Green Monster Bilking $thousands of dollars from the consumers selling Fafco Solar Hot water systems Internet

I sat through the sales pitch. Don't waste your money, here's why:

Product #1 K var - Used to correct your power factor.

I am an Engineer with a degree in electronics, and I have serious doubts as to whether this product really works for home applications. This system would work well for industrial motors (as always shown in the demonstration with an Amp meter) but they should be attached one per motor. Even if this does work as stated, I priced one of these boxes at $550 installed. Considering I never received an actually breakdown of the "Trifecta" as the salesman called it, I am not sure actually how much they wanted to charge for the system. When I asked how the system worked, he fed me a line of nonsense, at which point I explained to him how it was supposed to correct the power factor. He was clueless. He then said that they basically through the system in for "Free" as an added insurance policy for energy savings.

Conclusion: You don't need Green Monster to get this system, you can get it on your own for much cheaper.

Product #2 Aeroseal - Used to seal leaking duct work

I actually would like to have this system. Two problems, one is that I have seen the system go for $600 to $3500 depending on if you have a sleazy salesperson come and charge a few extra thousand dollars to get you to buy it. The second problem is that at least the one recommended dealer wouldn't perform the service without also installing a solar water heater.

Conclusion: Sounds like a good product, especially if you have a two story home as I do, good luck finding a company to do it without tacking on additional (and unwanted) services

Product #3 - Solar water heater

You still have to have your water heater in addition to the new solar water heater. They wanted to charge me $14,000 for this system, possibly $11,000 with their "discount". This system is expensive, there is no getting around that. You need contractors, permits, addition floor space. Even if the system was free, the labor and materials would be expensive. I think you would be hard pressed to find any system under $3000 installed. For any of you that do not know what this unit does, it is merely a heat exchanger. It typically uses a PVC unit that is exposed to sunlight and a pump and reservoir to get the hot coolant to the water heater. No magic here, no actual cells, nothing special at all.

Conclusion - Don't get suckered into this, you can't recuperate your costs: Let's do a breakdown. I have a gas water heater. for the year I spent $217. The energy consumption on the water heater itself said an average of $230 per year. 10 years $2,300. A solar water heater still requires a you to use your existing water heater, meaning that you energy bill does not drop to $0. If I spent $5,000 dollars on a solar water heater, I would have to run it for over 20 years to break even!

I was in sales, this company stinks of used car salesman tactics, especially the "This price is only good for today" clause, which nearly got the salesman thrown out of my house. The term of the additional $6000 that was not covered by tax breaks was on a 10 year term at nearly 12% interest.

Don't get roped into every "Green" company that comes along. Do your homework before making a decision like this.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHO POSTED THE ORIGINAL COMMENT.  OBVIOUSLY ITS PROBABLY A PLUMBER WHO IS A COMPETITOR BECAUSE THEY NAMED EVERY MAJOR COMPANY IN PHOENIX VALLEY WHO COMPETES WITH THEM.  I AM A CUSTOMER OF ONE OF THE COMPANIES MENTIONED.  I WAS ORIGINALLY SHOCKED AT THE PRICE TAG AS WELL...BUT THEN THEY EXPLAINED THE ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS THEY WERE GOING TO INSTALL.  THEY DO NOT ONLY INSTALL SOLAR WATER HEATERS, THEY ALSO INSTALLED 2 ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS AS PART OF THAT PACKAGE THAT HELPED A LOT WITH MY ENERGY BILL.  I GOT PERFECT INSTALLATION, AND EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.  THEY HANDLED AND PROCESSED ALL MY REBATES AND PERMITS, AND EVEN GUARANTEED AND WARRANTEED ALL THEIR WORK.  THE HIGHEST MONTH SAVINGS I GOT WAS 49% (FROM MAY THIS YEAR COMPARED TO MAY LAST YEAR).  I HAVE BEEN TOTALLY SATISFIED BY THEIR WORK.  AT THIS RATE I WILL PAY MY SYSTEM OFF IN 28 MONTHS....THATS NOT BAD IN MY OPINION.  AND I DIDNT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING UPFRONT AT ALL.

THE DIFFICULT PART ABOUT "RIP OFF" REPORT IS ANYONE CAN REPORT ANYBODY THEY WANT AND FOR ANY REASON OR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.  I WOULD SUGGEST YOU CHECK THE BBB.  THESE COMPANIES ARE ACCREDITED, AND IF THERE ARE ANY COMPLAINTS, IT ACTUALLY ALLOWS FOR A COMMUNICATION TO RESOLVE, WHERE RIP OFF REPORT REQUIRES YOU TO PAY THEM TO REMOVE IT. 

SORRY TO THE ANGRY PLUMBER ORIGINALLY...BUT YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR FACTS BEFORE POSTING.  THESE COMPANIES (AT LEAST THE ONE WHO DID MY HOUSE) WAS AMAZING, AND DID A FANTASTIC JOB.  I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

"Rip Off" seems like a strong term, "very highly priced" seems more fitting. I had Green Monster out to my home in Mesa, AZ yesterday for a consultation. I thought the representative was professional, not to pushy and answered my questions. It was an educational experience, I learned about the 3 products that make up their "going green" program. There was a bit of "salesman style" nonsense when he called his manager to get me "approved" for their special pricing.

The quote was $10,560, which is astronomical for the products they are offering, and I very kindly told them that. He was respectful of my opinion, and trying to break out the numbers for me one more time to show my immediate cost savings in the form of lower utility bills.

I would not call any of this a "rip off" though. Just high priced, which each consumer has a right to chose what is expensive and what is affordable. If you are planning on being in your home for a long time to come, and don't mind a small payment for many many years, this seemed like a good way to "go green". I would rather spend the money up front and get it over with, but that's just my style.

I represent the owner of ANOTHER solar company.....Completely unattached in any way shape or form from any of the companies listed.  Personally my company charges between 6000 and 8000 dollars for a solar hot water system, and if we are lucky, when it is all said and done my company may make 1000 dollars profit.

While I am in no way defending a 10000 price tag, you failed to account for the following items

Cost of actual equipment- panel, tank, pipes                        2000-3000

Cost of Actual permit                                                          200-500

Permitting service fee                                                               200

Now, how did I acquire you as a customer? Advertising!

Thats a fee, lets say approx $500/customer                                  500

Should your installer have a license?...If you want those rebates, you spoke of, he or she better..                                                                            100

Now, most reputable contractors have an office, with a phone, employees to answer that phone, an electric bill, office supplies..etc.  Lets call this "office over head"..If you only sell 1 or 2 a month, this could equal 150% of revenue...thats bad.  If you are a reputable company doing good business, lets say you do 10-15 and your overhead of above items is 5000/month..that means another 400 goes to overhead

lets get a quick tally on your water heater......    about 4000 bucks so far if not more

I havent paid the installer(s) yet...the one(s) who actually lift the 150lb panel on your roof and do all the plumbing work necessary...NOw you are up to $5000

Let's go back to how you came to be my customer.  You magically flew into my office, holding a check in your hand for $7000 and said "Let's do this", right?? NO, I sent a sales tech to your home atleast once, if not 3 or 4 times throughout both the sales and install process to

      1. Get the sale

      2. Collect signatures and go over paperwork

      3. Collect checks, and hopefully referrals at some point in time

And so I assume we should pay him something right?  Lets say he makes $700

So the only one left now is you and me....forgetting that I may have sales managers, additional expenses undocumented above, and How did you pay me??

I assume you arent going to hand me $7000 cash, you will most likely take me up on our 6-12 months Same AS Cash financing...this costs me roughly 10% of the deal, directly to the bank

So in conclusion, we are now at $6400 in fees for me to do your water heater deal....Id love to make 10000 a deal, the market wont support it though.

So we charge $7497 installed with a lifetime labor guarantee as well as a lifetime warranty on the collector

Jared

(((ROR redacted)))