5 solar installers ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
Best overall in Fair Plain: Hightec Solar, CR Score 74/100; 4.5★ from 17 Google reviews.
Most-reviewed: Briter Products, Inc., 63 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 5 ranked; ranked #2.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
5 Fair Plain solar installers are ranked here by CR Score, from 8 published factors. The median Google rating is 4.8★ across 5 rated businesses.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hightec Solar | 74 | 4.5★ (17) | Michigan City, 32 mi away | Overall |
| 2 | Briter Products, Inc. | 74 | 4.9★ (63) | South Bend, 28 mi away | Most reviews |
| 3 | Crossroads Solar | 73 | 3.8★ (5) | South Bend, 28 mi away | — |
| 4 | Certified RV Repair LLC | 72 | 4.8★ (62) | Elkhart, 38 mi away | — |
| 5 | Inovateus Solar LLC | 72 | 5.0★ (3) | South Bend, 25 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 trade focus: 4.5★ from 17 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in South Bend, 28 mi away
Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 63 Google reviews, the most Google reviews on this list (63).
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in South Bend, 28 mi away
Ranked #3 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 3.8★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy equipment supplier”.
Based on 5 of 8 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Elkhart, 38 mi away
Ranked #4 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 62 Google reviews, 62 Google reviews.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in South Bend, 25 mi away
Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Typical prices in USD, adjusted for Michigan 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 5 Fair Plain 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 Fair Plain 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 |