Jayne and Peret came to solar from different perspectives. Peret always wanted solar because she wanted to do her part for the environment. Jayne was unsure about the economic feasibility of it all. But once they found Namaste Solar, they were able to get their dream solar system for a price that felt like a steal for them both, allowing them to help the environment and invest in other luxuries they had only dreamed of. Read their full story below.
What inspired you to start thinking about solar?
Peret: I had wanted solar for a while because I have a concern for the environment, and I wanted to make sure that I’m doing everything I can to help the next generation.
Jayne: My take was that it’s too expensive, it doesn’t pay for itself, and it’s a pain in the neck when you have a lien against your home. I’m a mortgage person, and I’ve seen others deal with that. In my head, it hadn’t proven itself. But when we got together and bought this house, Peret really wanted solar. So, I started doing research because the numbers have to make sense. We found a broker in January 2023 and worked with them initially.
This broker hooked us up with a company that did an inspection and then never followed up or anything. The broker kept telling us, “It’ll take time.” And then he finally did some research, and he realized that the company we were working with went under. They did so without any warning or communication.
At that time, the rates were low, and we weren’t paying huge fees to get the financing.
Peret: So, we were really disappointed because the rates had gone back up and there was no chance of getting anything close. After that happened, we started talking to eight different companies, including Namaste Solar.
What made you choose Namaste Solar?
Jayne: Peret is a yoga teacher, so the “Namaste” part of your name attracted us to you.
Peret: Yes, and I’ve heard really good things about Namaste Solar over the years.
Jayne: And that you’re a local company! I love that. I checked the big, national, corporate companies like Sunrun; we ran into them in Costco. The numbers across the board were crazy, like up to 60 grand for a system. I kind of gave up until I got a call from Steven from Namaste Solar. He gave us a new quote with great numbers. We sat on the numbers for a couple of weeks. And then he called back to share that Xcel had a program that if you keep your system below a certain level of production, they would give almost $7,000 back. That made it a no brainer. It took two panels off our design, but we were ready to move forward.
“When Steven ran the numbers for cash, it ended up being such a great deal. After all the rebates and discounts, we ended up paying around 50% of the price for the system. It was phenomenal after all the rebates.”
What was your decision process like for going solar?
Jayne: I believe in what Peret was saying, about the environmental impact, but it wasn’t pragmatic. I felt like I was dealing with used car salesmen every time I was talking to a salesperson, except for when I came to Namaste Solar. I really felt like you guys were straight shooters who shared what you have and who you are with integrity. It felt so good to work with you guys where before I felt like I was in this pool of used car salesmen, all biting for my business. Other people would try to one up each other or amp up offers. With Namaste Solar, I got transparency, honesty, and integrity. And I really, really appreciated that. That’s what made us decide to stay. The numbers worked, and you guys are awesome.
What was your experience like working with us?
Jayne: Steven was awesome. He was communicative. If I had a question or concern, he answered with patience and clarity. I had a lot of questions, and Steven was always on it with us. Everybody I talked to was extremely helpful. I don’t have a bad thing to say about anybody that I interacted with. And I’m a tough cookie when it comes to stuff like this. For me, if you say something, you live it, you breathe it, you do it. And if you don’t, I’m going to call you on it, and that did not happen.
Peret: The people who came out to the house were so awesome. Every one of them. I’m a handy person; it’s what I do for a living. So, I was just watching them, watching what they were doing with the electrical panel. They were just so nice and so kind to the dogs. They were easy to talk to and the whole experience was great. Everyone was so easy and communicative about timelines and everything else every step of the way. They told us every step of the way what was going on. It was awesome.
How has going solar financially impacted you?
Jayne: When Steven ran the numbers for cash, it ended up being such a great deal. After all the rebates and discounts, we ended up paying around 50% of the price for the system. It was phenomenal after all the rebates.
Peret: We noticed a big difference in the summer with the cost of running the air conditioner. Traditionally, it can be really expensive. But our monthly energy bill was around $25 over the summer last year. We actually have a heat pump for the winter, and this winter has been colder than last. We’ve been using it more, but our winter costs are still at a tad less. We also got a jacuzzi about a year ago, and our bill is less than it was even with that extra energy usage.
Jayne: Yeah, we got the heat pump when our air conditioner died at the end of the summer. And we did so specifically because we have solar. Between the heat pump and solar, we’ll save money when we file our taxes this year. We got a new electrical panel with the solar, and getting the solar system kind of launched us into getting all those things done.
How has solar positively impacted your lifestyle?
Jayne: Well, I love the monitoring app.
Peret: Yeah, that’s fun. I got a little crazy about that in the beginning. I’d watch it and then I’d turn on the dishwasher and get excited to see how much energy the dishwasher uses. I don’t do that anymore, but it was very fun at first.
Jayne: We were able to add to and upgrade our home. We added the heat pump and heated floors into the bathroom now. We were able to upgrade the house to the level that we wanted it.
Peret: It’s also a really great feeling to know that we’re not creating as much carbon or contributing as much to the issues with the environment as we would have been. And we get to have some luxuries that are fantastic, that I’ve always dreamt of, like a hot tub.
You alluded to the team at Namaste Solar going above and beyond. Do you have any specific examples of that happening?
Jayne: I was used to not getting calls back or people not showing up on time because of who I had worked with previously. But you guys weren’t like that. You were here. You were kind.
Peret: Very.
Jayne: The people were all very kind. Which is huge. That’s above and beyond for me. You don’t need to be kind to be professional. You just need to do what you said you were going to do.
Peret: Yeah, the people that were here were like real people. I know that sounds like a weird thing to say but sometimes you’re dealing with people that don’t feel like real people. It feels more like they’re there to do a thing, and that’s it. But the folks at Namaste Solar were so human with us, which we loved.
Jayne: And the guys that came out to do the electrical panel, I think they went above and beyond. They worked really hard to put it together properly for us. Also, the quality of the product was above and beyond.
Peret: You used Square D, which I’ve been told is fantastic by other electricians. It’s entirely possible that other companies would have come out and used a crappy product for our electrical box that would cause electrical issues later on because we don’t necessarily know the difference.
Jayne: Even with Steven calling and letting us know about the Xcel rebate program. To me, that was above and beyond. He didn’t have to do that. I mean it made the sale, but it was also him being very cognitive of my concerns and taking care of me.
If you were recommending someone explore the benefits of solar in three sentences, what would you say?
Peret: I’ve only got one sentence that can sum it up. Solar is fantastic for the environment and for your pocketbook, especially if you’re going to live in your house for a long time.
