19 solar installers ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
Best overall in Ames: Heartland Roofing, Siding, and Solar, CR Score 87/100; 4.8★ from 619 Google reviews; open 24/7.
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Heartland Roofing, Siding, and Solar, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 19.
Most-reviewed: Wegner Roofing & Solar, 277 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 19 ranked after Heartland Roofing, Siding, and Solar; ranked #12.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
19 Ames solar installers are ranked here by CR Score, from 8 published factors. 4 are open 24/7, 8 open Saturdays and 4 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.8★ across 19 rated businesses.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heartland Roofing, Siding, and Solar | 87 | 4.8★ (619) | Des Moines, 25 mi away | 24/7 | Overall |
| 2 | Heartland Roofing, Siding, and Solar | 83 | 5.0★ (9) | Ames | 24/7 | Emergencies |
| 3 | Ram Roofing and Solar | 83 | 4.7★ (128) | Urbandale, 30 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 4 | PowerFilm Solar | 79 | 4.8★ (39) | Ames | — | — |
| 5 | 515 Solar | 78 | 4.7★ (14) | Des Moines, 31 mi away | — | — |
| 6 | Des Moines Area Roofing Siding + Solar | 78 | 4.8★ (138) | Des Moines, 23 mi away | Sat | — |
| 7 | True Energy | 77 | 5.0★ (13) | Johnston, 26 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 8 | Premier Plus Storm Team | 77 | 4.4★ (38) | Urbandale, 29 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 9 | The Solar Guys | 76 | 5.0★ (11) | Ankeny, 23 mi away | Sat | — |
| 10 | 1 Source Solar | 76 | 4.7★ (71) | Ankeny, 23 mi away | — | — |
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from 8 published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 619 Google reviews, the most Google reviews on this list (619).
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ames
Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Urbandale, 30 mi away
Ranked #3 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.7★ from 128 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ames
Ranked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 39 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 31 mi away
Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 14 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 5 of 8 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 23 mi away
Ranked #6 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 138 Google reviews, 138 Google reviews.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Johnston, 26 mi away
Ranked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Urbandale, 29 mi away
Ranked #8 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.4★ from 38 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ankeny, 23 mi away
Ranked #9 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 11 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy system service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Ankeny, 23 mi away
Ranked #10 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 71 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 31 mi away
Ranked #11 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in West Des Moines, 32 mi away
Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 277 Google reviews, 277 Google reviews.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 27 mi away
Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.9★ from 28 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Clive, 14 mi away
Ranked #14 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Electrician”.
Based on 5 of 8 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Boone, 13 mi away
Ranked #15 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.4★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 26 mi away
Ranked #16 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.0★ from 8 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 31 mi away
Ranked #17 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines, 30 mi away
Ranked #18 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 136 Google reviews, 136 Google reviews.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Altoona, 25 mi away
Ranked #19 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Electrician”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Typical prices in USD, adjusted for Iowa with a published regional index. Each row names its basis and month.
| Job | Low | Typical | High | Basis | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panel installation | $26,570 | $30,060 | $32,700 | Per system: about 12 kW at about $2.60 per watt, before incentives. US national range × 0.97 West North Central factor (2025 Cost vs. Value Report) | October 2026 |
We scored 19 Ames solar installers on 8 factors, weighted as shown. A business is ranked when its trade is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. Unknown factors are left out of the score, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed October 22, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Featured businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Ames data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 35% | Bayesian-adjusted Google star rating | Measured |
| Credentials | 15% | Active state license 0.6, bond 0.2, workers’ comp 0.2 | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | log10(reviews + 1) against the list maximum | Measured |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 10% | Weekly open hours, Saturday, Sunday, 24/7 or same-day | Measured |
| Trade focus | 10% | Google main category 1.0, business name 0.7, additional category 0.5 | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | 1.0 when based in the city, falling to 0 at the trade’s radius | Measured |
| Completeness | 5% | Website, photos, description, hours, claimed profile (0.2 each) | Measured |