Sandbox Solar

What Sandbox Solar does

Sandbox Solar is a Fort Collins, Colorado–based, privately held installer (Sandbox Solar LLC) founded in 2015 by Ian Skor that delivers residential and commercial solar PV systems across the Colorado Front Range and into Southern Wyoming. Services span design, permitting, installation, monitoring, repair, removal/reinstall, and solar appraisals, all delivered in-house rather than through subcontractors. The company also sells and services integrated hardware ecosystems — battery storage (Enphase IQ), EV charging (Wallbox Pulsar Plus), and HVAC/heat pump systems from Trane and Mitsubishi — supported by a tiered subscription maintenance offering (PowerPack and PowerPack+ plans at $30–$40/month) and a LiDAR-based heat-pump sizing workflow via partner Conduit Tech.

Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time installation contracts (residential and commercial PV, plus add-on battery and EV charger attach), supplemented by hardware pass-through, professional services (repairs starting at $180, solar appraisals, detach-and-reset), and a smaller but growing stream of recurring maintenance subscriptions and PV active monitoring. Customer segments are split between residential homeowners (primary), commercial and public-sector accounts (municipal solar, schools, libraries), and a specialty agricultural agrivoltaics vertical served by a dedicated development team.

The agrivoltaics practice is anchored by a CSU research collaboration (nine arrays at ARDEC South, a Semi-Arid Grassland Ecovoltaic Research Facility at Nunn, and a 100 kW vineyard installation at CSU Orchard Mesa) and a proprietary modeling platform, SPAdeSolar, that forecasts crop output, PV generation, soil moisture, air temperature, and water savings for locations across the U.S. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via an in-house sales team (VP of Sales & Marketing plus multiple Solar & Battery Consultants and Project Estimators), a website self-serve quote flow, phone sales, and review/marketplace channels (Google, Nextdoor, EnergySage, SolarReviews), supplemented by a $250 referral program and stacked promotional discounts designed to encourage full home-electrification bundle purchases.

Name

Sandbox Solar

Legal name

Sandbox Solar LLC

Website

https://sandboxsolar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sandbox Solar is a Fort Collins, Colorado–based installer of residential and commercial solar PV, battery storage, EV charging, and HVAC/heat pump systems across the Colorado Front Range and Southern Wyoming, delivered in-house with a specialty agrivoltaics vertical.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Installation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring) (EUAMABAH), Solar End-of-Life, Recycling & Decommissioning (Panels, Inverters, Racking) (EUAMABAM)

Keywords

• Residential solar installation
• Commercial solar systems
• Battery storage solutions
• Heat pump HVAC services
• Agrivoltaic system design

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Solar Installation (One-Time): One-time revenue from designing, permitting, and installing residential and commercial solar PV systems. Includes roof mount, ground mount, and solar carport configurations. Revenue recognized at project completion.
2. Hardware Sales: Sale of solar panels, inverters, batteries (Enphase IQ), EV chargers (Wallbox Pulsar Plus), and associated components as part of complete system installations.
3. HVAC/Heat Pump Installation (One-Time): One-time revenue from installing heat pumps, central AC, furnaces, and dual-fuel systems for residential and commercial customers.
4. Service & Maintenance Plans: Recurring revenue from PV and HVAC maintenance plans offered on monthly or annual subscription basis. Plans include Heating Only ($10/mo), HVAC Maintenance ($20/mo), HVAC Maintenance+ ($25/mo), PV Active Monitoring, PowerPack ($30/mo), and PowerPack+ ($40/mo).
5. Solar Repair Services: One-time service revenue for diagnosing and repairing solar system issues including inverter faults, wiring problems, monitoring faults, and underperforming panels. Services start at $180.
6. Solar Appraisal Services: Professional solar appraisal services for home sales and purchases, evaluating system performance, ownership structure, and overall value.
7. Solar Removal & Reinstall Services: Detach and reset services for solar panels during roof replacements, with a 2-year workmanship warranty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Sandbox Solar designs, installs, and maintains residential and commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery storage (Enphase IQ), EV charging stations (Wallbox), and HVAC/heat pump systems for customers across the Colorado Front Range and southern Wyoming. The company delivers the full solar journey in-house — design, permitting, installation, monitoring, repairs, and ongoing maintenance — and offers specialized agrivoltaics services supported by a proprietary agrivoltaics modeling platform (SPAdeSolar).

Product overview

Sandbox Solar operates as a full-service solar and HVAC company offering an integrated energy ecosystem for residential and commercial customers across Colorado. The core offerings include Residential Solar and Commercial Solar installations, supplemented by battery storage (Enphase IQ), EV charging stations (Wallbox), and HVAC services including heat pumps. The company also provides specialized agrivoltaics services for agricultural properties, supported by a proprietary agrivoltaics modeling platform (SPAdeSolar). Additional services include solar removal/reinstall, repairs/support, solar appraisals, and ongoing maintenance plans (PV Active Monitoring, HVAC Maintenance). The company maintains internal customer and installer portals for project management, and offers an incentives finder tool. Services are provided in-house from initial consultation through installation and long-term support, with operations spanning Northern Colorado, Denver, Boulder, and Southern Wyoming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Solar Custom-designed solar panel installations for homeowners covering consultation, permitting, installation, and ongoing monitoring with grid-tied systems across the Colorado Front Range.
• Commercial Solar Custom commercial solar installations for businesses, public sector projects, and community solar developments including design, construction, and maintenance.
• Battery Storage Solar battery backup systems, including Enphase IQ home batteries, providing energy storage for outage protection and peak rate avoidance.
• EV Charging Stations Home and commercial EV charging solutions including Wallbox Pulsar Plus smart chargers with 240V connection and app control.
• Solar Removal & Reinstall Professional solar panel detach and reset services for roof repairs and replacements, with coordination with roofing contractors and a 2-year workmanship warranty.
• Solar Repairs & Support Diagnostic and repair services for solar systems including inverter faults, wiring issues, monitoring faults, and underperforming panels, supporting Enphase, SolarEdge, ABB, and SMA brands.
• Solar Appraisal Professional solar system appraisals for home sales and purchases, evaluating system performance, ownership structure, and overall value.
• HVAC Services Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning services including heat pump installation, central AC, furnaces, and dual fuel systems for residential and commercial properties.
• Heat Pumps High-efficiency heat pump systems for year-round heating and cooling, including ducted, ductless (minisplit), and dual fuel configurations from brands like Trane and Mitsubishi.
• Agrivoltaics Co-location of agriculture and solar energy production, including elevated arrays, bifacial fences, transparent arrays, and mobile configurations for farms and research sites.
• Agrivoltaics Modeling (SPAdeSolar) Proprietary data-driven simulation platform for forecasting agricultural and photovoltaic production, air temperatures, soil moisture, and water savings for agrivoltaic system planning, used by researchers, growers, and developers.
• PV Active Monitoring Proactive solar system monitoring service with real-time alerts, remote diagnostics, and on-site inspections to maintain system performance and protect warranties.
• HVAC Maintenance Plans Recurring HVAC maintenance services including heating and cooling precision tune-ups, filter changes, and priority service scheduling on a monthly or annual subscription basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• PV systems engineered to last 25-30 years with proper equipment and maintenance
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Colorado State University (CSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing agrivoltaics research partnership with CSU's ARDEC South. Sandbox Solar installed 9 separate agrivoltaic arrays testing crop types with varying solar panel transparency, funded in part by a USDA SBIR grant. Also collaborating on Semi-Arid Grassland Ecovoltaic Research Facility at Nunn and a 100kW vineyard agrivoltaic installation at CSU's Orchard Mesa Research Station.
• iCastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenver-based non-profit focused on affordable and sustainable housing. Partnered with Sandbox Solar on the 110 kW Low Income Solar Housing Complex project in Denver, Colorado.
• DAE GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColorado-based company partnered with iCast and Sandbox Solar on the Low Income Solar Housing Complex project in Denver.
• Horse & Dragon BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrafted the Sol Source Hoppy Blonde Ale beer collaboration with Sandbox Solar crew — a brand-building community partnership celebrating self-sufficiency and convergent teamwork.
• AIMS Community CollegeminorOthersEducational partnership for workforce training and hiring pipeline. Sandbox Solar recruits talent from AIMS Community College.
• Front Range Community College (FRCC)minorOthersEducational partnership for workforce training and hiring pipeline. Sandbox Solar recruits talent from FRCC.
• Colorado State University (Training)minorOthersUniversity partnership for recruiting talent into solar careers. Sandbox Solar leverages CSU's programs for employee development.
• Larimer County Workforce CenterminorOthersLocal workforce development partnership supporting employment and training programs for solar industry careers.
• Solar Energy Industries Institute (SEI)minorOthersSolar industry training organization supporting professional development and solar jobs training in Fort Collins.
• Open Door CultureminorOthersCultural and professional development partner supporting Sandbox Solar's hiring and team-building philosophy.
• Fort Collins UtilitiescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLongstanding utility partnership for municipal solar projects including the AZTLAN Community Center (53 kW) and Fort Collins Utilities 50 kW solar project. Also offers residential solar rebate programs and battery storage incentives.
• Xcel EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary utility provider for grid interconnection, net metering, and various incentive programs including Renewable Battery Connect (RBC), PSPS Battery Rebate, and heat pump rebates. Sandbox Solar designs systems optimized for Xcel Energy rate structures and interconnection requirements.
• PVREA (Poudre Valley REA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRural electric cooperative utility offering heat pump and solar rebates for PVREA members. Sandbox Solar serves PVREA service area customers.
• Philgreen ConstructionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction partner on the L'Avenir Living Building Challenge net-zero energy project in Fort Collins, designed and built by Davis Architects.
• Davis ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner on the L'Avenir Living Building Challenge net-zero energy building project in Fort Collins.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Namaste Solar: Boulder, Colorado-headquartered residential and commercial solar installer with an integrated employee-owner cooperative model. Directly comparable to Sandbox Solar on geography (Colorado Front Range), in-house install model, and customer base.
• Premise Solar: Denver-based residential and commercial solar EPC serving Colorado. Closely comparable in scale, geography, and bundled solar+battery value proposition against Sandbox Solar.
• Sunsense Solar: Colorado-based residential and commercial solar installer offering design, installation, and energy storage. Operates in the same Front Range service territory as Sandbox Solar with a comparable integrated offering.
• Trinity Sun Energy: Regional residential solar installer with a multi-state footprint and direct sales motion. Comparable sales-led GTM and residential solar+battery attach to Sandbox Solar's core offering.

Broad incumbents

• Sunrun: Largest US residential solar installer with vertically integrated financing (leases/PPAs) and battery attach. Competes with Sandbox Solar for the same Colorado homeowners but at vastly larger scale and with a balance-sheet-backed financing model.
• Freedom Forever: Large US residential solar installer with national dealer model. Competes against Sandbox Solar for Colorado homeowners through local dealer branches and aggressive pricing.
• Tesla Energy: National residential and commercial solar plus Powerwall battery offering with vertically integrated hardware. Competes in the same Colorado market with strong brand and balance-sheet-financed options that Sandbox Solar must respond to.
• SunPower: National residential and commercial solar plus storage provider with dealer/installer network. Comparable on bundled solar+battery proposition to Sandbox Solar's integrated offering.

Emerging players

• Blue Raven Solar: Rapidly scaling residential solar installer with direct sales motion in multiple US states. Comparable GTM (in-house sales-driven installer) and product overlap (solar+battery) with regional installers like Sandbox Solar.

Others

• Enphase Energy: Solar inverter and battery technology supplier whose IQ battery and microinverter products are sold and installed by Sandbox Solar. Comparable as the hardware backbone of the same residential solar+battery value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sandboxsolar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sandboxsolar
• Facebookfacebook.com/sandboxsolar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sandbox-solar-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/sandboxsolar/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sandbox Solar