JustMyGirl Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 DH took a cold call from a solar provider and gave them our details so they could send us some information. They are going to call Him back in a couple of days. I know the industry is riddled with dodgy providers. How can we check if these are reputable/trustworthy? How did you choose a solar provider? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley225 Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 Ask around, see who other people have used. Are they happy? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackcat20 Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 My husband went through what was essentially a broker; they put your query out to a vetted list of companies who provide a quote. We then selected one and they did the job a few weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMyGirl Posted June 15, 2021 Author Share Posted June 15, 2021 Who was the broker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonMyrtle Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 Ask around, look at all the online reviews. Check how long they have been in business, the really crappy mobs close down and reopen under new names pretty quickly. Also look at what brand of panels they’re quoting and the reviews on those. Not all panels are equal, cheapest quote often equals crappier components. If you have good quality parts then a dodgy installer isn’t such a problem. If you have dodgy people installing crappy panels and inverter, then you’re stuck with them. Check the quality of your roof first too. Friend of mine decided to get solar panels on his roof, but his roof tiles were so old and crappy (just concrete tiles) they they all broke during the install, it caused major leaking, and he had to get a new roof! And the solar company of course refused to take any blame (and to be fair if wasn’t really their fault, anyone, even a hail storm, would have broken those old tiles) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Void Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) If you're in Brisbane I can give you some suggestions. Be warned that the super cheap installers are cheap because they skimp on the small but pricey components that many people don't know about, and the quality of the technicians. So while they may use decent panels, the other stuff most people don't bother checking is often rubbish. And the service afterwards will disappear with the cheap installers. So if they, for example, leave your roof leaking, you may have trouble getting them back to fix it. Edited June 15, 2021 by Romeo Void 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Void Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 Also the Solar Quotes website has LOADS of information. There are reviews about installers as well as components. So you can check if your installer is well rated or not. The guy who runs this site (says) he's independent. Oh, and these guys have great information videos (if you like technical detail). We didn't use them buy they were super enthusiastic and professional. https://www.mcelectrical.com.au/blog/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackcat20 Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 8 hours ago, JustMyGirl said: Who was the broker? I'll try to get the info from DH. We ended up with an Enphase system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trillian42 Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 I’d agree community/good karma Facebook groups can give good recommendations. We’ve picked someone in Melbourne because we also know them personally and know they are a long-standing business focused on quality. And is able to talk about our needs and budget, properly assess the property and where to locate panels, give clear info on government rebates etc. It’s tricky but anyone giving a really hard sell or offering steep discounts could be a red flag. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMyGirl Posted June 16, 2021 Author Share Posted June 16, 2021 Thanks everyone. I have now realised my local council has a recommended provider so presumably they checked them out well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyBear Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 We chose based on someone who was long established, used quality hardware and could explain the difference and actually directly employed all of the installers rather than some that won't tell you that they are a front who contract out the install. Company we used actually did everything from residential to govt contracts for schools and public spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMyGirl Posted June 16, 2021 Author Share Posted June 16, 2021 TinyGiraffe how did you find that information out about them? the company that DH talked to has very little content on their website. Probably a red flag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyBear Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 On 16/06/2021 at 6:30 PM, JustMyGirl said: TinyGiraffe how did you find that information out about them? the company that DH talked to has very little content on their website. Probably a red flag. It was a combination of their website, Facebook page an the eventual pack they provided when they came for a quote. From memory I found our provider through a referral from the solarquotes website. In general, I found this website super helpful as I had no idea about anything solar when I started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKK Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 I used someone whom was recommended to me. It took a lot of arranging but now that they are in I am happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MillyMoo99 Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Best not to use any company that cold calls or door knocks. Your paying for that. Don’t use their finance, your paying for that too. You are better off finding a solar company that the owner of the company is an electrician. Lots of the “big” companies don’t offer after service if you have a problem (roof leak, warranty- they say they do but getting them to come back is impossible) and some big companies have gone under in the last couple of years and restarted under different names. I would recommend finding a small local company 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qak Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 (edited) I used SolarQuotes as well, but more to review the actual inverter and panels. We ended up with On 17/06/2021 at 3:41 PM, MillyMoo99 said: a solar company that the owner of the company is an electrician and got an Enphase system Our previous system was one where the installer disappeared, the inverter died still in warranty period but no-one would handle it except the company we just got the new system from. That old inverter - we ended up with 3 of them dying! Wasn't keen on single inverter systems , at least if one of the microinverters dies the rest of the panels will keep producing and exporting. Edited June 18, 2021 by qak additional information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey_Senses Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 choice had some good articles on this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indi Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 Coming in late, but there is a good Facebook group - Solar Q&A Aus/NZ - that can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarplum Poobah Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 I'd strongly recommend taking out a subscription to https://renew.org.au/ (They used to be called to Alternative Technology Association.) Such an incredible wealth of information on offer. You will have to wait until the end of August though as they're going through a massive IT upgrade and are pausing a number services until then. They're a not-for-profit group and the knowledge base is tremendous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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