Solar sales in Canada range from meticulous engineering firms to high-pressure door-to-door campaigns. The contract — not the brochure — defines equipment models, payment timing, warranty remedies, and who pulls permits. Signing without reading guarantees, change orders, and cancellation windows invites disputes when production misses projections or inspections delay energization.
This guide highlights clauses that matter in typical Ontario, BC, and Alberta residential installation agreements.
Scope of work and equipment schedule
Contract must attach:
- Module manufacturer, model, quantity, wattage
- Inverter or microinverter model and count
- Racking system and roof penetration method
- Single-line electrical diagram or reference to engineered design
- Excluded work — trenching, panel upgrade, tree trimming
"Or equal" language without your approval rights allows bait-and-switch. Strike or initial beside exact SKUs.
Price, deposits, and payment milestones
Typical structure:
- Deposit at signing — often ten to twenty percent; know refund rules
- Progress payment at material delivery or permit approval
- Substantial payment after install complete
- Final holdback ten percent until inspection and energization
Never pay one hundred percent before electrical inspection. Ontario Consumer Protection Act cooling-off rules may apply to door-to-door contracts — verify provincial consumer law for your purchase channel.
Production estimate and guarantee
| Clause element | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Annual kWh estimate | Matches independent PVWatts within ten percent |
| Guarantee percentage | Typically ninety to ninety-five percent of estimate year one |
| Measurement method | Monitoring portal or utility meter — specify |
| Remedy | Cash, additional modules, or service credit — not vague |
| Exclusions | Shade from trees you refused to trim, force majeure |
| Duration | One to five years common; longer rare |
Guarantee without remedy is marketing. Demand numeric compensation formula.
Warranty pass-through
Installer warranty (workmanship) typically one to ten years — separate from twenty-five-year module performance warranty from manufacturer. Contract should specify:
- Installer registers equipment on your behalf
- Who dispatches warranty claim — installer or you
- Labour included for module swap under manufacturer warranty?
- Inverter warranty length and extended option costs
Bankruptcy of installer does not void manufacturer equipment warranty if registered — keep PDF certificates.
Permits, inspections, and timelines
Installer obligation to obtain:
- Electrical permit
- Building permit if required
- Utility interconnection application
- Final inspection scheduling
Liquidated damages for delay are rare in residential contracts but completion date estimates help. Define what happens if utility meter swap delays three months — who pays interest on financed balance?
Change orders
Roof rot, panel upgrade, unexpected asbestos — change orders happen. Contract should require written signed change order before extra bill. Verbal roof plywood upsells during install day are a classic dispute source.
Financing and lease distinctions
Power purchase agreements and leases differ from purchase contracts — you may not own equipment; roof lien and removal obligations differ. This article focuses on purchase installs; if signing third-party finance paper, read security interest on property.
Cancellation and cooling-off
Door-to-door sales in several provinces allow cancellation within specified days if disclosure forms delivered correctly. Online or showroom purchases differ. Document cancellation method — registered mail versus email acceptance.
Insurance and liability
Installer should carry commercial general liability and name you additional insured during construction. Roof leak warranty period — one to five years common — should state response time and whether installer or roofer handles callback.
Dispute resolution
Arbitration clauses limit court access — understand before signing. Some provinces allow Solar Industry Association mediation resources — ask if installer participates.
Red flags warranting second quote
- No equipment schedule attached
- Pressure to sign same day for "rebate expiring tonight"
- Production guarantee without exclusions listed — too good, likely unenforceable
- Deposit exceeds twenty-five percent with weak refund clause
- Installer cannot provide provincial electrical contractor licence number
- No reference to utility interconnection responsibility
Before you sign checklist
- Compare three quotes on identical equipment tier
- Verify installer licence and insurance certificates
- Run production estimate through PVWatts independently
- Confirm roof condition assessment in writing
- Negotiate final payment holdback until meter active
- Store signed PDF and all exhibits in cloud backup
Bottom line
The installation contract is the only promise that survives the sales visit. Canadian homeowners who read equipment schedules, guarantee remedies, and payment milestones sleep better through permit delays and first winter production checks. If a clause confuses you, confusion is reason to pause — not to sign.