directly with Enphase on our behalf to quickly resolve the issue. The commitment to customer service from Save a Lot Solar and Enphase is really best in class. I can't recommend them highly enough. read more

Great place to get started! Great Service, zero complaints from day one. I struggled with other companies in the bay a couple years back, leavening an unfinished job. They helped me finish and finally I have solar. read more

Save a Lot Solar was recommended by a friend, and the person who came out to give us an estimate was actually the owner, John. We were so impressed with his straightforward manner, and he did not try to sell us more than we needed, that we decided to use him for our solar installation. From start to finish, it was a wonderful experience. They were communicative, showed up on time, did a beautiful job, and our system is working wonderfully. I highly recommend this company! read more

We are really happy with our solar array installed by Save a Lot Solar. The installers came early, staged the area and installed the panels, hardware and electrical to our existing panel- ALL IN 1 DAY! The guys were polite and left the work are spotless. We are getting the full potential from the sun now! We did have a small electrical issue a few days later that popped up- our site manager, Joe and their electrician came out to see what the issue we were having- It wasn't even related to the scope of their work, but they investigated, narrowed down the issue and replaced a GCFI that faulted because of an incorrectly wired breaker. Thank you Joe and Save a Lot Solar for over the top customer service- Kudos to a top notch outfit. read more

Working with Save a Lot Solar was a very pleasant experience! I originally reached out to Save a Lot Solar in my journey to get a quotes for upgrading my existing solar system. My existing system was installed back in 2012 and it was no longer meeting my energy demands. I spoke to many vendors, and John from Save a Lot Solar was very knowledgeable about my situation and very clearly outlined the options and suggested that I rip-and-replace my existing system so that I could get grandfathered into NEM2.0 for another 20 years. He specifically told me that he only installs REC panels with Enphase microinverters because they are currently the best. This was consistent with my personal research so I was happy to hear that. I went into contract with them on March 6th and my install was scheduled for April 20th to install a 42 panel 17kW system. The install took 2 days where they ripped out my existing solar system and installed the new system. They were very communicative during the entire process and handled all of the communication with PG&E as well as with getting inspections to pass. Even after the install, they were communicative with the questions I had and did not hesitate to give me more information. Overall, I am very happy with my experience with Save a Lot Solar and would recommend them to anyone looking to install solar! read more

From John the owner, to Nick, Cody, and Chris (our project manager) this has been a great experience. We truly appreciated John coming out to our house on the weekend to answer any and all questions we had. Throughout the process everything was explained to us and things went smoothly. We can't thank Chris, our project manager, enough for the job he and his crew did in installing the system. We are truly glad we chose Save A Lot Solar to install out solar system and would highly recommend them for anyone looking to start their solar experience. read more

Save a lot Solar did an excellent job on installing our solar panels! They had good communication with us as well as with the company doing our roof. They were very nice to work with, and charged a fair price. read more

Save a Lot Solar - Solar panels side view - Solar Installation Near Me - Oakland, California

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Save A Lot Solar installed a backup battery system into our existing solar system. (they also installed two more solar panels - we found we could use the extra generation for our house) They were very communicative and knowledgeable. It was refreshing to have contractors that were willing to take the time to explain the installation process; discuss options for where the equipment could be located; and how the system works and what the different switches are for; etc. There were responsive to follow up questions, etc. Along with their competitive pricing, it makes it very easy to recommend them. We also were glad that they have been around for a number of years, and based on our experience, we expect them to be responsive to any support issues that might come up. read more

Save a Lot Solar - batteries - Solar Installation Near Me - Oakland, California

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I shopped around with 4 providers/installers of solar panels/systems. I'll be honest, I was somewhat put off by the name "Save A Lot Solar", but ended up selecting them because 1) they offered the type of equipment I was looking for, and 2) (honestly) they were less expensive than their competition. I am very pleased with the results. They delivered as promised, against a somewhat tight time-table. Good communication, thorough bid, friendly installation team, and good end result. Also, I'll mention that there was an issue during installation that was weather related (we ended up with some minor water damage to a ceiling in one room). This was unforeseen, so I don't blame the crew at all. More importantly, they stood behind their work and covered the cost to repair it. Problems will happen, and all that you can ask is that a service provider take responsibility for whatever issue occurs, and they absolutely did that, without complaint. I would recommend Save A Lot Solar to any Bay Area home owner considering installing a solar panel system. read more

We had Save A Lot Solar install a new system with batteries in December 2023 and they did a fantastic job from start to finish. We are loving our PG&E bills this Spring and Summer. The equipment has been up and running for 7 months now with no issues. John has been fantastic to work with pre and post sales and Nick and his team did a great job with the installation. I also have to say that their post installation support is awesome too. We haven't had any problems until this extremely hot heat wave hit this week (Clayton, CA) and an old circuit breaker for the house ( it wasn't part of their equipment) went out and John was out here ASAP to assist. An hour later we had air conditioning! We so appreciate their excellent customer service and the of the quality equipment they installed. We did a lot of research before selecting them and got multiple bids etc. So glad we went with them. read more

Save a Lot Solar upgraded our inverters in January 2024 to Iq8 inverters. This required a new controller that was not included in the estimate an cost us an addition $2000. This was not appreciated because we thought that we were buying a package that included all the necessary parts. This was only the beginning of the problems. After months Save A Lot Solar was not able to fix the communication errors and eventual shutdown is the system. After quite a few months we took the issue in our own hands because of the lack of support from Save A Lot solar. Finally after working directly with Enphase we had the case escalated and in nine months Enphase has the system working without communication errors or Shutdowns. We see no reason why we had to get so involved as it should have been the installer that took full responsibility for getting the system to work. Once Enphase had the system working, we were told by them that we needed an emergency shut down switch which they provided. But they said it needed to be moved next to the meter to meet building specifications. We contacted Save a Lot Solar and we were told that the field tech from Enphase was lying to us! I went ahead and called the field techs supervisor and I was told that indeed the emergency shut down switch does need to be installed and it should be by the meter. Although Save a Lot solar is aware of this, they have NOT resolved the issue of moving the switch. I would recommend you look for another solar company. read more

When I was shopping around for a solar installer, my experience in talking with Save a Lot Solar was excellent. They were very prompt and thorough in answering all my questions and John the owner came to my house and spend an hour walking me through their process and solar installations in general, which I greatly appreciated. It was a tough decision but I ended up using a different contractor because they had a slightly faster installation date, which was important for me because I had other contractor work lined up around that time and I didn't want projects to overlap. read more

I have been shopping around for solar for several years now. There seems to be a lot of shady stuff going on in the solar world... High pressure sales Shell companies that are basically just salesmen who farm out your contract to god knows who, Larger multi city general contracting firms with little local experience and rotating staff that are looking to capitalize on the solar market through some clever business model. Then you have what I would consider the legitimate options: A local, well managed and reputable solar shop. Or one of the Big Name players like Sunrun or Tesla etc. I chose the local option primarily because I wanted to ensure some coordination with me and the roofers, and discuss a few specific concerns with an actual person who has some oversight on the project. I chose Save a Lot solar for multiple reasons: reputation, cost and quality. And I'm glad I did. The whole process was simple, well scheduled, drama free, and well explained. John Orfali and his crew are a well run shop that delivers top quality work at a nice price. If you are shopping for solar, you should definitely ask John for a bid. read more

MyThe people at this company were very reliable and prompt in their service. Much more reasonable with the costs. Responded to questions quickly. I highly recommend Save A Lot to you. read more

We're very happy with this company, their work, and the solar array that they installed, the quality, performance and price. They made the entire process simple -- from application through installation. Very professional. Highly recommended. read more

Save a Lot Solar has been incredibly good. They explain everything up front, provide a good quote and an installation date, then install everything on time and for the price quoted. Meanwhile, they're friendly and answer questions throughout the process. The communication is great. We purchased panels, batteries, and a switch to keep us running in the event of a grid outage, which will happen at some point I'm sure. They do not oversell, instead recommending a system that actually fits your needs, based on previous usage. I'll be referring my friends to Save a Lot Solar. read more

Like many we put off solar until we redid the roof. We ran a gamut of possible suppliers and installers. There are a lot of brokers out there just handing the jobs out to installation companies. A small private company is what we searched for and happily it is what we found. From estimate to completion John, his son and the crew were professional, timely and a pleasure to do business with. The materials provided were top notch, the workmanship was as well. I was in and around the construction business for over 40 years and couldn't be more pleased with the result. A very good value indeed. I highly recommend Save A Lot Solar. read more

Stop looking and use Save A Lot Solar. I got 4 different bids and Save A Lot was the best price. John came to my home and explained all the options and saved me a lot of money by explaining why I probably didn't need the backup battery option. I liked the fact that they are a local family-owned business that has roots in Oakland. The whole process went smoother than I could have anticipated. They are very responsive and easy to reach by phone, text, and email. Everything I was told came to be. I held off writing my review until I got my first PG&E bill. It looks like the break-even period will be even faster than I anticipated. John and his crew are very customer service savvy. They are honest and dependable and I am now getting a proposal for my office building. If you want to do good for the environment and save money this is a very easy decision. read more

We have been waiting and researching solar for 10 years and never felt comfortable with any company till Save A Lot Solar. We cannot be happier with the service. AAA Bruce Bowles read more

Once we got our line of communication sorted, they have been super responsive, set and kept appointment, very competitive pricing - so far so good read more

One year later since installation and I am still satisfied! Save A Lot Solar honored our agreement and didn't overpromise! My panels are working great. read more

My husband likes to do a lot of research whenever we need to do work on the house. Save A Lot Solar provided the best price. But more than that, they were easy to work with and communicative once the date was scheduled. The install was completed in one day. Another staff person came a week later to handle the inspection. They took care of all the permitting and communication with PG&E. Less than 1 month after the installation, everything is set up with PG&E and we hope to start seeing the lower bills. read more

Save a Lot Solar is a great, local, family business. John is incredibly knowledgeable and provided great guidance on the size and type of system we needed. The whole process was so easy from start to finish - great communication and scheduling, they handled everything with PG&E, and it was much less expensive than we expected! I highly recommend them for anyone thinking about going solar. read more

I cannot recommend Save a Lot Solar enough! We had nine solar panels installed on our roof and everyone at Save a Lot Solar was incredibly easy to interact with, from start to finish. They took care of everything and made the whole process seamless: we always knew what the next steps were and what needed to be done. One month in, we are very happy with our system and looking forward to years of savings ahead. read more

We are very pleased with our solar installation with Save a Lot Solar. The team was communicative and professional. The install took 1 day - 9 panels plus all the electrical connections, attachment to roof, grounding, etc. Passed inspection on the 1st try. The team made everything very clear and were patient with questions. I highly recommend Save a Lot Solar. read more

Fantastic experience. Knowledgeable, no-hassle, local, patient -- and the price was good. Quality work. System is working like a charm (so far). Would happily do business with again should the need arise. read more

After doing our due diligence research and interviewing 5 different solar installation companies, we selected Save A Lot Solar and found them to be top grade in every respect. They didn't approach us with high-pressure sales tactics like those "knock on your door" sales reps that so many of us have encountered. We were surprised and pleased that the owner of the company, John, comes to your home and presents the solar installation proposal himself. This is so different from those commission-based companies. We wanted to use a local company--one that would be more responsive to our needs. And, we wanted a company that had a long track record like Save A Lot Solar. Their prices were reasonable and competitive. They are insured, bonded and hold contractors licenses in solar, electrical and general building...an important consideration for anyone wishing to go solar. They install REC panels and Enphase microinverters because they are currently the best out there. We went into contract with them in March 2023 and our 18 panel solar system was installed in only one day approximately one month later. John helped us upload the Enphase phone app that lets us look at all aspects of our daily electrical usage and solar output. Installation was an easy process and was completed without a hitch and with almost no disruption to our lives. Their top-notch staff was extremely helpful, patient and responsive to our questions. They expertly handled all of the PGE application processes, permitting and final inspection by the City of Oakland. I highly recommend Save A Lot Solar to anyone wanting to install solar. read more

Save a Lot Solar is a great company. I am satisfied with their service. All the process was smooth from the start to the end. They were kind and responsive. We installed 9 panels a month ago, and it is good so far. read more