No solar yet? Start with the home, then choose the hardware.

What to gather before choosing a system

A bill and a normal weekday

Find your electricity use in kWh and your import rate. Note whether cooking, cooling, hot water or EV charging happens during daylight or after sunset. A dollar total alone cannot show that timing.

Permission and access

Tell the installer if you rent, share a roof or are buying the property. Ask who must approve the work before paying a deposit. Describe access restrictions without climbing onto the roof yourself.

Roof questions

Flag shade from trees, a roof you plan to replace, or limited space. Ask the installer to explain the proposed panel layout and how shade changes the generation estimate.

Your spending limit

Decide what you can pay upfront and which extras are optional. If finance is offered, compare the total repayments and fees with the cash price.

The Australian Government identifies usage timing, sunny roof area, installation difficulty and electrical extras as factors in system size and cost. Read its household solar guidance.

Ask for two prices, even if you expect to buy both

A package can look attractive because the panels do much of the saving. Separate the battery’s extra price and extra benefit before deciding whether to add it now.

The last row is the useful comparison: ($14,000 − $6,000) ÷ ($1,500 − $1,000) = 16 years. The package’s 9.3-year result does not mean the battery pays for itself in 9.3 years.

This deliberately simple calculation excludes financing, degradation, maintenance, replacements and changes in tariffs. It is not a lifetime-return calculation. Backup may have value to you separately, but ask which circuits the proposed system can actually support.

For household-specific estimates, compare options in the full assessment. For a closer look at buying panels first, read the solar-only guide.

Make the first quote answer these questions

1. What exactly goes on my roof? Get panel quantities, model numbers, total panel capacity, inverter details and a layout.
2. What does the savings figure assume? Ask for annual generation, household use of that generation, exports and the electricity rates used. Keep the same assumptions when comparing quotes.
3. What could increase the invoice? Ask about switchboard work, scaffolding, cabling, metering and network approval. Have allowances and exclusions written down.
4. Who handles problems afterwards? Separate product warranties from installation cover and identify who receives a service request.

Solar Victoria’s quote checklist explains equipment details, performance estimates and additional charges. Its program eligibility rules apply to Victoria; check your own state’s requirements.

If you might buy a battery later

Ask which battery options the proposed inverter supports and what a later installation would require. Have the installer explain what “battery ready” includes in this particular quote. You can then compare the cost of that provision with buying a different setup later.