Do not even think about solar panel installation until you have read through and ticked off everything you need to consider before! (I will be providing a checklist that you can download to streamline the process of getting solar panels installed).
By doing this, you will be left with no nasty shocks and a well researched solar panel installation for your home.
Believe me, we come across so many customers who have had to pay the hard way. Mostly through unqualified (crap) solar installers where the system doesn’t even last a few years. Other common things are ramped up prices on the day of installation or being sold the wrong system.
So, if you’re interested in getting solar installed soon then keep reading on to make sure you have prepared yourself for a streamline process.
I know it sounds this easy, but getting solar panels installed isn’t just about wanting it, then buying it. There is much more research and preparation that needs to be involved.
So if you’ve finally realised being a prisoner to your energy supplier is enough and you want to help save the planet the first step is to begin your research into a solar system that is perfect for your home.
We find that within this stage there are 2 types of consumers which both require 2 different starting stages of their solar journey:
Now, for homeowner who will put themselves into #2 please click here to scroll down to your section.
For those homeowners who consider themselves time-poor, trying to run a family and just simply do not have enough time to spend hours researching “the best solar system” then here’s where you are going to need to get started.
The first thing that you should do is spend around an hour looking into trustworthy solar companies in your local area. Please ensure that you are looking over the reviews on more than 1 platforms e.g. Google, Facebook or Trustpilot etc. This will give you a clear indication into which solar installers you would like to go for.
After this, it’s extremely important to have a consultation with a company or solar installers. If someone is calling you up trying to sell to you straight away, and hasn’t spent time to understand you then I would suggest hanging up the phone.
This is where you will need to build trust for the company to carry out your solar panel installation. You can quite quickly tell if someone is experienced or not when you speak to them. Salesmen will only ever focus on the sale and not on the educational side of things.
We understand that every customer is different, and every home is different. You may use more energy in the evening or you may use more in the day. Some homes will have a swimming pool others with aircon. Some may have larger roofs, others may be smaller and weaker. Families may use more energy than others…
Can you see where i’m going with this?
And we haven’t even taken into consideration your budget or requirements yet.
Not one homeowner requires the same system? It needs to be bespoke and tailored to your home and your requirements.
Therefore, it is a requirement to make sure that your solar installer isn’t just trying to get you on a ‘package’ system or just a ‘average joe’ solar system because this probably won’t be right for your home.
I would also highly recommend getting quotes for multiple systems and options. This gives you the chance to see what is best for you, and what difference the systems can make in terms of performance, price, return on investment and savings.
Usually we will give 3 different types of systems, good budget systems, mid-range systems and high-end systems. You can see a breakdown of the difference in all areas this way.
Genuine and trustworthy solar panel installers WILL always offer advice on any quotes that you’ve been given and go above and beyond to answer any questions you may still have. These are the qualities you should be looking for when in the first stage of solar installation.
For homeowners who like to ensure that they are in full control of their buying process of getting solar installed:
First of all, even if you don’t want to, I recommend getting in touch with a qualified solar installer (try and find solar electricians not marketing types) and at least giving them your energy bills and seeing what they can do for you. A consultation with a quality company can go a long way…
You will need to understand your energy bill quite well, and input a few calculations. It’s also best to try to work out your roof size (this is where a consultation could come in handy because we use electronic software that calculates this quickly and effectively).
You are going to need to make sure that you have enough roof for a system that is big enough to reduce your bills by an amount that makes it worth getting solar for you. On top of this, you will need to consider how strong your roof is, which way it’s facing, when you use the most energy and technical stuff like switchboard locations, cable runs, inverter positions etc. I do actually go into this in much more detail in my guide on how to buy the best solar panels for your home.
We usually find that homeowners will do this research but when it comes to getting a quote they may find that stuff has been left out and needs to be reconsidered (again, which is why I suggest getting a consultation).
Now once this stage has been done, you can get down and dirty with the research on what solar panels, inverter and system you would like. There are some great resources online to help you understand. We also provide heaps of honest content in our blog which you can find here.
Looking at stuff like reviews, comparisons you should be able to find all of the information that you are looking for. You can then go to a solar installer and start asking for quotes on the systems that you are looking for.
Now you can start getting quotes from solar installers… Make sure that you have chosen a reputable solar installers which I explain further down.
So, now both homeowners are in the same stage of getting quotes. It’s important to understand the breakdown of cost for solar panel installation to ensure that you are not getting ripped off… or even worse… buying the dreaded cheap system!
Here is a full solar installation cost breakdown:
Within these costs are some important breakdowns as well. We always split the cost of equipment into 3 sections. You have the cheap, crap systems, the good budget systems and the mid-high end systems.
Again, we do this with the cost of labour as well. You will find that you have a cheap, unqualified (avoid) cost of installation, the affordable, qualified installation and then the high-end, best craftsmanship installations.
Some jobs may require more experience than others. This will factor into the cost if a job is much harder or difficult to do whilst ensuring all standards are kept. This may also include Worksafe.
The type of roof may affect the cost of your solar panel installation as well. Tin roofs are usually cheaper than tile roofs.
By now, you should be well into getting quotes for some quality solar systems. I would also hope by now that you have an understanding on how much you can save with solar, and have a rough idea on what kind of system you would like to go for.
So I’m sure that you would like to know how to make this stage stress free and easy! Well, here’s what you need to think about.
You will need to know stuff like, what is solar panel warranty, what are these costs for? Are they going to be any extra costs? Why is this system the best for my home?
This way you can see the saving from a budget system, mid range and high end. You can compare prices, costs, roi and warranty and choose from there.
A streamline process would include your solar installer sorting out all of the rebates for you. They will include the price in your quote and claim it on your behalf.
See exactly how much the solar panel installation costs and compare it. Also see how much the solar panels are and compare. It’s important to do this.
Get started by receiving a quote from one of our solar design engineers. They can help you get the most from your solar installation.
Ask our experts if they can give you any advice on your quote. They can help break down the costs and show.you if its a good offer or not
One of the biggest things we find when homeowners are getting quotes is that you may be looking for high-end (best of the best) solar panels and systems.
That is until they see the price 😮… 9/10 everyone wants the best of the best but then realise they just don’t have the budget.
This is the reason why we suggest getting multiple systems quoted for your home. You can get some good budget systems, mid-range systems and then high end systems. When you compare between them it makes it easier to decide.
Honestly, the more expensive stuff also has a slower return. This means if you don’t have plans to stay at your home for a while then it wouldn’t be a good investment for you. We have great industry standards in Australia meaning that pretty much most solar panels being offered to you are actually high quality (even if they are made in china).
With that being said, if it looks too cheap then it DEFINITELY IS! Huge companies that offer these solar systems for next to nothing are because its cuts back on the solar installation and the quality of the system. Do not make that mistake.
When you are looking through your quotes you should focus on these details. Additionally, the breakdown will probably be the biggest thing. Check for warranties as well. You don’t want to be left with short warranties and a system that breaks in a few years.
One of the biggest things are workmanship warranties. It’s a known fact, you can buy the best solar system but if it’s installed cheap then it won’t last 12 months. You should be aiming for around 9-10 years.
So, you’ve got your quotes for multiple solar systems but now you need to decide on who is going to do the solar panel installation.
Here are my tips for choosing the best solar installer:
Usually, when going through our consultation process with our customers we might offer to come out and do a site inspection. This way we can double check that the quotes and systems can be completed without any hiccups on the day.
This is also a time for us to check to see if there are no extra costs etc. It’s best to let you know before then turn up on the day and tell you it’s going to cost more.
Any companies that spend the time doing this are offering great customer service. If they also provide competitive quotes, good workmanship warranties and don’t subcontract out then you’ve found a winner!
Also, this is usually always the case but double check that your solar company is CEC accredited or using CEC installers. This way standards are maintained.
You’ve made it. Today is the day you can officially wave goodbye to your energy bills and say hello to your new and improved lifestyle. Cheaper energy bills, increased property value, fast return on investment and a nice cashflow every month.
The installation process is simple.
The installers will turn up at your home and get started. It will usually take them around ½ to a full day’s work depending on the size of your system. Usually a 6.6kW can be done by around lunchtime if the installer starts in the morning.
The installers should always clean up the mess after them and replace any tiles if they are accidentally damaged. Our installers are always polite and friendly and get the job done above industry standards.
For bigger jobs, 10+kW it may take a little bit longer than a day. If you have a big commercial solar job then this could take a few weeks depending on the size.
The installers will get started with the solar panel fitting whilst the electrician gets started with the switchboard and wiring. Once the railings and design has been set out the installers we go ahead with the cable runs.
Before you know it, everything will be up and live and you will be producing kWs!
So this is basically the entire process of getting solar panels installed. Once you understand what you are doing, then it’s quite easy to follow.
Try not to get caught up in cheap prices as it won’t benefit you in the future. Your home is your biggest asset, so why try and buy cheap for it?
As promised, here is the checklist you can download and follow if you’re just starting out in your solar journey.
If you need help, feel free to get in touch with one of our team and we can go through our unique and bespoke consultation process with a solar engineer.
If you are interested in solar then comment YES so we can see the community of homeowners wanting to move to a better future. 😁
