How to Choose a Solar and Battery Installer in Victoria: 7 Questions to Ask

Solar and battery installation is a competitive industry, and unfortunately that means quality varies enormously between providers. A few good questions upfront can save you years of headaches.

Ask whether the installer and the business are Clean Energy Council (CEC) accredited. This isn't optional — CEC accreditation is required for most Victorian and federal rebates, and it's a baseline indicator of proper training.

Ask who will actually be on the roof. Some larger companies subcontract installation crews they've never met. A business that uses its own licensed, in-house electricians has more accountability for the quality of the work.

Ask for the manufacturer warranty terms in writing — not just the headline number of years, but what's covered, whether it includes labour, and whether the installer is an authorised dealer for that brand.

Ask what happens if something goes wrong after switch-on. Who do you call, how quickly do they respond, and is that support local or outsourced overseas?

Be cautious of quotes that arrive within minutes of a cold call, high-pressure 'today only' discounts, and prices that seem far below every other quote you've received — undersized systems and corner-cut installations are common ways installers hit unrealistically low numbers.

Finally, ask for an itemised quote showing panel brand and model, inverter brand and model, battery specifics if included, and all rebates applied — not just a single bottom-line figure. A transparent installer will have no problem providing this.

We're always happy to have our quotes compared line-by-line against a competitor's — it's usually the fastest way to see the difference between a properly specified system and a stripped-down one.