has anyone ever heard of these guys?

[Fulthrotl]

not sure if posting in electrical contracting, or the pv forum would be
more appropriate, so will put it in both, and delete the one that doesn't
get feedback....

CEGA (Clean Energy Group Alliance)
http://www.cegalliance.com/CEGAlliance/HOME.html

i'm going to one of their seminars tomorrow, to see
exactly what they offer... they are looking for
electrical contractors and solar contractors to
do installs..... located in encino, calif.

has anyone ever had experience with them?

thanks....


randy

 

[sumthnsdfrnt]

Just Went on Tuesday

Just Went on Tuesday

I don't know what the disclosure agreement prohibits us from talking about but....There's something fishy going on....

All I know is

if it seems to good to be true it probably is

secondly
the amount that you have to contribute X the amount of contractors that they say have already signed up = a large six digit # that would allow all of the current "appearances" to be paid for.

 

[lloyd homes]

Cegalliance contact

Cegalliance contact

Hi, I am a general contractor in San Diego & was phoned by CEGA, they use the name cegalliance.
They said they were looking for contractors to join them as affiliates. They said they provide the expertise, materials etc. for solar & other energy saving equipment.
I was septical of a 'cold' call & asked them to send me their details on email. this they did. The link to the website is-
www.cegalliance.com Not sure what to make of it.
I was invited to attend a seminar, but time is precious, has anyone else had contact or attended a seminar?

I wonder if this is just a sales pitch? or is it worthwhile following up.

Thanks

 

[renosteinke]

What this 'business' forum really needs is a link to a good primer on business law. In this instance, the chapter on 'franchises' would be of interest.

That's what they're trying to create; a franchise agreement. While 'theory' says that franchise agreements can say anything, the simple reality is that some arrangements have proven themselves successful for all involved, while others are doomed from the start.

Protected territories? Ability to represent competing lines? Advertising fees? Capital investments? And, btw, just WHOSE equipment are they shilling? These are all basic issues to address.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Hi, I am a general contractor in San Diego & was phoned by CEGA, they use the name cegalliance.
They said they were looking for contractors to join them as affiliates. They said they provide the expertise, materials etc. for solar & other energy saving equipment.
I was septical of a 'cold' call & asked them to send me their details on email. this they did. The link to the website is-
www.cegalliance.com Not sure what to make of it.
I was invited to attend a seminar, but time is precious, has anyone else had contact or attended a seminar?

I wonder if this is just a sales pitch? or is it worthwhile following up.

Thanks

well, i went, i saw, i signed the nondisclosure agreement.

nondisclosures are usually used in the case where sensitive information is being discussed.
trade secrets, contract negotiations,
personal assistants to twisted celebrities, etc. ;-)

not in a seminar for anyone who can proffer a business card. so...

for the right deal, i have an ear into a couple places with access to enormous
amounts of commercial tilt up square footage, in sunny places.

for the right deal. not sure if this is it.

when someone makes some of the claims they are making, i need third party
verification that it's so.... slapping pv's on a 10/12 pitch roof in august doesn't
sound all that spiffy. putting a large array on a half million sq foot tilt up, does.

and something that is abundantly clear in our current economy is this.... if you
have a viable business opportunity going, there is an awful lot of very nice
empty office space available for very reasonable rates.

there physical place of business was not confidence inspiring. you are going to
ask me for 5 digits to play with you, it should be in a setting that doesn't look
like that one looks... i'm a construction worker, first and foremost. i've seen,
as many of us have, six figure deals worked out on a stack of drywall, or the
tailgate of a pickup truck behind a scraper.

this didn't appear that way. i'll look further, 'cause apple computers started
in a 3 bedroom tract house, in the garage.

but i didn't talk to steve jobs yesterday, either. they have some interesting
players supposed to be on board... we shall see....

 

[Fulthrotl]

well, i went, i saw, i signed the nondisclosure agreement.

but i didn't talk to steve jobs yesterday, either. they have some interesting
players supposed to be on board... we shall see....

more was revealed... the photos used in the presentation yesterday were also
used on another website, shows on google, and the contact information there
is an email address at msn.com?

you claim to be all of this and that, and you can't spend $50 to register a domain
at godaddy.com?

*checks wallet, leaves uncarpeted office suite that looks like a renovated crack house,
walks away, shaking head.*

no sale.

 

[renosteinke]

Have you considered that the very purpose of the non-disclosure agreement is to prevent you from obtaining the information you need to make an informed decision - or to share what you learn with others?

We've had long discussions about other operations where "Mister Big Profits" has a magical system of making you lots of money .... just hand over a check, do it again next year, and keep your mouth shut. Do you think that, maybe, the non-disclosure agreement gets brought out every time someone tries to say "watch out for these bums?"

 

[cowboyjwc]

Let me just say this. I do about 10 solar inspections a week and about twice that number of plan checks. I've never heard of these guys. The guys that do solar don't hire other companies do do their installs.

 

[sd4524]

They called me too. Can't be that good of a deal if they are calling every contractor

 

[iMuse97]

more was revealed... the photos used in the presentation yesterday were also
used on another website, shows on google, and the contact information there
is an email address at msn.com?

you claim to be all of this and that, and you can't spend $50 to register a domain
at godaddy.com?

*checks wallet, leaves uncarpeted office suite that looks like a renovated crack house,
walks away, shaking head.*

no sale.

rofl. with you, not at you, at them.

 

[renosteinke]

Have you received your stimulus money? You haven't? Well, that's not right, let me gat back to you ....

I heard that line quite a bit two years ago, when "Hope and Change" took Office. Even today we still hear the occasional nice word about 'solar' and other schemes. It's like Deja-vu all over again.

You see, I remember Jimmy Carter's presidency. Back then, "solar" was the 'next coming thing.' Sales outfits were popping up all over the place. Amazingly enough, they all disappeared the day after the tax credits and other subsidies expired.

Which brings up another thing I've seen, in multiple circumstances: the effect of a subsidy. Let me use an example. If, today, a solar panel costs $100 ..... and the government decides to give you a $30 credit / rebate / subsidy / etc., you will immediately see that price jump to $130. It will still cost you the same, as it is the middleman who will take the subsidy. You will also see a change in the sales pitch: rather than trying to persuade you theirs' is a worthy product, you will be treated like the village idiot if you don't immediately chase after that 'free money.'

My point is that the 'instant distributors' are lying in wait, just praying that there will be another feeding frenzy at the government trough. The difference will be that this time there will also be an element of coercion to force folks to buy the products. The coercion will be through LEED, energy codes, and governmental control of the financing. Don't expect those Federal 'loans' to come without strings attached.