8 solar installers ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
Best overall in Charleston: Legacy Roofing & Solar, CR Score 89/100; 4.7★ from 172 Google reviews; open 24/7.
Most-reviewed: Rector Solar & Roofing, 62 Google reviews at 4.2★, the most of 8 ranked after Legacy Roofing & Solar; ranked #8.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
8 Charleston solar installers are ranked here by CR Score, from 8 published factors. 1 is open 24/7, 3 open Saturdays and 1 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.9★ across 8 rated businesses.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legacy Roofing & Solar | 89 | 4.7★ (172) | Mattoon, 10 mi away | 24/7 | Overall |
| 2 | Firefly Energy | 75 | 5.0★ (13) | Springfield, 39 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 3 | Tick Tock Energy, Inc. | 73 | 4.8★ (20) | Effingham, 32 mi away | — | — |
| 4 | SoulShyne Solar | 73 | 5.0★ (3) | Brentwood, 20 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 5 | Sonne Energy Solutions, LLC | 71 | 5.0★ (9) | Effingham, 30 mi away | — | — |
| 6 | Redemption Roofing and Exteriors | 71 | 4.8★ (34) | Douglas, 15 mi away | — | — |
| 7 | SolarShift | 68 | 5.0★ (3) | Douglas, 30 mi away | — | — |
| 8 | Rector Solar & Roofing | 68 | 4.2★ (62) | Champaign, 38 mi away | — | Most reviews |
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from 8 published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Scores below: based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.7★ from 172 Google reviews, the most Google reviews on this list (172).
Based in Springfield, 39 mi away
Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Effingham, 32 mi away
Ranked #3 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Brentwood, 20 mi away
Ranked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Effingham, 30 mi away
Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Douglas, 15 mi away
Ranked #6 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 34 Google reviews, 34 Google reviews.
Based in Douglas, 30 mi away
Ranked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Champaign, 38 mi away
Ranked #8 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.2★ from 62 Google reviews, 62 Google reviews.
Typical prices in USD, adjusted for Illinois with a published regional index. Each row names its basis and month.
| Job | Low | Typical | High | Basis | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panel installation | $26,020 | $29,430 | $32,010 | Per system: about 12 kW at about $2.60 per watt, before incentives. US national range × 0.95 East North Central factor (2025 Cost vs. Value Report) | October 2026 |
We scored 8 Charleston 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 Charleston 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 |