Photos via Google · Eric Whetzel John Talbott e. kochvar Jeffrey Hodgen Har Pac
Rethink Electric is listed on Top Solar Services as a solar contractor serving Wood Dale, Illinois. The 37 verified reviews on this page reflects real client experiences. Use the information on this page — the verified review count, sub-ratings on quality, schedule, cost, and willingness-to-refer, the company's services and pricing snapshot, and the contact details — alongside your own due diligence on licensing and insurance before requesting a quote.
Solar contractors in this category should carry a current state contractor license, $1M+ general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and verified reviews from recent projects in your area.
In Illinois, solar contractors are typically licensed at the state level for electrical or general construction work, and the most-cited credentials homeowners check on this page are NABCEP certification, manufacturer training (Tesla, Enphase, SolarEdge), and verified workers' compensation coverage. Confirm Rethink Electric's state contractor license number with your Illinois licensing board, verify any NABCEP credentials at nabcep.org, and request proof of general liability and workers' compensation insurance certificates that name your project address before signing a contract. For larger projects, ask for two or three references from recently completed installs of similar size and call them about quality, schedule, and warranty service experience.
Typical project timeline. Most residential installs run 8–14 weeks end to end: about a week for the site survey and design, 2–6 weeks waiting on permits from the local Authority Having Jurisdiction, one to three days of physical installation, then 2–5 weeks for inspection and utility permission to operate. The panels go up fast; the paperwork is what sets the schedule. Ask Rethink Electric for the specific permitting turnaround in Wood Dale, because local inspection backlogs are the single most common source of schedule slippage and vary widely between neighboring jurisdictions.
What the quote process looks like. A serious solar installation quote is delivered in writing after a site assessment — not as a verbal number on a first phone call. Expect a written proposal with an itemized bill of materials (panel and inverter make and model), a production estimate modeled in PVWatts, Aurora, or Helioscope showing shading and tilt assumptions, the full price before and after any incentives, and financing terms disclosed separately from the equipment price. Get at least three comparable written proposals so you are comparing equipment and scope rather than sales pressure, and be wary of any bid that expires within 24 hours or requires more than 10% down before work begins.
Credentials to confirm. Before signing, verify the state contractor license number with the Illinois licensing board, confirm any NABCEP certification directly at nabcep.org, and request certificates of general liability and workers' compensation insurance that name your project address. A contractor who hesitates to produce these documents has told you what you need to know.
How warranty service works. Three separate warranties apply: the panel manufacturer's product and performance warranty (typically 25 years), the inverter warranty (10–25 years depending on platform), and the contractor's own workmanship warranty covering labor and roof penetrations. Only the last one depends on Rethink Electric remaining in business, which is why a company's track record in Wood Dale matters as much as the warranty length on paper. Confirm in writing who to call for a service claim, what the response window is, and whether the workmanship warranty transfers if you sell the home.
Electricity rates and payback. Residential customers in Illinois pay roughly 15–18¢ per kWh, and that avoided-cost figure — not any incentive — is what actually drives solar payback. The higher your current bill and the longer you plan to stay in the home, the stronger the case. Installed residential pricing in Illinois generally runs $2.60–$3.10 per watt before incentives, with smaller systems landing at the upper end because fixed permitting and mobilization costs spread across fewer watts.
Net metering and utility policy. Illinois operates under a transition away from full net metering that began in 2025, making self-consumption and storage more valuable for new systems. This is the detail most homeowners overlook and the one that changes twenty-year savings the most, so ask Rethink Electric to model your system under the tariff you will actually be placed on rather than a generic assumption.
Incentives available in 2026. The federal Section 25D residential tax credit expired on December 31, 2025, so homeowners buying a system outright no longer claim the 30% credit. Section 48E remains available for business-owned and third-party-owned systems, which is why lease and power-purchase-agreement offers have become more competitive in Illinois than they were a year ago. At the state and utility level, Illinois homeowners can look to Illinois Shines REC payments through the Adjustable Block Program and a special property-tax assessment. Confirm current program status before signing — incentive budgets are capped and windows close without much notice.
Why this is a workable solar market. Between 15–18¢ retail electricity, established installer competition around Wood Dale, and the policy structure above, Illinois supports well-designed residential solar — provided the system is sized to your actual usage rather than oversized to inflate a commission.
Clients consistently praise Rethink Electric for professional service, transparent communication, and quality workmanship. Reviewers frequently highlight the company's ability to deliver projects on schedule and within budget.
This summary is based on verified Top Solar Services reviews.
Company won’t stand behind their workmanship warranty. Unfortunately will be taking the company to small claims court to get them to comply. They sent the structural engineering firm the wrong roof structural make up, acknowledged their wrong doing and agreed to fix it but now won’t respond to any communication requests.
They installed solar initially. Needed repair last spring. Tried numerous times to contact them after they came once to evaluate the situation. They never responded to repeated requests for repairs. Apparently, they’re too busy doing installations to offer support for their own systems. As a result, we are likely going to be financially penalized by ComEd for not producing sufficient energy, as required by the contract.
I had my solar installed by Rethink 6 yrs ago. Since that time, the system has paid for itself in full, and I am driving my EV 15k miles a year at "0" cost for electric power. My app shows that Rethink's system has produced over 65 Mega Watt Hours since we turned it on. Over the years, Rethink has stood by their installation, answering questions and sending out a tech when necessary for adjustments. They are sometimes hard to reach directly, but they always return my calls and/or emails. I would highly recommend them if you are looking at solar.
We used the web site Energy Sage to get quotes for our solar panels, and that's how we found out about Rethink Electric. Their quote was detailed and fair, including a couple of different options, and their references were great, so it made it very easy to choose Rethink.
We're building with the Passive House standard in mind, which entails a lot of attention to air sealing, and Anthony, who had to deal with the conduit inside the house, was very good about working with me to make sure there were no air leaks around their installation components.
Mike, the guys on site, and all the people in the office who we worked with were all great in terms of communication and responsiveness to questions or issues that came up --- even when I made a mistake on site, they were great about it, and came back to make the proper adjustment for me. Also, when an electrical code issue came up, Mike was quick to respond, and he was great about supplying me with the detailed info I needed to resolve the issue.
We've had a variety of subcontractors work on our new house, and it really makes a difference when workers show up who are professional, friendly, and dedicated to doing things the right way. Although they weren't around for very long, we really enjoyed working with Mike, Anthony, Dan, and Cherif.
We would highly recommend Rethink Electric to anyone interested in pursuing solar.
From the initial quote to the final installation, all done professionally and with the upmost respect to my home and property. I have never had a question go unanswered after the installation either often by the owner himself. I highly recommend ReThink electric for any of your solar needs. I'm a believer that we must use renewables. ReThink people seem to be passionate about the benefits of this.
850 North Central Avenue, Wood Dale, IL 60191
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