This is not legal advice
A contract is the commitment. BidProof can report what a document says and whether it matches the proposal. We are not a law firm. If you need a lawyer, hire a lawyer. Use this list to know what to look at — and what to ask — before you sign.
Does the contract match the proposal?
Same system size, same equipment, same price, same payment. Unexplained changes between the sales packet and the signature packet are the first thing to catch. If the contract allows “or equivalent” equipment, ask who decides equivalent, and whether you are notified.
Payment timing
Note when deposits are due and whether the last payment waits until the system is on and approved. Change orders and site surprises (permits, interconnection, hidden roof work) should say who pays.
Cancellation
Look for a cancellation notice and the period the contract itself states. If you have already signed, that clock is the first question. Do not rely on a salesperson’s summary of your rights.
Leases and power purchase agreements
End-of-term options matter as much as year-one payment: transfer to a buyer, early buyout, removal. If those are vague, the contract is incomplete for a 20-year decision.
Turn a red flag into a written question
Illustrative example: your proposal names a particular inverter, but the contract allows an unspecified replacement. Ask which performance and warranty requirements the substitute must meet and how changes will be approved. A missing answer is a question to resolve, not proof of wrongdoing.
FTC guidance recommends checking that contract terms agree with the sales proposal. Use the actual agreement to establish payment and maintenance obligations. FTC: Solar Power for Your Home (U.S. consumer guidance, April 2022)
- Compare names, equipment, prices, and scope across both documents.
- Mark any clause that lets costs or equipment change.
- Ask for the cancellation notice and the procedure and deadline that apply to your transaction.
- Request written clarification or qualified legal advice when an obligation is unclear.
Read the clause and its exception together
A headline promise may be narrowed elsewhere in the agreement. A fixed price may exclude additional roof work. A production guarantee may have conditions for monitoring or maintenance. Read the definition, exclusions and remedy beside the headline rather than treating one reassuring sentence as the whole commitment.
A term worth questioning is not proof of misconduct. Your aim is to establish who may change the deal, what you must pay and what happens if work or performance differs from the promise.
| Wording to examine | Question for the seller |
|---|---|
| “Equipment may be replaced with equivalent products” | Which specifications and warranty terms must match? How will I approve a change? |
| “Final payment due at substantial completion” | What event counts as completion? Does it occur before utility permission to operate? |
| “Additional site conditions billed separately” | Which conditions are excluded, how is the added cost calculated, and can I decline the change? |
| “Guaranteed production subject to exclusions” | What output, period, exclusions and remedy does the guarantee actually specify? |
Match each promise to the party responsible
The salesperson, installer, lender, equipment manufacturer and lease or PPA owner may be different organizations. Record the legal name of the party responsible for each obligation and the address or process for notices. A lender’s payment obligation does not automatically stop because you have a workmanship dispute.
For a lease or PPA, ask for the applicable payment schedule, annual increase, home-sale transfer process and buyout or removal terms. Do not assume you can buy the system at any time or transfer it to a homebuyer without conditions.
Turn the open issues into a signature checklist
Keep a short list of unresolved clauses with the agreement’s version and page number. Ask for the agreed clarification in the document you will sign. If the contract or applicable law is unclear, ask a qualified lawyer before relying on a summary.
A proposal-to-contract review can identify differences and explain what the documents say. It does not determine your legal rights or represent you in a dispute. Solar contract review scope · Questions to take to your representative