Man that sucks, getting laughed at for $180 worth of nonsense is brutal.

I did the water heater first back in 2019 and it was the best $1,200 I ever spent. My old gas unit was from 1998 and once I swapped it for a heat pump water heater my gas bill went to almost nothing, which made the solar decision way easier later. When I finally did panels in 2021 I sized them for everything at once, the heat pump, the water heater, plus a little extra for an EV down the road. Going too small is the mistake I see people make all the time and then they're paying a crew twice. Get a few quotes and make sure whoever you pick actually runs the numbers on your future electric load, not just last year's usage.

Who told you locking in was the smart move? I did the same thing last year, signed 18 months in Hyde Park at $49 and my coworker stayed flexible paying $58 downtown. Then the market shifted and I'm stuck watching new spots pop up at $45 while he just bounced to a cheaper place. My lease is a ball and chain. His month to month costs more upfront but he's not trapped when things change. Feeling like the sucker over here too.