Compare Local Pros
Coldwell Energy vs Sage Electric
Placer Electrical Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Sage Electric brings 22 years of electrical expertise but lacks workers compensation insurance, while Coldwell Energy offers full insurance coverage focused on solar installations.
| Coldwell Energy | Sage Electric | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.8 | ★ 3.3 |
| Years Licensed | 14 years | 22 years |
| License # | 969149 | 828828 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | — |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Rocklin, CA | Rocklin, CA |
| Website | coldwellenergy.com | sageelectriccompany.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Coldwell Energy
Customers consistently highlight smooth installation processes, professional workmanship, and responsive customer service with direct owner involvement in resolving concerns.
Key Takeaway: Coldwell Energy has substantial documented customer feedback showing patterns of satisfaction across multiple project types, while Sage Electric has minimal public feedback available for evaluation.
Customer Reviews
Coldwell Energy
Update: After posting this review, I was contacted directly by Coldwell Solar's president, Sean, who assigned a team to work on our behalf to get the issues addressed. Coldwell has done an outstanding...
Super excited to be work with Coldwell Solar team on our next solar project. Check out their community solar program and the renewable solar credits. Huge opportunities to save on energy costs.
Coldwell Solar installed two arrays for us. The whole process went extremely smooth and the systems are working great.
Sage Electric
Had a weird outlet issue. Quick call and before they even sent anyone out, we were able to deduce a GFI outlet was to blame. Will remember this Company next time someone or myself needs electrical hel...
Consider Coldwell Energy if...
- ✓ You're installing a solar energy system and want a contractor with documented experience in residential and agricultural solar projects including tracker arrays and fixed systems.
- ✓ Workers compensation insurance is a priority for you, protecting against potential liability if injuries occur during installation on your property.
- ✓ Customer feedback and documented service patterns matter to you, and you value seeing evidence of responsive customer service and professional workmanship.
- ✓ You prefer a contractor with established solar-specific expertise rather than general electrical capabilities for your renewable energy project.
Consider Sage Electric if...
- ✓ You need traditional electrical services like outlet troubleshooting, panel upgrades, or rewiring rather than solar installation work.
- ✓ The 22-year licensing history provides confidence in diagnosing complex electrical issues that require decades of field experience.
- ✓ You're willing to verify your homeowner's insurance covers contractor injuries and accept the risk associated with no workers comp coverage.
- ✓ You can request and verify recent customer references directly since limited public feedback is available.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask Sage Electric directly about liability coverage and confirm whether your homeowner's policy covers contractor injuries during electrical work, given the absence of workers comp insurance.
- → Ask Sage Electric for references from recent projects similar to yours and inquire about how long their current crew has worked together.
- → Ask Coldwell Energy about their specific experience with your type of solar system if you're considering unusual configurations or agricultural applications.
- → Confirm with both companies what warranties they provide on labor and whether permitting and inspection coordination is included in their quoted price.
The Bottom Line
If you're installing a solar energy system, Coldwell Energy is the clear choice with specialized solar experience, full insurance coverage including workers compensation, and documented customer satisfaction across residential and agricultural projects. Their 14 years of focused solar expertise is more relevant than general electrical experience for renewable energy installations. If you need traditional electrical services rather than solar work, Sage Electric's 22-year history offers deep troubleshooting capability, but you must address the workers compensation gap before hiring by verifying your homeowner's insurance covers contractor injuries and requesting recent customer references to validate their current service quality. For most homeowners prioritizing risk management and documented performance, Coldwell Energy provides better protection and transparency.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor lacks workers comp, you could potentially be held liable for medical expenses and lost wages. Before hiring Sage Electric, contact your homeowner's insurance to verify your coverage includes contractor injuries. Some policies exclude this, which would leave you exposed to significant financial risk.
Sage Electric holds an electrical license and is legally qualified to perform solar electrical work. However, Coldwell Energy demonstrates specific solar installation experience including tracker arrays and agricultural systems, suggesting deeper knowledge of solar-specific permitting, interconnection requirements, and system optimization. For complex solar projects, specialized experience often matters more than general electrical expertise.
Both companies qualify as experienced contractors. Sage Electric's 22 years suggests deeper exposure to legacy electrical systems and unusual troubleshooting scenarios. Coldwell Energy's 14 years still represents substantial experience, particularly focused on solar technologies that have evolved significantly in the past decade and a half. For solar work specifically, Coldwell's focused experience may be more relevant than Sage's additional years in general electrical.
This could reflect different business models, customer bases, or review solicitation practices. Coldwell Energy appears to focus on larger installation projects that generate detailed feedback, while Sage Electric may handle smaller service calls or work primarily through referral networks. The lack of reviews doesn't necessarily indicate quality issues, but it does mean you'll need to request references directly from Sage Electric to evaluate their recent work.
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See our ranked list of top electrical contractors in Placer.
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How We Compare Contractors
License Verification
All license data is sourced from official California CSLB records and verified regularly.
Review Analysis
Customer reviews are aggregated from Google and analyzed to identify patterns in service quality.
Detailed Comparison
We analyze credentials, insurance, experience, and feedback to highlight meaningful differences.
Not all licensed contractors are created equal. While a valid license is the baseline requirement in California, contractors can vary significantly in experience, insurance coverage, and customer satisfaction.
- Experience matters: A contractor with 15+ years of experience has likely encountered and solved problems that newer contractors haven't faced yet.
- Workers' compensation protects you: If a contractor without workers' comp insurance has an employee injured on your property, you could be held liable.
- Reviews reveal patterns: Individual reviews can be misleading, but patterns across many reviews often reveal a contractor's true strengths and weaknesses.
- Bond amounts vary: A contractor's bond provides financial protection if they fail to complete work as agreed. Higher bonds offer more protection.
Taking time to compare contractors on these factors can save you from costly mistakes and help ensure your project is completed by a qualified professional.
Data Sources: License information from California CSLB. Ratings and reviews from Google. Last verified March 12, 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information. We recommend getting multiple quotes and verifying all credentials directly before hiring.
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