Solartime USA review
Richardson-based and installing across DFW since 2009, Solartime USA is an EnergySage Elite–rated installer that runs every project with its own crews — and at around $2.75 per watt, it's the best price-to-quality value in the metroplex.
Solartime USA is our best-value pick in Dallas–Fort Worth. At roughly $2.75 per watt it undercuts the national brands by a wide margin, yet it holds an EnergySage Elite rating and runs every job with its own in-house crews rather than subcontractors. Established in 2009, it has the track record to back up the low price. If your priority is the lowest total cost of ownership from a genuinely reputable local installer — not a bargain-basement fly-by-night crew — this is where we'd start.
Solartime USA at a glance
Who they are
Solartime USA has been installing residential solar around Dallas–Fort Worth since 2009, building a reputation as a no-nonsense, value-focused installer. Based in Richardson, it's the kind of established local shop that has quietly outlasted many flashier competitors by doing solid work at a fair price — more than 15 years in a market where plenty of solar companies come and go.
Its headline credential is an EnergySage Elite rating. EnergySage is one of the most trusted independent solar marketplaces, and its "Elite" tier is reserved for installers with strong workmanship and customer-satisfaction records. That distinction matters a great deal for a value installer, because it separates Solartime from the race-to-the-bottom crews that win on price but disappoint on quality. With Solartime, the low price doesn't come with a quality asterisk.
The engine behind that value is control. Solartime runs projects bumper-to-bumper with its own in-house crews — the same company handles your consultation, system design, installation, and final inspection. It doesn't hand the job to a rotating cast of subcontractors, which is how a lot of installers cut corners. Owning the whole process lets Solartime keep quality consistent and keep costs down, and it's the main reason it can offer around $2.75 per watt without the workmanship suffering.
Where does Solartime sit in the DFW landscape? It's the value champion. It won't have the premium brand cachet of a Good Faith Energy or the national footprint of a Sunrun, but for a homeowner who wants a straightforward, well-executed solar system at the lowest reasonable price — from a company that will still be around to answer the phone — Solartime is hard to beat.
Services offered
Solar design & installation
Full in-house residential solar installs — no subcontracted crews, from design to final inspection.
Battery storage
Enphase and Tesla battery options for backup power and to help qualify for the Oncor rebate.
Transparent value pricing
Among the lowest per-watt pricing from a vetted, established DFW installer.
Free consultation
No-cost design and an itemized quote modeled on your actual energy usage.
Equipment & warranty
Solartime keeps prices low without resorting to no-name equipment. It installs solid Tier-1 components and passes the savings through by running lean, not by cutting hardware quality.
Panels
Tier-1 monocrystalline modules with standard 25-year product warranties — reliable value panels rather than premium designer brands.
Inverters
Enphase microinverters or quality string inverters, offering panel-level monitoring on many installs.
Storage
Enphase and Tesla battery options for homeowners who want backup power or the Oncor rebate.
A Solartime system is protected on several fronts:
- Panel product warranty: typically 25 years against defects, plus a performance warranty on output.
- Inverter warranty: up to 25 years with Enphase microinverters, or the manufacturer's term on a string inverter.
- Battery warranty: the manufacturer's coverage (commonly 10–15 years) if you add storage.
- Workmanship warranty: Solartime's own coverage on the installation — and because the crews are in-house, the same accountable team stands behind the work rather than a subcontractor who's moved on.
In-house crews = a warranty that means something
A workmanship warranty is only as reliable as the company honoring it. Because Solartime installs with its own long-tenured crews rather than subcontractors, there's a clear, single point of accountability if anything needs attention down the road.
Pricing & financing
Value is the whole thesis here. At roughly $2.75 per watt, Solartime sits near the bottom of the DFW price range — well below national brands like Sunrun (around $3.50–$4.00/W) and premium shops. For a typical system that price difference can add up to many thousands of dollars over an otherwise identical install.
Solartime supports the ownership paths that let you keep the full value of the system:
| Option | Upfront | You own it? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | Full price | Yes | Lowest lifetime cost, fastest payback |
| Solar loan | $0–low down | Yes | Owning with monthly payments |
Because a Solartime system is among the least expensive quality installs in DFW and you own it, it tends to produce the fastest payback of any installer on our list — especially if you add a battery to capture the Oncor rebate. If your goal is the best return on investment, Solartime's math is tough to beat. See our DFW payback guide for how price per watt drives payback.
What to expect: the install process
With everything handled in-house, Solartime's process is refreshingly direct — you're dealing with one company from first call to switch-on.
- Consultation & bill analysis. Solartime reviews your energy usage and roof and designs a system sized to cover your actual consumption without overbuilding.
- Itemized quote. You get a transparent, itemized proposal — system size, equipment, production estimate, and price — with no high-pressure sales theatrics.
- Permits & interconnection. Solartime pulls city permits, handles HOA paperwork if needed, and files the Oncor interconnection application.
- Installation. Solartime's own crew installs the racking, panels, inverter, and any battery — typically completed in one to three days.
- Inspection & permission to operate. The city inspects, Oncor grants Permission to Operate, and your system switches on.
Most projects run about 6–10 weeks end to end, with permitting and utility approval — not the installation itself — taking the most time.
Credentials & standing
Solartime backs its value pricing with a marketplace rating and a long local track record:
Pros & cons
What we like
- Among the lowest per-watt prices from a vetted shop
- EnergySage Elite–rated with a strong track record
- 15+ years installing in DFW
- Full in-house crews — real quality control
- Straightforward, transparent pricing and sales
- Fastest payback of any installer on our list
Keep in mind
- Smaller brand footprint than national players
- Fewer locations than statewide companies
- Value equipment, not premium designer panels
- Ownership only — no $0-down lease/PPA
Who Solartime USA is best for
Choose Solartime if…
Your top priority is the lowest total cost and fastest payback, you want to own your system, and you value an established local installer with in-house crews over a big brand name.
Look elsewhere if…
You specifically want premium designer panels, a $0-down lease/PPA, or a nationwide brand's service footprint rather than a local shop.
Frequently asked questions
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