How to choose a solar installer
What the quotes actually mean, and the questions that separate a good installer from a cheap one
Download this guide as a PDF — print it or take it to a quote appointment.
Most solar quotes in Tasmania look similar on the bottom line and are very different underneath. The difference is rarely the panel. It is the inverter, the mounting, the meter configuration, who does the electrical work, and whether the system is sized for how you actually use power rather than for the number that looks best on the quote.
In North West Coast
The North West Coast gets high salt exposure near the coast and strong westerlies. Ask about mounting grade and about how the panels are fixed for wind uplift, not just how many kilowatts you are buying.
What it should cost
A residential system in Tasmania typically runs from roughly $0.80 to $1.30 per watt installed for a straightforward roof, before rebates. A 6.6 kW system therefore lands somewhere between about $5,000 and $8,500 depending on the inverter, the mounting and how difficult the roof is.
The federal rebate (the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, STCs) is deducted from the price by the installer, so the number on the quote is usually already net of it. Ask them to show the gross price and the rebate as separate lines - an installer who cannot break that out is either disorganised or hoping you will not notice.
Batteries change the arithmetic completely and are rarely worth it on payback alone in Tasmania unless you have poor grid reliability, a high evening tariff, or you specifically want backup. Ask for the payback calculation in writing with the assumptions listed.
What the law requires
Grid-connected solar must be installed by a licensed electrician, and the work must be signed off with a Certificate of Electrical Safety. The installer must be accredited under the federal scheme to create the STCs that fund your rebate - ask for their accreditation number and check it.
Your retailer and network need to approve the connection, and the paperwork is normally handled by the installer. A quote that does not mention who lodges the connection application is a quote that has not thought about the part that delays most jobs.
What to ask
"What is the total price, and what is the rebate as a separate line?"
"Which inverter, exactly - make and model - and what is the warranty on it?"
"Who does the electrical work, and are they licensed?"
"What is the expected annual generation for my roof's aspect and pitch, and what did you base that on?"
"If my roof needs work, what is the process and who pays?"
"What happens if the connection approval is refused?"
"Who do I call in five years if something fails?"
Red flags
A quote that will not name the inverter model.
Pressure to sign on the day, or a discount that expires tonight.
No mention of the Certificate of Electrical Safety or the network approval.
Generation figures that are the same for every house, rather than calculated for your roof.
A company with no physical presence in Tasmania and no local electrician.
Asking for a large deposit before any paperwork exists.
What good looks like
They ask about your power bills and when you use electricity, not just your roof.
The quote itemises panels, inverter, mounting, labour, electrical work and the rebate.
They put the payback calculation in writing with the assumptions shown.
They tell you honestly when solar is not worth it for your situation.
There is a named person who will still be there in five years.
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What to check before you rely on this
These are the facts that change, and that we flag rather than state as certain:
- Current STC rebate value and the exact system-size eligibility bands.
- Current per-watt installed price range for Tasmania - re-check against live quotes.
- Any Tasmanian state-level battery or solar incentive running at the time of publication.
- The correct name of the network approval process for each of the three Tasmanian networks.