How Many Solar Quotes Should You Get?
Three is the number most commonly cited - but it's not always right. Here's how to think about quote volume, what additional quotes actually reveal, and when to stop shopping and start deciding.
Three quotes: where the advice comes from
Consumer advocates and government guidelines consistently recommend getting at least three solar quotes. The logic is sound: a single quote gives you no reference point; two quotes give you a comparison but no tiebreaker; three quotes give you a range and usually reveal the market price for your specific job.
In practice, three quotes will surface most of the useful price and quality variation. Beyond three, the incremental insight usually diminishes - unless you find something in quote four that changes your understanding of what you should be paying.
What additional quotes actually reveal
The value of getting multiple quotes isn’t just price. Each quote from a different installer surfaces different information:
- →Different system size recommendations - revealing whether your roof needs 6.6 kW or could support 10 kW
- →Different component choices - one installer may recommend microinverters where another defaults to string
- →Different installation assessments - especially useful if one installer has done a site visit and others haven't
- →Different warranty terms - workmanship warranty length varies between 5 and 10+ years
- →Different communication styles - a useful proxy for post-install service quality
When three quotes isn’t enough
Get a fourth or fifth quote if:
- →The three quotes you have vary by more than $3,000 for the same system size - you haven't found the market floor
- →Two of the three installers recommended different system sizes without a clear explanation
- →One quote is significantly cheaper and you can't identify why (unknown brands, missing warranty, different scope)
- →None of the three installers visited the site before quoting
When to stop shopping and decide
Quote fatigue is real. Spending months getting quotes while STC values shift and electricity prices change is not in your interest. Stop when:
- ✓You have at least three written quotes on comparable systems
- ✓You understand why any significant price gap exists
- ✓At least one installer has done a site assessment
- ✓You've checked CEC accreditation for your shortlisted installer
- ✓You're satisfied with their workmanship warranty terms
The CEC (Clean Energy Council) maintains a public register of accredited installers at cleanenergycouncil.org.au. Checking accreditation takes two minutes and should be non-negotiable before signing.
For a step-by-step comparison process once you have your quotes, see our solar quotes guide.
Information is current as at May 2026. STC values and rebate eligibility change - always verify current figures.
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