Solar and battery quote checklist for Sale homes
Checklist for comparing solar and battery quotes in Sale VIC 3850: installer registers, approved products, AusNet approval, rebates and warranties.
Before you sign a solar or battery quote in Sale, check five things on every quote: who the electrical contractor and accredited installer are, which exact products are listed, whether network approval and the export limit are in writing, how any rebate is handled, and what warranties come with the job. Print the checklist below, fill in one column per quote, and any gap shows up straight away.
Sale Solar passes enquiries to independent local installers. Each of them writes its own quote and is responsible for the installation, so the checks on this page are yours to make before you commit.
How should you use this checklist?
Get at least two quotes, and three if you can. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water advises battery buyers to seek quotes from more than one retailer or installer, and the same habit pays off for solar panels. Lay the quotes out on a table, work down the list one line at a time, and write yes, no or “not shown” in each column. A “not shown” is a question to put to that provider in writing.
Part 1: the business and the people
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business name and ABN printed on the quote | |||
| Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) number shown | |||
| REC number found on the Energy Safe register | |||
| Name of the accredited installer who will be on site | |||
| That person found on the Solar Accreditation Australia status check | |||
| Battery endorsement confirmed, if a battery is quoted | |||
| Retailer listed as a New Energy Tech Consumer Code approved seller | |||
| Retailer authorised by Solar Victoria, if you want a Solar Homes rebate |
Why each line matters:
- REC number. In Victoria an electrician has to work for a Registered Electrical Contractor, registered with Energy Safe Victoria, to do electrical work for a customer. Search the number on the Energy Safe public registers.
- Accredited installer. Solar Accreditation Australia accredits individual people, not companies, so ask for a name. The Clean Energy Regulator requires an accredited designer and installer for small-scale certificates, and the installer must also hold an unrestricted electrical licence. Check the person on the SAA accreditation status check.
- Battery endorsement. For the federal battery discount, the battery must go in through an SAA accredited installer with a battery endorsement.
- Consumer code. The New Energy Tech Consumer Code is an industry code that more than 2,000 Australian retailers of solar, batteries and EV chargers have signed up to. An updated version takes effect on 1 December 2026. Being an approved seller means the retailer has agreed to its sales and service rules.
How Sale Solar fits into this, and what it does not do, is set out on the about page.
Part 2: the products
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel brand, model and wattage listed | |||
| Number of panels and total system size in kW | |||
| Inverter brand, model and size in kW | |||
| Panels and inverter on the Clean Energy Council approved list | |||
| Battery brand, model and usable kWh, if quoted | |||
| Battery on the approved battery list | |||
| Inverter on AusNet’s approved inverter list | |||
| Monitoring included, and how you will access it |
The Clean Energy Regulator requires that the panels and inverters appear on the Clean Energy Council list of approved products before certificates can be created, and an eligible battery has to be on the approved battery list too. A quote that only says “tier one panels” or “premium inverter” does not let you check either. Ask for model numbers.
Part 3: network approval and export
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| States who applies to AusNet for pre-approval | |||
| Pre-approval to be obtained before installation starts | |||
| Approved export limit stated in writing | |||
| Single phase, three phase or SWER supply noted | |||
| Meter reconfiguration and any meter fees covered or excluded |
AusNet Services is the electricity distributor for eastern Victoria, including Sale and the rest of Wellington Shire. It requires pre-approval before a system goes in, and the export limit you get depends on your connection and the local network. If a quote promises full export without mentioning approval, ask how they know. The approval steps, export limits and emergency backstop rules are explained in the AusNet approval guide.
Part 4: rebates and payment
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| STC discount shown as a separate line | |||
| Federal battery discount shown as a separate line, if a battery is quoted | |||
| Solar Homes rebate shown, if you are eligible | |||
| Deposit amount, and whether it is fully refundable | |||
| Payment stages tied to milestones, not paid in full upfront | |||
| How long the quoted price is held |
If you plan to claim a Solar Homes rebate, two warnings from Solar Victoria apply. Do not accept a quote in writing or pay a deposit until Solar Victoria has confirmed your eligibility; if you do pay one, it should be fully refundable. And if the system goes in before eligibility is approved, you will not get the rebate. Who qualifies and the order of the steps are covered in the Sale solar rebate guide.
Part 5: installation, inspection and paperwork
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site visit or roof and switchboard photos used to prepare the quote | |||
| Switchboard upgrade included, excluded or not needed | |||
| Roof type, mounting method and any tile or sheet replacement covered | |||
| Independent electrical inspection arranged by the contractor | |||
| Certificate of Electrical Safety supplied after inspection | |||
| Shutdown procedure displayed at the inverter or switchboard | |||
| Handover pack: manuals, wiring diagram, warranty documents |
Solar and battery systems are prescribed electrical work in Victoria, which means an independent Licensed Electrical Inspector checks the job and you receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety. A quote that leaves the inspection out, or treats the certificate as an optional extra, is a reason to walk away. The certificate is required under the Electricity Safety Act 1998.
Part 6: warranties and after-sales service
| Check | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel product warranty, in years | |||
| Panel performance warranty, in years | |||
| Inverter warranty, in years | |||
| Battery warranty in years and warrantied throughput | |||
| Workmanship warranty from the installer, in years | |||
| Who to contact if a fault appears, and how | |||
| Who handles a warranty claim if the installer closes |
Product warranties come from the manufacturer, but you will usually claim through the installer. Ask what happens if the installer stops trading: a quote that names a local Australian office for the manufacturer gives you a second route.
Why travel and after-sales lines matter for a Sale home
Sale sits about 212 km east of Melbourne, so some quotes may come from businesses based well outside Wellington Shire. Ask each provider where it is based, how it handles a return visit for a fault, and whether warranty callouts carry a separate travel charge. Write the answers in the margin beside that provider’s column.
What will a careful provider refuse to do?
These are good signs, not bad ones. A careful installer will:
- decline to give a firm price without seeing the roof and switchboard, or at least clear photos
- refuse to start before network pre-approval comes through
- refuse to start a rebate job before your QR code is issued and scanned on site
- refuse to size a battery without looking at your power use
- refuse to leave without testing the system and explaining how to shut it down
Which red flags should you circle on any quote?
- no REC number, or an installer name you cannot find on the register
- product lines without model numbers
- a deposit demanded before rebate eligibility is confirmed
- “today only” pricing or pressure to sign on the first visit
- savings figures with no assumptions shown
- no mention of the inspection, the Certificate of Electrical Safety or network approval
Next step: put your quote request together
Once you know what to look for, request solar quotes you can compare. Help the provider quote accurately by including:
- your address or at least your suburb, such as Sale, Stratford or Rosedale
- roof material and pitch, number of storeys and a photo of the main roof face
- a photo of the switchboard with the cover open, and of the meter
- two recent power bills
- whether you want panels only, a battery, or both, and whether you plan to claim a rebate
For the job itself, see solar panel installation in Sale.
Frequently asked questions
- How many solar quotes should I get in Sale?
Two is the minimum and three is better. More than three often adds confusion rather than useful information. Make sure each provider quotes the same scope, such as panel size, battery or no battery and switchboard work, so the totals can be compared fairly.
- What if the company name does not show up on the accreditation register?
That is normal. Solar Accreditation Australia accredits individual people, not businesses. Ask the company for the name or accreditation number of the person who will design and install your system and search for that person instead.
- What does it mean if a retailer is a New Energy Tech approved seller?
The retailer has applied to the code and shown it meets the code's standards on sales practices and customer service. It gives you a written set of standards to point to if a dispute comes up, so it is worth checking.
- Should a solar quote be prepared without a site visit?
A provider can give an indicative price from good photos and a satellite view, but a firm quote should rest on a proper look at the roof, the switchboard and the meter. Expect the price to be confirmed or adjusted once those are checked.
- What paperwork should I have when the job is finished?
Keep the Certificate of Electrical Safety, the product and workmanship warranty documents, the inverter and battery manuals, the network approval details and the final invoice showing every discount. Store them together so they are easy to find for a warranty claim or a later upgrade.