Surprising how business gets in its own way in its ability to do business.
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Qmerit charging $1500 to installers?
It appears that Qmerit is charging contractors $1500 to sign up as a qualified installer. Here is my situation:
I live in Central Montana. When I decided to by a Bolt in January 2023, I looked into the charger outlet installation offer from Chevrolet. I suspected that there may be very few installers in my area who were on Qmerit's list. I had a local contractor who had done some other work for me who I really liked. They were very professional, reasonable, and prompt. I had become friends with one of the field supervisors, so I asked him if his company was signed up with Qmerit. He said he had not heard of them, but he was interested in signing up and doing EV charger installs.
He stopped by and looked at my situation, and actually gave me a proposal for the work. He said he would fill out the application with Qmerit, so I could take advantage of their offer.
The contractor actually applied to Qmerit before I took delivery of the car. When I got the car, I filled out the form with Chevrolet to apply for the offer. My installation qualified as "non-standard" because it is a detached garage. Chevrolet approved my application and started the process with Qmerit.
After a couple of weeks, I had not heard anything, so I called Qmerit. Also at that time, the contractor followed up with Qmerit asking about his application. I was able to talk to a Qmerit representative who said they were looking for an installer for me. I told her about the contractor who had submitted his application to them, and asked that they consider him for the job.
2 weeks later, no word, so I emailed them, and they said that my contractor had not been approved yet, and that it could take a few weeks (it already had.) She also said the only contractor they had been able to find was 3 1/2 hours from me, and was not interested in doing the job. (My contractor is 20 miles away.)
2 more weeks, and I called again. This time, they said they had looked at my contractor's application, and were waiting for some documentation from them.
6 weeks after the contractor had applied, he told me they had heard back from Qmerit, but now were not sure they were going to get signed up, because it would cost them $1500 to do so. Considering the fact that Qmerit installs may be few and far between out here, at least for some time, and the job estimate he gave me was for just under $1000, I can't say as I blame them.
So now I am thinking I may have to do this without Qmerit. The EVgo credit they offer in lieu of the install is likely of no use to me. The nearest EVgo charger to me is in Ritzville, WA about 450 miles from here.
Because I live in an area with few EV's and not many charge stations, I can see why this is difficult. However, it seems to me that if Qmerit is charging $1500 to approve a contractor, it discourages any change in that situation.
I would be interested in hearing from any contractors who are on Qmerit's approved list about their experience with this process.
I live in Central Montana. When I decided to by a Bolt in January 2023, I looked into the charger outlet installation offer from Chevrolet. I suspected that there may be very few installers in my area who were on Qmerit's list. I had a local contractor who had done some other work for me who I really liked. They were very professional, reasonable, and prompt. I had become friends with one of the field supervisors, so I asked him if his company was signed up with Qmerit. He said he had not heard of them, but he was interested in signing up and doing EV charger installs.
He stopped by and looked at my situation, and actually gave me a proposal for the work. He said he would fill out the application with Qmerit, so I could take advantage of their offer.
The contractor actually applied to Qmerit before I took delivery of the car. When I got the car, I filled out the form with Chevrolet to apply for the offer. My installation qualified as "non-standard" because it is a detached garage. Chevrolet approved my application and started the process with Qmerit.
After a couple of weeks, I had not heard anything, so I called Qmerit. Also at that time, the contractor followed up with Qmerit asking about his application. I was able to talk to a Qmerit representative who said they were looking for an installer for me. I told her about the contractor who had submitted his application to them, and asked that they consider him for the job.
2 weeks later, no word, so I emailed them, and they said that my contractor had not been approved yet, and that it could take a few weeks (it already had.) She also said the only contractor they had been able to find was 3 1/2 hours from me, and was not interested in doing the job. (My contractor is 20 miles away.)
2 more weeks, and I called again. This time, they said they had looked at my contractor's application, and were waiting for some documentation from them.
6 weeks after the contractor had applied, he told me they had heard back from Qmerit, but now were not sure they were going to get signed up, because it would cost them $1500 to do so. Considering the fact that Qmerit installs may be few and far between out here, at least for some time, and the job estimate he gave me was for just under $1000, I can't say as I blame them.
So now I am thinking I may have to do this without Qmerit. The EVgo credit they offer in lieu of the install is likely of no use to me. The nearest EVgo charger to me is in Ritzville, WA about 450 miles from here.
Because I live in an area with few EV's and not many charge stations, I can see why this is difficult. However, it seems to me that if Qmerit is charging $1500 to approve a contractor, it discourages any change in that situation.
I would be interested in hearing from any contractors who are on Qmerit's approved list about their experience with this process.
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
Yes. Besides my chosen contractor, there are many highly qualified and reputable electricians in the nearby city of 60,000 people. I don't see that Qmerit is doing anything to guarantee the integrity of the installers they approve, so why the high initial fee? If you look at the application web page for installers at Qmerit, about all they require is that they are licensed, insured, bonded, and have workman's comp. All reasonable qualifications.
The Qmerit gal I am corresponding with says they have thousands of installations pending for Chevy Bolts alone. I have seen other posts here that say they make 10% to 15% from every installation they process. Seems like they would be happy with that, and want to expand in areas like mine.
The Qmerit gal I am corresponding with says they have thousands of installations pending for Chevy Bolts alone. I have seen other posts here that say they make 10% to 15% from every installation they process. Seems like they would be happy with that, and want to expand in areas like mine.
Eliminate Qmerit & GM could directly contract electrical charger work for customers. What a nice way to build long term after-sale customer relations AND grow another GM Branch from within. Sounds like a built-in EV growth business to me.…. have seen other posts here that say (Qmerit) make(s) 10% to 15% from every installation they process. Seems like they would be happy with that……
I agree. Especially where I live, we need to expand the use and convenience of EV's. I understand GM is underway with a program to install EV charge stations at Chevy Dealers, especially in more rural areas. That seem like a good move for them and us. But mostly we need to be able to charge effectively at home. Even if they would offer something like a $500 rebate for an installation if Qmerit cannot come through with it.
EVgo partners with ChargePoint and SemaConnect, so the $500 credit can be used on those networks as well. Still not tons of options out your way, hopefully that changes soon.The EVgo credit they offer in lieu of the install is likely of no use to me. The nearest EVgo charger to me is in Ritzville, WA about 450 miles from here.
No wonder Qmerit has taken almost 4 months to do nothing, other than sending me 1 vague email, asking if I by any chance changed my mind.
Reflects so well on GM and its commitment to promote electfication.
Reflects so well on GM and its commitment to promote electfication.
Riley, the EVGo credit also works on ChargePoint through their roaming agreement. I believe all of the Town Pump sites slated for DCFC are going to be ChargePoint, so that will offer a few options throughout the state of MT. Not sure why these Town Pump installs are so backed up, I've been watching these for over a year, anticipating a trip to Big Sky country.So now I am thinking I may have to do this without Qmerit. The EVgo credit they offer in lieu of the install is likely of no use to me. The nearest EVgo charger to me is in Ritzville, WA about 450 miles from here.
Look to see if you have a Chargepoint near you.It appears that Qmerit is charging contractors $1500 to sign up as a qualified installer. Here is my situation:
I live in Central Montana. When I decided to by a Bolt in January 2023, I looked into the charger outlet installation offer from Chevrolet. I suspected that there may be very few installers in my area who were on Qmerit's list. I had a local contractor who had done some other work for me who I really liked. They were very professional, reasonable, and prompt. I had become friends with one of the field supervisors, so I asked him if his company was signed up with Qmerit. He said he had not heard of them, but he was interested in signing up and doing EV charger installs.
He stopped by and looked at my situation, and actually gave me a proposal for the work. He said he would fill out the application with Qmerit, so I could take advantage of their offer.
The contractor actually applied to Qmerit before I took delivery of the car. When I got the car, I filled out the form with Chevrolet to apply for the offer. My installation qualified as "non-standard" because it is a detached garage. Chevrolet approved my application and started the process with Qmerit.
After a couple of weeks, I had not heard anything, so I called Qmerit. Also at that time, the contractor followed up with Qmerit asking about his application. I was able to talk to a Qmerit representative who said they were looking for an installer for me. I told her about the contractor who had submitted his application to them, and asked that they consider him for the job.
2 weeks later, no word, so I emailed them, and they said that my contractor had not been approved yet, and that it could take a few weeks (it already had.) She also said the only contractor they had been able to find was 3 1/2 hours from me, and was not interested in doing the job. (My contractor is 20 miles away.)
2 more weeks, and I called again. This time, they said they had looked at my contractor's application, and were waiting for some documentation from them.
6 weeks after the contractor had applied, he told me they had heard back from Qmerit, but now were not sure they were going to get signed up, because it would cost them $1500 to do so. Considering the fact that Qmerit installs may be few and far between out here, at least for some time, and the job estimate he gave me was for just under $1000, I can't say as I blame them.
So now I am thinking I may have to do this without Qmerit. The EVgo credit they offer in lieu of the install is likely of no use to me. The nearest EVgo charger to me is in Ritzville, WA about 450 miles from here.
Because I live in an area with few EV's and not many charge stations, I can see why this is difficult. However, it seems to me that if Qmerit is charging $1500 to approve a contractor, it discourages any change in that situation.
I would be interested in hearing from any contractors who are on Qmerit's approved list about their experience with this process.
While that sounds bad, and it could well be... I have no faith in QMerit in general...
Do we know for sure that is the case? Or could that be a contractor just saying that?
I don't always trust everything I hear from contractors either... ;-)
Do we know for sure that is the case? Or could that be a contractor just saying that?
I don't always trust everything I hear from contractors either... ;-)
I asked our installer how jobs were doled out by QMerit. Was it a free for all, first come first served?
He explained that he pays a fee to be a priority and basically gets first dibs. He has a pretty big territory so sometimes declines ones he can't bid from the photos. (MDoesn't want to make two trips (estimate and install) that are distant. QMerit tells him it's a Tier 1-5 job, based on distance, etc. and each level has a different reimbursement. I guess if a Tier 5 payment doesn't cover itit becomes Custom and that's where the $1000 limit takes effect.
We just had an excellent experience with QMerit and were blown away how quickly they handled our 70-80 ft run at $0 out of pocket.
I received their email shortly after our purchase and completed it the following day. By that evening I had actually met with the electrician (photos weren't enough) and had the bid and an appointment a few days out. Installation went well and looks good. It was quite a perk from GM.
He explained that he pays a fee to be a priority and basically gets first dibs. He has a pretty big territory so sometimes declines ones he can't bid from the photos. (MDoesn't want to make two trips (estimate and install) that are distant. QMerit tells him it's a Tier 1-5 job, based on distance, etc. and each level has a different reimbursement. I guess if a Tier 5 payment doesn't cover itit becomes Custom and that's where the $1000 limit takes effect.
We just had an excellent experience with QMerit and were blown away how quickly they handled our 70-80 ft run at $0 out of pocket.
I received their email shortly after our purchase and completed it the following day. By that evening I had actually met with the electrician (photos weren't enough) and had the bid and an appointment a few days out. Installation went well and looks good. It was quite a perk from GM.
I took the EV Go credit for precisely this reason. Nearest EV Go 3 hours away but plenty of ChargePoint here in Omaha. I already have a 14-50 and Level 2 in my garage for our Tesla so didn’t need/want the Qmerit install.Riley, the EVGo credit also works on ChargePoint through their roaming agreement. I believe all of the Town Pump sites slated for DCFC are going to be ChargePoint, so that will offer a few options throughout the state of MT. Not sure why these Town Pump installs are so backed up, I've been watching these for over a year, anticipating a trip to Big Sky country.
The electrician just finished my installation this afternoon. For me, the process went smoothly and it would have gone quickly had delivery of the ChargePoint charger that I ordered not been delayed for over a week by weather.I asked our installer how jobs were doled out by QMerit. Was it a free for all, first come first served?
He explained that he pays a fee to be a priority and basically gets first dibs. He has a pretty big territory so sometimes declines ones he can't bid from the photos. (MDoesn't want to make two trips (estimate and install) that are distant. QMerit tells him it's a Tier 1-5 job, based on distance, etc. and each level has a different reimbursement. I guess if a Tier 5 payment doesn't cover itit becomes Custom and that's where the $1000 limit takes effect.
We just had an excellent experience with QMerit and were blown away how quickly they handled our 70-80 ft run at $0 out of pocket.
I received their email shortly after our purchase and completed it the following day. By that evening I had actually met with the electrician (photos weren't enough) and had the bid and an appointment a few days out. Installation went well and looks good. It was quite a perk from GM.
The electrician ran a dedicated branch circuit about 40ft over the ceiling in my garage to mount the receptacle on the opposite wall from the distribution panel. I was worried that some of the language in the definition of "standard installation" may disqualify my situation, but it did not. It seems a lot of it has to do with the electrician that takes/bids on the job.
I have been very happy with my entire Bolt EUV buying experience so far: the dealer was great to me, the car has been great, and now I have a charger mounted exactly where I want it in my garage...hoping things continue going well with the car.
I think you’re jumping to conclusions here…..the contractor said it would cost him $1500 and that doesn’t mean Qmerit is charging him that amount. I once held contracts with Sears to install appliances and that contract did cost me money in terms of extra insurance coverage, upgrades to my vehicle and some other issues. I’m neutral on the whole Qmerit thing but I think we need to be careful about making accusations.It appears that Qmerit is charging contractors $1500 to sign up as a qualified installer. Here is my situation:
I live in Central Montana. When I decided to by a Bolt in January 2023, I looked into the charger outlet installation offer from Chevrolet. I suspected that there may be very few installers in my area who were on Qmerit's list. I had a local contractor who had done some other work for me who I really liked. They were very professional, reasonable, and prompt. I had become friends with one of the field supervisors, so I asked him if his company was signed up with Qmerit. He said he had not heard of them, but he was interested in signing up and doing EV charger installs.
He stopped by and looked at my situation, and actually gave me a proposal for the work. He said he would fill out the application with Qmerit, so I could take advantage of their offer.
The contractor actually applied to Qmerit before I took delivery of the car. When I got the car, I filled out the form with Chevrolet to apply for the offer. My installation qualified as "non-standard" because it is a detached garage. Chevrolet approved my application and started the process with Qmerit.
After a couple of weeks, I had not heard anything, so I called Qmerit. Also at that time, the contractor followed up with Qmerit asking about his application. I was able to talk to a Qmerit representative who said they were looking for an installer for me. I told her about the contractor who had submitted his application to them, and asked that they consider him for the job.
2 weeks later, no word, so I emailed them, and they said that my contractor had not been approved yet, and that it could take a few weeks (it already had.) She also said the only contractor they had been able to find was 3 1/2 hours from me, and was not interested in doing the job. (My contractor is 20 miles away.)
2 more weeks, and I called again. This time, they said they had looked at my contractor's application, and were waiting for some documentation from them.
6 weeks after the contractor had applied, he told me they had heard back from Qmerit, but now were not sure they were going to get signed up, because it would cost them $1500 to do so. Considering the fact that Qmerit installs may be few and far between out here, at least for some time, and the job estimate he gave me was for just under $1000, I can't say as I blame them.
So now I am thinking I may have to do this without Qmerit. The EVgo credit they offer in lieu of the install is likely of no use to me. The nearest EVgo charger to me is in Ritzville, WA about 450 miles from here.
Because I live in an area with few EV's and not many charge stations, I can see why this is difficult. However, it seems to me that if Qmerit is charging $1500 to approve a contractor, it discourages any change in that situation.
I would be interested in hearing from any contractors who are on Qmerit's approved list about their experience with this process.
Most items used by electricians are common to home + EVSE work. In fact, most electrical work I have had done involved an inspection which undoubtedly resulted in a material list for the job, then installation a few days later. The technician may have stopped at Grainger or Graybar on his way to my home for any items they don't carry in stock.I think you’re jumping to conclusions here…..the contractor said it would cost him $1500 and that doesn’t mean Qmerit is charging him that amount. I once held contracts with Sears to install appliances and that contract did cost me money in terms of extra insurance coverage, upgrades to my vehicle and some other issues. I’m neutral on the whole Qmerit thing but I think we need to be careful about making accusations.
It would seem QMerit makes money on each job, I can't imagine why $1500 would be required unless there are certification requirements.
I attended a workshop recently where EVSE installation and maintenance certifications were discussed. Any Master Electrician would fly though the courses/tests, but lesser qualified electricians would presumably have to take courses and exams.
The ME who did our wiring for a kitchen remodel was so revered by the county inspectors that they basically did a sniff test of his work. Yet, problems persisted for more than a year. My GC (who had subbed the electrical work on the renovation project) came back out and looked at the work and made a few changes to resolve AFCI nuisance tripping problems. When the GC explained the theory behind his solution, it made perfect sense and made me wonder why a ME wouldn't have done it this way in the first place.
I know the area OP resides in (through previous conversations), and it is pretty sparsely populated. Chances are, electricians in that area don't have (or need) certifications like in areas with more assertive permitting requirements and regulations. QMerit is a nationwide referral program, used by several EV OEMs. They, and the OEMs have a certain liability exposure given the OEM is paying for the work. Therefore, no cutting corners and high standards to be admitted to the program, even in lesser regulated areas.
BTW, the workshop mentioned above was specifically addressing the need for qualified EVSE Installers/Maintenance as well as Fleet EV Technicians in rural areas of CO. The state recognizes the experience gap in rural areas and is putting money into education initiatives in order to support state transportation electrification goals.
Thanks, Optimus. That sure can't hurt.EVgo partners with ChargePoint and SemaConnect, so the $500 credit can be used on those networks as well. Still not tons of options out your way, hopefully that changes soon.
Thanks. Yes I did find one Level 2 Chargepoint charger 25 miles away.Look to see if you have a Chargepoint near you.
You are right. The contractor is a good friend of mine, actually, but he may have been misinformed, or maybe it is not a fee by Qmerit, but some other expense. That is why the Question Mark in the thread title. I have yet to hear from Qmerity to confirm or deny that.While that sounds bad, and it could well be... I have no faith in QMerit in general...
Do we know for sure that is the case? Or could that be a contractor just saying that?
I don't always trust everything I hear from contractors either... ;-)
Good to know!I asked our installer how jobs were doled out by QMerit. Was it a free for all, first come first served?
He explained that he pays a fee to be a priority and basically gets first dibs. He has a pretty big territory so sometimes declines ones he can't bid from the photos. (MDoesn't want to make two trips (estimate and install) that are distant. QMerit tells him it's a Tier 1-5 job, based on distance, etc. and each level has a different reimbursement. I guess if a Tier 5 payment doesn't cover itit becomes Custom and that's where the $1000 limit takes effect.
We just had an excellent experience with QMerit and were blown away how quickly they handled our 70-80 ft run at $0 out of pocket.
I received their email shortly after our purchase and completed it the following day. By that evening I had actually met with the electrician (photos weren't enough) and had the bid and an appointment a few days out. Installation went well and looks good. It was quite a perk from GM.
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
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