How to Choose a Solar Installer in Australia: 10 Questions to Ask
Choosing the right solar installer matters more than most people realise. The same solar panels installed by a skilled, experienced company and a rushed subcontractor can produce dramatically different results — in system performance, safety, and how well your warranty holds up when something goes wrong.
This guide gives you 10 specific questions to ask before signing anything, the red flags that should make you walk away, and a clear process for comparing quotes.
Why the Installer Matters So Much
Most people focus on which solar panels or batteries to buy. The equipment matters, but the installer matters more.
A poorly designed system that’s undersized for your consumption, oriented suboptimally, or wired incorrectly will underperform for its entire 25-year life. A study by the Australian Energy Regulator found a significant proportion of solar systems across the country are underperforming — often due to installation faults, shading miscalculation, or incorrect configuration that the owner doesn’t know about.
The installer is also your first point of contact when something goes wrong. A company that disappears after installation or blames the manufacturer rather than honouring their workmanship warranty is a serious problem. Choose carefully.
First: Understand Accreditation
All solar installers working on grid-connected systems in Australia must hold accreditation from Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA). The accreditation scheme fully transitioned from the Clean Energy Council to Solar Accreditation Australia on 29 May 2024. To find accredited installers, you will need to conduct your own online search for installers in your area. Before seeking a quote, ask for the installer’s SAA accreditation number and check their accreditation status.
You can verify any installer at saaustralia.com.au in under a minute — it’s free and public.
Why does this matter practically? Only SAA-accredited installations qualify for the federal STC rebate that reduces your upfront cost. An unaccredited installation means you lose the rebate and your system may not meet Australian safety standards.
10 Questions to Ask Before Signing
1. Are you SAA-accredited, and can I have your accreditation number?
A legitimate installer will provide this without hesitation. Verify it at saaustralia.com.au. If they can’t or won’t provide it, end the conversation.
Every solar installation must have a licensed, SAA-accredited electrician present. Ask specifically whether the person physically installing your system is accredited — not just the company name on the paperwork.
2. Will your own staff install my system, or will you subcontract it?
This is one of the most important questions and one that few people ask. Ask whether the people physically installing your system are employed directly by the company or subcontracted out.
Some solar companies operate as sales organisations that hand off installations to third-party subcontractors. This isn’t automatically a problem, but it creates risk: the subcontractor’s quality may not match the company’s claims, and when something goes wrong it can be unclear who is responsible.
A company with in-house installation teams generally offers more accountability and better continuity of service.
3. How long have you been in business?
Solar is a long-term investment. Your installer needs to exist in 10 years when you need to make a warranty claim. The Australian solar industry has seen significant company turnover — particularly during the rapid growth phase of the early 2010s.
Look for companies with at least 5 years of continuous operation. Check their ABN registration date at abr.gov.au — this tells you when the business was actually registered, not just when they started advertising.
4. Can you provide references from installations in my area in the last 12 months?
Local references matter because they demonstrate experience with your network operator’s requirements, local council regulations, and roof types common in your area. A company with strong references in Sydney may have limited experience with the specific grid connection requirements in rural NSW.
Ask to speak with a reference directly if you can — not just read a testimonial on their website.
5. How did you size this system for my household?
A good installer will have reviewed your electricity bills before recommending a system size. They should be able to explain their sizing methodology specifically — not just recommend the same package to every customer.
Ask how they calculated system size. Did they review your electricity bills? Did they factor in future usage like EV charging? A proper installer designs for your actual consumption, not just roof space.
Be wary of installers who quote a standard size without discussing your bills. This often indicates a sales-driven rather than design-driven approach.
6. What brands of panels and inverters are you recommending, and why?
A quality installer should be able to explain why they’re recommending specific brands. Look for:
- Panels: Tier 1 brands (as rated by Bloomberg NEF), minimum 25-year performance warranty, efficiency above 20%
- Inverters: Established brands with Australian service networks, minimum 5–10 year warranty
- Batteries: Models on the CEC approved product list (required for federal rebate eligibility)
If an installer can’t explain why they chose their components — or recommends brands you can’t find any information about online — that’s a warning sign.
7. What warranties apply, and who honours them?
Solar systems come with multiple overlapping warranties:
- Panel product warranty: covers physical defects (typically 10–15 years)
- Panel performance warranty: guarantees minimum output (typically 25 years)
- Inverter warranty: covers equipment failure (typically 5–10 years)
- Workmanship warranty: covers the installation itself (required minimum 5 years in most states)
Most quality solar systems include solar panel product warranties of 15–30 years, performance warranties of up to 30 years, inverter warranties of 5–15 years, and battery warranties of around 10 years.
Ask specifically who you call for each type of warranty claim — the manufacturer directly, or the installer? And what happens to your workmanship warranty if the installing company goes out of business?
8. Is a licensed electrician on-site for the full installation?
Some companies have one accredited electrician cover two sites in a day — moving between locations to sign off on work and take compliance photos, while apprentices and labourers work alone in between. This approach doesn’t guarantee a quality installation. Ask directly if a licensed electrician will be on-site for the whole installation.
A clear, confident “yes, our electrician stays on-site for the full job” is the right answer. If they hedge or describe a sign-off process, ask further questions.
9. What does the quote include, and what might be extra?
Solar quotes vary considerably in what they include. Before comparing prices across multiple quotes, confirm each one includes:
- All panels, inverter, mounting hardware, and cabling
- Installation labour and electrical work
- Network connection application fees (if applicable)
- GST
- The STC rebate applied as an upfront discount
- Any costs for a switchboard upgrade if required
Hidden costs that appear after you sign — particularly switchboard upgrades, roof repairs, or additional electrical work — are a common source of disputes. A detailed quote protects you.
10. What monitoring will I have, and what support is available after installation?
A quality installer will set up monitoring so you can track your system’s performance. You should be able to see daily generation, consumption, and export figures. If your system stops working — which inverters occasionally do — you should know about it promptly.
Ask what the process is if your monitoring shows an issue. Can you call directly? Is there a support team? What’s the typical response time?
Red Flags to Watch For
Beyond the questions above, these signals should make you cautious:
Door-to-door or high-pressure sales. Legitimate solar companies rarely cold-knock. High-pressure tactics — “this price is only available today” — are a warning sign.
Unusually low pricing. A quote that’s 30–40% below other quotes usually means cheaper components, rushed installation, or hidden costs that appear later. Solar is competitive but not that competitive.
No physical address or local presence. Companies that operate entirely online without a local office can be difficult to deal with when problems arise.
Vague contracts. Avoid vague contracts. Confirm the specific equipment brands and model numbers, installation timeline, payment schedule, and what happens if something goes wrong. If the contract just says “solar panels and inverter” without specifying brands and models, you have no guarantee of what will actually be installed.
Asking for full payment upfront. Never pay 100% upfront. A standard payment structure is a deposit on signing (10–20%) and the balance on completion. Some companies request final payment before network connection is approved — this is worth pushing back on.
How to Compare Quotes
Get at least three quotes before deciding. When comparing:
Compare total installed system cost after the STC rebate has been applied. Some quotes show the pre-rebate price, which can make them look cheaper than they are.
Specify the same system size to each installer so you’re comparing like for like. If they each recommend different sizes, ask them to also quote your preferred size.
Compare the components not just the price. A cheaper quote using Tier 2 panels with a 10-year performance warranty is not equivalent to a slightly more expensive quote with Tier 1 panels and a 25-year warranty.
Check for workmanship warranty differences. Some installers offer 5 years, others offer 10. This matters significantly for a 25-year investment.
Using Quote Comparison Services
Services like Solar Choice aggregate quotes from multiple installers and can save you time. The Solar Choice affiliate program we’re partnered with connects homeowners with vetted, accredited installers. Using a comparison service doesn’t cost you anything — installers pay for the lead, not you — and it adds a layer of accountability because reputable comparison platforms screen their installer networks.
That said, comparison platforms have their own incentives. Always verify the specific installer’s accreditation yourself regardless of how you found them.
After You’ve Chosen
Once you’ve selected an installer and agreed on a quote:
- Get the final agreement in writing with specific component brands and model numbers listed
- Confirm the installation date and who will be on-site
- Ask how and when your network operator will be notified (your installer should handle this)
- Set up your monitoring app before the installer leaves
- Keep all paperwork — certificates of compliance, warranty documents, and the STC assignment form
The installation itself takes most of a day for a standard residential system. Your installer should leave you with a Certificate of Electrical Compliance (or state equivalent), confirmation that your meter has been configured for solar, and working monitoring access.
This guide reflects requirements and best practices as at August 2026. Installer accreditation requirements are managed by Solar Accreditation Australia (saaustralia.com.au) — always verify current requirements directly.
