27 solar installers ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
Best overall in Lakeside: ION Solar, CR Score 84/100; 4.5★ from 1,961 Google reviews; open Saturdays until 5 PM.
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Cenvar Roofing - Richmond, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 27.
Most-reviewed: Homefix Roofing and Window Installation of Richmond, 917 Google reviews at 4.8★, the most of 27 ranked after ION Solar; ranked #6.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
27 Lakeside solar installers are ranked here by CR Score, from 8 published factors. 5 are open 24/7, 17 open Saturdays and 8 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.9★ across 27 rated businesses.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ION Solar | 84 | 4.5★ (1,961) | Ashland, 11 mi away | Sat | Overall |
| 2 | Cenvar Roofing - Richmond | 84 | 5.0★ (117) | Glen Allen, 6 mi away | 24/7 | Emergencies |
| 3 | Shanco Roofing | 84 | 4.9★ (260) | Brandermill, 14 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 4 | RVA Softwash and Staining LLC | 82 | 5.0★ (117) | Tuckahoe, 7 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 5 | RainSoft ProWash | 81 | 5.0★ (64) | Chester, 12 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 6 | Homefix Roofing and Window Installation of Richmond | 80 | 4.8★ (917) | East Highland Park, 2 mi away | Sat · Evenings | Most reviews |
| 7 | Light More Light Solar | 80 | 5.0★ (10) | Bon Air, 13 mi away | Sat · Sun · Evenings | — |
| 8 | SolarTyme by AAPCO | 80 | 4.6★ (134) | Richmond, 12 mi away | Sat | — |
| 9 | Virginia Energy Solutions | 80 | 4.9★ (89) | Brandermill, 18 mi away | Sat | — |
| 10 | Horizon Solar | 80 | 4.7★ (12) | Glen Allen, 7 mi away | Sat · Sun · Evenings | — |
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: 4.5★ from 1,961 Google reviews, the most Google reviews on this list (1,961).
Based in Glen Allen, 6 mi away
Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 117 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based in Brandermill, 14 mi away
Ranked #3 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.9★ from 260 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based in Tuckahoe, 7 mi away
Ranked #4 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 117 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based in Chester, 12 mi away
Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 64 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based in East Highland Park, 2 mi away
Ranked #6 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 917 Google reviews, 917 Google reviews.
Based in Bon Air, 13 mi away
Ranked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 10 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Richmond, 12 mi away
Ranked #8 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.6★ from 134 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Brandermill, 18 mi away
Ranked #9 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.9★ from 89 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Glen Allen, 7 mi away
Ranked #10 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Brandermill, 13 mi away
Ranked #11 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.9★ from 164 Google reviews, open 7 days a week.
Based in Richmond, 5 mi away
Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 92 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Ashland, 6 mi away
Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 135 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Highland Springs, 9 mi away
Ranked #14 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.6★ from 208 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Ashland, 8 mi away
Ranked #15 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 11 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Richmond, 6 mi away
Ranked #16 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Richmond, 3 mi away
Ranked #17 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 14 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy system service”.
Based in Chester, 16 mi away
Ranked #18 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.6★ from 85 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy system service”.
Based in Tuckahoe, 13 mi away
Ranked #19 because of its Google rating and review volume: 5.0★ from 96 Google reviews, 96 Google reviews.
Based in Ashland, 7 mi away
Ranked #20 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.9★ from 82 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Contractor”.
Based in Brandermill, 9 mi away
Ranked #21 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.9★ from 40 Google reviews, open Saturdays until 7:30 PM.
Based in East Highland Park, 7 mi away
Ranked #22 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, open 7 days a week.
Based in Ashland, 7 mi away
Ranked #23 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Based in Bon Air, 11 mi away
Ranked #24 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 25 Google reviews, open Saturdays until 5 PM.
Based in Brandermill, 6 mi away
Ranked #25 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 3.0★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Solar energy company”.
Typical prices in USD, adjusted for Virginia with a published regional index. Each row names its basis and month.
| Job | Low | Typical | High | Basis | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panel installation | $27,400 | $30,990 | $33,710 | Per system: about 12 kW at about $2.60 per watt, before incentives. US national range × 1.00 South Atlantic factor (2025 Cost vs. Value Report) | October 2026 |
We scored 27 Lakeside 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 Lakeside 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 |