I Compared 5 Solar Quotes. Here's What I Learned.

Getting multiple solar quotes is standard advice. But what does the process actually reveal? Here's a composite account based on typical experiences from Australian homeowners who've been through the process - what they found, and what it taught them.

The Setup

A single-storey home in a suburban area with a north-facing roof, moderate shading from a neighbouring tree in the afternoon, and an electricity bill averaging $450 per quarter. Goal: a solar system that meaningfully offsets the bill without over-investing.

Five quotes were requested: two from installers recommended by friends, two from online comparison platforms, one from an installer who'd done a job nearby.

What the Quotes Looked Like

All five quotes were for roughly the same system size (6.6 kW). Here's what varied:

Quote 1 – $4,200 net Unknown panel brand, budget string inverter with 5-year warranty, 5-year workmanship warranty. No model numbers provided for panels. "Call us today" pressure applied.

Quote 2 – $5,800 net Jinko panels (Tier-1), Sungrow inverter, 10-year workmanship warranty. Installer visited the site, noted the afternoon shading, and recommended a split east-west layout rather than all-north. This was the only installer who mentioned the shading.

Quote 3 – $6,100 net REC Alpha panels (premium tier), Fronius inverter, 10-year workmanship warranty. Detailed specification, generation estimate included, remote quote without site visit.

Quote 4 – $5,200 net Trina panels (Tier-1), Sungrow inverter, 10-year workmanship warranty. Seemed comparable to Quote 2. Grid connection fee not included (add ~$180).

Quote 5 – $6,600 net REC panels, Fronius inverter, 10-year warranty. Very similar to Quote 3 but $500 higher with no obvious differentiation.

What the Process Revealed

The cheapest quote was easy to dismiss. The combination of unknown panels, a 5-year workmanship warranty, and high-pressure sales tactics made Quote 1 straightforward to filter out. The price looked attractive - a $1,600 saving vs the next cheapest - but the risk profile was entirely different.

The site visit mattered. Quote 2 was the only installer who visited before quoting. That visit surfaced the afternoon shading issue that three other installers missed entirely, and led to a layout recommendation that would meaningfully improve output. A remote quote, however detailed, can't do this for complex roofs.

Quotes 3 and 5 were nearly identical products. Same panel brand, same inverter - but a $500 price difference. This is the installer margin factor. Neither had visited the site. Negotiating with Quote 3 on the basis of Quote 5's existence wasn't necessary - Quote 3 was already reasonable - but the comparison made the decision clearer.

Quote 4 was a hidden extra. The grid connection fee exclusion made Quote 4 look $180 cheaper than it was. A small amount, but representative of a quoting approach that required careful reading.

What Actually Determined the Choice

Quote 2 won, despite being mid-range on price, for three reasons:

1. It was the only quote based on an actual site visit
2. The shading observation was specific and credible (verified afterwards)
3. The workmanship warranty was 10 years, in writing

The $1,600 premium over the cheapest quote was easy to justify. The $300 saving vs Quote 4 (with hidden grid fee, no site visit) was marginal. The decision wasn't really about price by the end.

What to Take Away

Five quotes revealed more than three would have, but the useful information plateaued after the fourth. The most valuable step wasn't getting more quotes - it was getting one installer to do a proper site assessment. That's the step most homeowners skip.

Before you request any quotes, run a free solar check to understand your roof's baseline potential. Then, when you have quotes in hand, you can evaluate the system size recommendations against an independent assessment.

Start your free roof check →