Compare Local Pros
Got Watts? vs Northstar Solar
Contra Costa General Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Got Watts brings two additional years of experience and significantly broader electrical expertise beyond solar-only work.
| Got Watts? | Northstar Solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9 | ★ 4.7 |
| Years Licensed | 12 years | 10 years |
| License # | 985920 | 1006316 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Pleasant Hill, CA | Danville, CA |
| Website | www.gotwatts.com | www.gonorthstarsolar.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Got Watts?
Got Watts customers consistently praise detailed proposals, transparent pricing, professional installation crews, and regular communication throughout projects, with many returning for additional electrical and solar work.
Northstar Solar
Northstar Solar customers emphasize thorough consultations, responsive communication, efficient installations, and competitive pricing, with particular appreciation for how the team handles permitting and utility coordination.
Key Takeaway: Got Watts demonstrates strength across multiple project types including electrical, HVAC, and solar work, while Northstar focuses exclusively on solar optimization with notably high owner involvement throughout the process.
Customer Reviews
Got Watts?
Got watts is incredible. Dont hesitate. Eric is so professional and experienced. They are meticulous about safety and quality and were on time had all the parts and even dealt with permits!!! They com...
Got Watts continues to do amazing work for us. They're prompt, attentive, and do high quality work. We originally had them install a large solar array and a couple of batteries for us. We recently had...
I reached out to GotWatts about adding solar panels to my home. They gave me several solid options and clearly explained efficiency, ROI, and cost. Their transparency was refreshing, and their pricing...
Northstar Solar
I never write reviews, but NorthStar Solar truly earned it. After soliciting multiple bids, Patrick stood out right away - he took the time to do a Zoom call to understand my property and my goals ins...
I had a great experience with my solar and battery installation. The team was very knowledgeable and responsive. The whole installation was very fast from start to finish.
I had a solar system installed by Northstar Solar this past winter, and I am thoroughly impressed with their service. I obtained several bids from different companies, Northstar Solar's bid stood out ...
Consider Got Watts? if...
- ✓ Your project involves multiple electrical needs beyond solar, such as panel upgrades, EV charger installation, or HVAC work that you'd prefer one contractor coordinate rather than juggling multiple companies.
- ✓ Your home has older electrical infrastructure that may need updating to support a solar system, and you want a contractor with broader diagnostic capability across electrical systems.
- ✓ You value having an established contractor with slightly more years navigating California's solar and electrical regulations, particularly if your project involves complex permitting or utility coordination.
- ✓ You're planning future electrical projects and want to establish a relationship with a contractor who can handle additions like batteries, chargers, or panel work without starting the vetting process again.
Consider Northstar Solar if...
- ✓ You want a solar-focused specialist where the company owner maintains high involvement in your project from consultation through completion.
- ✓ Your project is straightforward solar and battery installation without related electrical complications, and you value working with a company that exclusively focuses on these systems.
- ✓ You prefer a company that specializes deeply in one service area rather than a broader electrical contractor who handles solar among many other services.
- ✓ You're comparing detailed solar system design options and want a team whose entire business model centers on optimizing solar installations rather than treating it as one service among many.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → If considering Got Watts for solar work, ask what percentage of their current projects are solar installations versus other electrical work to understand their current solar focus.
- → If considering Northstar Solar, ask how they handle situations where electrical panel upgrades or other electrical work becomes necessary during the solar installation process.
- → Ask both companies for references from projects completed in the past six months that match your specific installation type, whether rooftop, ground-mount, or combined with battery storage.
- → Confirm which specific equipment brands each company currently installs and whether supply chain factors affect their ability to meet your preferred timeline.
The Bottom Line
Choose Got Watts if your project involves any electrical complexity beyond basic solar installation—panel upgrades, EV chargers, HVAC work, or older home electrical systems that may need attention. Their broader electrical expertise means one contractor handles everything, and two additional years of licensing provides marginally more experience with California's regulatory environment. Choose Northstar Solar if you want a solar-focused specialist with high owner involvement and your installation is straightforward without related electrical needs. Both companies are similarly qualified on fundamentals—licensed, insured, bonded, and well-reviewed for communication and quality work. The decision comes down to whether you value comprehensive electrical capability or concentrated solar specialization.
Get Up to 3 Free Quotes
Compare prices from licensed, verified contractors
Frequently Asked Questions
It matters significantly if your project has any complexity beyond basic solar panels. Solar installations frequently reveal electrical panel issues, require circuit upgrades, or coincide with EV charger needs. Got Watts can handle these without coordinating additional contractors, while Northstar would need to outsource electrical work. If your installation is straightforward with no underlying electrical concerns, this advantage becomes less relevant.
Two years represents genuine additional experience, particularly given how rapidly California solar regulations and utility interconnection requirements have changed. Both companies are well-established, so this isn't a new-versus-experienced comparison. The difference matters more if your project involves complex permitting, challenging site conditions, or utility coordination issues where additional years of problem-solving experience becomes valuable.
Both companies install battery systems and have customers who've returned for additions. Got Watts may have a slight edge if battery integration requires electrical panel modifications or circuit work, since they handle all electrical aspects. Northstar's specialization means they focus exclusively on optimizing solar and battery configurations. Ask both about their typical process for retrofitting batteries to existing systems.
Location is minimally important here since both serve Contra Costa County extensively and neither shows geographic service limitations in customer feedback. Pleasant Hill and Danville are only about 15 minutes apart. Focus instead on service scope, project complexity, and which company's approach better matches your needs rather than using office location as a deciding factor.
Looking for the Best?
See our ranked list of top general contractors in Contra Costa.
Other Contra Costa General Contractors Comparisons
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 11, 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information. We recommend getting multiple quotes and verifying all credentials directly before hiring.
Get in Touch
Have questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you.