Getting a solar quote in 2026 is easy. Judging one is the hard part — because a single quote is really just one company's opinion about what your roof needs, priced the way that suits them. Get three quotes and suddenly you can see who's oversizing, who's underquoting to win the job, and whose numbers actually stack up.
Here's the checklist we'd use to compare them like a pro.
The 2026 quote comparison checklist
1. System size — and the reasoning behind it
Every quote should explain why it recommends that size: your daytime vs evening usage, your bills, your roof orientation and shading. If one quote says 6.6kW, another says 10kW and a third says 13.3kW, ask each installer to justify it against your actual consumption. "Bigger is better" is a sales line, not an analysis — especially now that midday exports earn very little in most states.
2. Equipment brands and the three warranties
A quote that just says "Tier 1 panels" is telling you nothing. You want exact panel, inverter and (if quoted) battery makes and models, plus three separate warranties spelt out:
- Product warranty — covers defects in the hardware itself.
- Performance warranty — guarantees the panels still produce a stated percentage after 25–30 years. Impressive-sounding, but rarely the one that matters day to day.
- Workmanship warranty — covers the installation itself (racking, wiring, roof penetrations). This one comes from the installer, which is exactly why the company's survival matters (see point 6).
3. The STC discount, itemised
The federal small-scale certificate (STC) incentive should appear as a clearly itemised line — the gross system price, the STC discount, and the net price you pay. If it's baked invisibly into a single number, you can't compare quotes apples-to-apples. Our solar rebates guide explains how STCs are calculated and why the discount steps down over time.
4. The battery rebate tier, itemised (if a battery is quoted)
Since 1 May 2026, the federal Cheaper Home Batteries Program is tiered by usable capacity: the highest rate applies to the first 14kWh, a reduced rate to 14–28kWh, and a much lower rate up to the 50kWh cap (Clean Energy Regulator). A professional quote shows the battery's usable capacity, the rebate amount, and how it was calculated. If you're weighing up whether to include storage at all, start with our solar battery guide.
5. Payback assumptions
Two quotes can promise "4-year payback" using wildly different assumptions. Check what each assumes for: your electricity rate (and whether it escalates), your self-consumption percentage, and the feed-in tariff. In 2026, any payback built on a generous feed-in tariff should be treated with suspicion — typical rates are now only a few cents per kilowatt-hour in most states (check your state regulator's published rates).
6. Installer solvency — will they exist when you need the warranty?
This is the check most buyers skip, and it's arguably the most important one in 2026. More than 270 Australian solar companies have collapsed since 2010, leaving roughly 650,000 households with warranties that are now worthless paper, according to industry trackers of collapsed solar companies. When an installer folds, the workmanship warranty usually dies with it, and chasing a manufacturer warranty without a functioning retailer becomes your problem.
So ask: How many years have you been trading under this ABN? Who handles warranty claims if the hardware fails? What's your review history — not just the glowing testimonials on their own website?
7. After-sales support
Who do you call when the app shows zero output on a sunny Tuesday? Look for monitoring included in the price, a stated service response time, and a local presence rather than a call centre that subcontracted your install to someone you've never met.
Check the company, not just the hardware
Panels are commodities in 2026 — the top brands are all good. The real variable is the business behind the quote. A middle-priced quote from a ten-year-old company with hundreds of verified reviews beats the cheapest quote from a two-year-old ABN every time. Cross-check every installer against independent feedback: our solar reviews hub has more than 15,000 reviews of Australian installers, and every installer in our network is vetted before we send them your details. For more buying guidance, browse our solar tips.
Put the checklist to work
Print this list, get three quotes, and score each one against it. The differences will jump out within minutes. Ready to start? Get quotes from up to 3 vetted local installers — free, fast and no obligation.
