Collegiate Builders was great throughout the entire process. They were extremely helpful with all the paperwork for the energy credits and rebates. I would highly recommend them for all your needs.

The staff were professional and very informative. We love the solar panels and the one tiny issue we did have we placed a call and the folks were out here immediately to help us. We are very pleased with the decision to install these and are absolutely thrilled to have selected Collegiate to do this for us. We do not worry about anything as far as mechanical because we know that Collegiate will be right here when we need them. KUDOS to the staff and to Laura!!!

I was somewhat reluctant to go solar due to questions about cost and reliability but after speaking to reps from Collegiate Builders, my doubts quickly went away. They provided an entire analysis of my energy needs, job requirements and costs for a solar installation tailored to my home. They even factored in the cost of a new roof (which I did need) to further increase eligible discounts. The job was done quickly and they explained everything that was done and showed me how the system operates. I was told my electricity bill would go down to around $17 each month. They were wrong, it actually went down to about $15 and has stayed there. I would highly recommend Collegiate Builders to anyone who is thinking about going solar.

Collegiate Solar was by far the best solar company I contacted to assist with my installation. I had a unique situation with an install that I wont get into here, but they saved my installation while other local companies (Including the big one, SL for short) were far more expensive and not happy at all that I talked to other companies. Chris and Brian were just plain excellent when they came out to the house to discuss my situation and requirements. When the installation time came, the installers were great guys as well (Steve and Tyler) were professional and the install works and looks great. Fran was a very skilled electrician who talked with him during the installation since he knew I was an engineer and wanted to know in depth workings of the system. <br /><br />I wouldn't recommend ANY other company in the area other than Collegiate for a Solar install. They have great pricing, knowledge, and staff .... We spent hours talking before, during and after the installation.<br /><br />Thanks for the great install guys!

Collegiate was professional, knowledgable and very responsive with questions, comments and concerns. They were available anytime I had questions, and explained everything until I was satisfied that I understood. They went over my options, and knew what they were talking about. They didn't try to push me in a specific direction, and they never used high pressure tactics. The sales process went as fast or slow as I was comfortable with. On install date, the installers showed up and went right to work. They were very polite, informative, and cleaned up after themselves. I have had zero problems, and have been loving my solar installation since. I have recommended them to my friends, without hesitation. I'd hire them again!

I waited 1 year to write this review to make sure I generated the amount of electricity I was promised. When I solicited bids for solar panel installation, I got a call the same day from Collegiate Builders, who came out to my house shortly after to get more precise measurements. Because they are also a roofing company, I decided to have my roof replaced at the same time. My old roof was only 20 years old, but they billed it so I could get the 30% Federal Tax credit on my roof as well. The roof looks great, and so do the panels. <br /> One note of caution, when they broke down my costs, which included discounts for contractor incentives and discounts for customer tax incentives, they deducted my 30% Federal tax credit based on the gross price of the install. But when it comes tax time, you are actually permitted to take the 30% federal credit only the actual price you paid, i.e. after contractor incentives. Thus, my actual price for the install was $2200 more than indicated. That's the bad news. The good news is that I generated more electricity than promised, so I am still on track for the 8.5 year payback that I was told. BTW, basing your federal tax credit on the gross project price is not exclusive to Collegiate Builders. A friend of mine interviewed multiple contractors for her solar panels, and she said about two-thirds of them based her federal tax credit on the gross price and the rest on the net price. <br /> If you decide to have Collegiate Builders do your roof at the same time as your panels, make sure you get your car(s) out of the garage first, otherwise they will block you in. That is a relatively minor complaint, but they ought to realize that some people actually do park their cars in their garages. <br /> In the last part of this review, I will slam every other solar installer. As I mentioned, Collegiate builders got back to me immediately and were eager for my business. I had to light a fire under the a** of two other companies just to come out to my house and give me an estimate. Only one did (CIR), after more than two weeks. When we went over his plan, I asked for more panels. He promised a revised estimate the next day. I never heard from him again. I do not know how that kind of customer service makes for a viable business.

The hardest part of the solar install was getting our paperwork and financing in order. The crew was great, prompt and fast. Our design and prep work was easy and understandable. <br /> We are so excited to have our solar up and running, the install was 2 days, so fast and easy. Our decision for what we were going to pay upfront, how we were going to finance that ~ using the 0% for a year(application fee made us decided against it) or pay out of pocket ~ and if we were going to use the low interest NYSERDA loan while waiting for the tax credits to pay it off.<br />The financial decisions were the hardest part. Just ask for a detailed estimate that outlines all of the cash flow and it will be easy to make your choice on which way to go. The install was quick, fast and well done.<br />The pricing was very competitive with other companies and I liked using a smaller local company that didn't just specialize in Solar instead of one of the "big guys". It made me feel that we are keeping as much of the money in Buffalo as possible.

We had a PV system installed at our house last month, and I wanted to post a review to hopefully provide a little information for anyone else considering the same.<br />We worked with Collegiate Builders, Inc., and couldn't be happier with the results. They were responsive, cooperative, and helpful to understand the process and financing options.<br />By trade, I'm an electrical engineer, so I didn't need much information on the technical side, but the financing, including available incentives can be a bit confusing, so it was much appreciated to have some folks that understood the proper flow of paperwork and could let me know what to expect.<br />When it came to the installation itself, the lads from Collegiate were industrious, courteous, and considerate, which was the same treatment I found with the sales and site assessment folks too.<br />Today we're approximately a month and a half into our PV adventure, and we're thrilled. We've generated nearly 1500 kWh, and I smile every time I look at the tracking numbers (oh yeah, I do recommend the Enphase Enlighten software if it's offered to you.<br />My wife and I are very happy customers, and I certainly recommend PV installations in general, and Collegiate Builders specifically, to anyone who will listen to me witter on about it.<br />Cheers,<br />DVG