Solar has the longest gap between yes and done of almost any home service. After the contract comes design, permits, the install, inspection and utility approval, and the customer can’t see most of it. Obravetta follows up on every proposal without pressure, keeps the homeowner updated at every milestone, and turns happy customers into reviews and referrals. From $27/month.
Before signing, homeowners have heard warnings about solar scams: “free panels,” fake government programs and big deposits. They want a company that is clear and patient.
After signing, they wait. Permits, inspection and utility approval happen out of sight, and the panels on the roof may not be producing yet. That’s when the “when does it turn on?” calls start.
The installers who win referrals are the ones who explain each step before the customer has to ask.
One residential solar job from the first inquiry to the first referral. Here’s where installers lose the sale or the customer’s goodwill.
| Stage | What's happening | Where it dies | What has to run automatically |
|---|---|---|---|
| The inquiry | Homeowner fills out a form at night | No reply until two days later | Instant text back and a consultation link |
| The proposal | Consultation and written proposal | Pressure to sign today | Patient follow-up that answers questions |
| Signing | Contract and payment terms | Unclear payment schedule | E-signature with milestones in writing |
| The wait | Design, permit, install, inspection | “When does it turn on?” | A text at every milestone |
| Turn-on | Utility approval and first production | Nobody tells them it’s live | A turn-on message and a review request |
| After | Happy customer, curious neighbors | Nobody asks for referrals | Referral follow-up a few months later |
Not a feature list. This is one solar customer when the follow-up and updates run on their own.
A homeowner fills out your form after looking at their power bill. They get a text right away with a link to book a consultation.
Web forms · Missed-call text back · Online bookingYou walk through their usage and send a written proposal they can review with their family.
Proposals with e-signatureFollow-ups share how the process works and answer common questions. They reply by text whenever they’re ready.
Unlimited automated workflows · Two-way SMSThey sign on their phone. The proposal shows what happens at each step and when payments are due.
E-signature · Payment linksA text goes out as each step finishes: permit submitted, install scheduled, inspection passed, utility approval received.
Pipeline stages · Text templatesA turn-on message and review request go out the week the system goes live. A few months later, a referral ask follows.
Automated review requests · Referral campaignsHappy solar customers talk to their neighbors. Put in your own numbers to see what a systematic referral ask is worth over a year.
The math: installed customers × the share who refer when asked × your close rate on referrals × your average system price. Referral rates vary a lot by market, so start low.
Federal and state consumer agencies publish warnings about misleading solar pitches. Legitimate installers win by being the opposite.
Is this a real local company? Are the savings real? What am I paying, and when? Will someone answer after I sign?
Written proposals, steady updates and real local reviews answer more of that than any sales script.
On Obravetta Growth and Obravetta Pro, a professional solar website is built for you as part of the plan, not quoted separately by an agency for a few thousand dollars.
Solar buyers research for weeks. Your site should show real local installs, explain your process step by step, answer common questions honestly and make it easy to book a consultation.
On Obravetta Starter at $27 you get the builder and build it yourself. On Growth and Pro we build it for you.
Obravetta isn’t a design or financing tool. It’s the whole customer side of the business, and for a solar installer it breaks into six jobs.
Published figures, sourced below.
BLS projects solar installer jobs to grow much faster than average. More installers means more competition for every homeowner, and trust is what decides it.
Every plan includes a 14-day free trial, month-to-month with no contract. Annual billing charges for ten months instead of twelve.
1 team member
Owner-operator. Website builder, missed-call text back, unlimited follow-up workflows, proposals, invoicing and review automation.
Up to 3 team members
Adds AI voice answering, a professional website built for you, and 5,000 contacts. Small installers usually land here.
Unlimited team members
Unlimited contacts, done-for-you setup, custom automations and referral campaigns. Where installers with separate sales and install teams end up.
Honest note on seats: Starter is one user and Growth covers up to three. An installer with salespeople, an office coordinator and install leads will want Pro at $297, where seats are unlimited.
It depends what you need. For system design, shading analysis, permit packages or loan origination, you'll need specialist solar tools, and Obravetta doesn't replace them. Obravetta handles the customer side: answering every inquiry, booking consultations, following up on proposals, sending milestone updates during the install process, collecting reviews and referrals, and your website.
Answer questions instead of pressuring. Solar is a big decision and homeowners take time. Set up follow-ups that share something useful, like how the install process works or answers to common questions, and let the homeowner reply by text whenever they're ready. Consumer agencies warn people about high-pressure solar sales, so patience is a selling point.
Send a short text at each milestone. Between signing and turning the system on, there's usually design, permitting, installation, inspection and utility approval, and customers often don't know any of that. A message at each step stops the calls asking what's happening. The Florida Attorney General's consumer guide notes that solar installations require a permit and inspection before connecting to the utility.
Be specific and in writing. The FTC tells businesses that claims about solar must be truthful and that offers of 'free' or 'no cost' solar panels are scams. Federal consumer guidance warns about companies that claim to be government programs or ask for large deposits up front. Clear written proposals, your real business name and a list of local reviews set you apart.
Be careful and check your state's rules. Federal consumer guidance from the Treasury Department lists a large upfront deposit as a possible warning sign, and some states limit how much can be collected before work starts. A clear payment schedule tied to milestones is easier for customers to trust.
No. We don't model panel layouts or shading, produce permit plan sets, or originate solar loans or leases. Most installers use specialist design and financing tools, and run calls, follow-up, updates, reviews, referrals and the website in Obravetta.
Ask at the right moment: right after the system is turned on and the customer sees their first production numbers. Google's own Business Profile documentation says more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking. A follow-up a few months later asking if they know anyone interested is when referrals come in.
Importing your customer list from a CSV takes an afternoon, and missed-call text back plus proposal follow-up can be live the same day. The part with a real wait is 10DLC registration, the carrier approval required to send business texts in the US, which takes a few business days on any platform. A built-for-you website takes longer because we need your photos, service area and services.
Yes. Obravetta Starter at $27/month is one seat and covers follow-up, proposals, invoicing and reviews. AI voice answering and the built-for-you website start on Growth at $97, which covers up to three users. Installers with separate sales, office and install teams usually need Pro at $297 for unlimited seats.
Fourteen days is long enough to import your customers, get texting approved, and have proposal follow-up and milestone texts running. It doesn’t need a demo call.
14-day free trial · No long-term contract · Cancel anytime
Employment (2024), projected employment (2034), projected growth and annual openings for Solar Photovoltaic Installers (SOC 47-2231): O*NET OnLine, National Employment Trends, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034. Solar claims and “free” solar offers: FTC Business Blog. Upfront deposit warning: US Treasury, Consumer Solar Awareness. Permit and inspection before utility connection: Florida Attorney General, The Dark Side of Solar. Local ranking factors and the statement that more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking: Google Business Profile Help. All verified November 2026. Obravetta pricing from our own pricing page.
Nothing on this page is legal, tax, financial or engineering advice. Solar permitting, interconnection, deposit, licensing and consumer protection rules vary by state, city and utility, so check your local requirements. Job stages are illustrative of how residential solar work typically flows, not guarantees of results. Calculator results are estimates based only on the numbers you enter, not a prediction or guarantee of results. Google does not disclose how heavily any individual ranking factor is weighted, and no platform can promise a ranking outcome. Google are trademarks of their respective owners; Obravetta is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them. Figures change, so verify current details at the sources above.