When my husband and I first moved to Washington Park, we felt like we’d hit the jackpot. Denver’s bluebird skies, the charm of tree-lined streets, and a neighborhood where you can walk just about anywhere — from the coffee shop to the local farmers market — it felt like the perfect place to raise our two young kids.

But it wasn’t long before rising energy bills and a few too many conversations about “doing our part” for the planet pushed solar higher up on our family’s to-do list.

At first, I thought the decision would be simple. Denver gets nearly 300 days of sunshine a year — solar seemed like a no-brainer. But like most things in homeownership, it turned out to be a little more involved than that.

We started the way most people do: searching online, asking neighbors, and collecting quotes from a handful of companies. The offers rolled in, but they all felt the same — generic, salesy, and rushed. Some companies pitched us the dream: big savings, no stress, everything handled “in-house.” But none of them asked a single question about our family, our home, or our real goals. They talked watts and kilowatts, but not about what actually mattered to us: reliability, return on investment, and doing the right thing for our family and the environment.

The turning point came one weekend after a stroller run through Wash Park, when we stopped to chat with another local family who’d recently gone solar. Their advice? Slow down. Ask more questions. And above all, work with a contractor who understands the neighborhood — not just the rooftops, but the people.

That’s when we shifted gears. We stopped chasing the lowest quote and started looking for the right fit.

When we met with a local solar company based right here in the Denver metro, the entire conversation changed. They didn’t treat us like a sales lead; they treated us like neighbors. Instead of rushing to sign paperwork, they walked us through the process — from explaining the current Xcel Energy rate structure to helping us understand how federal tax incentives and Colorado’s solar-friendly policies could impact our timeline for return on investment.

And yes, we did talk about our house’s tall old trees, but they helped us look at the bigger picture: panel placement, roof orientation, even future-proofing for potential battery storage down the line. It felt like the first time someone was planning a system for our family, not just for our address.

They also walked us through one of the biggest stress points for any homeowner: permits, inspections, and the coordination dance that happens between the city and the utility company. If you live anywhere near central Denver, you’ve probably learned the hard way that timelines here can get… interesting. Our contractor set realistic expectations, stuck to them, and kept us updated every step of the way. No surprises.

When installation day arrived, it honestly felt like a milestone — not just another project. Our kids sat on the porch, wide-eyed, watching the panels go up. It felt good knowing this was one of those decisions that wasn’t just about saving a few bucks on energy. It was about future-proofing our home and teaching our kids that even small choices can help protect the place we call home.

And once the system went live, the difference was immediate. The first Xcel bill with solar production on the books was a moment of real satisfaction — the kind that makes you wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Looking back, I’m glad we didn’t settle for the first flashy sales pitch. Choosing a contractor that understood both the technical side of solar and the personal side of homeownership made all the difference. This wasn’t just another house on a spreadsheet for them — it was our home, our family’s future, and our little slice of the Denver lifestyle.

Now, every time we take the kids for another lap around Wash Park or head down the street for breakfast, I catch myself glancing up at the panels on our roof. It’s a quiet reminder that sometimes the best decisions aren’t the fastest ones — they’re the ones you make when you slow down and choose a partner who shares your values.