A real solar quote shows the load calc, the consumption analysis, the named panels and inverter, the cable sizing, the STC figure and the itemised warranties. If the cheap quote is missing those, that is where the savings, and the trouble, are coming from.
Most solar quotes in the Hunter arrive as a single number and a panel count. That is enough to compare on price and almost nothing else. A real quote is a working document: it shows the system size, the maths behind it, the named hardware, the cabling, the rebate as a figure and the state of your switchboard. This guide walks the seven parts a solar quote should contain, and what each one protects you from.
Every line below is a place a cheap quote saves money at your expense. A quote that includes all seven costs the installer time to produce, which is exactly why it is worth reading.
The system size is the heart of the quote, and it should be derived, not picked. A north-facing 6.6kW array on a home that uses most of its power after dark will export cheaply and save little. The load calc reads your consumption profile and sizes the array to what you actually use in daylight. When the calc is shown, you can see the reasoning. When it is hidden, you are trusting that a number was chosen for your benefit rather than the installer's margin. If the consumption work is missing, the system was sized to the rebate, not to your bill. For the cost side of that sizing decision, see how much solar costs.
"Warranty included" usually means one of three or four separate warranties, and the cheap quote leans on that confusion. The panel product warranty covers the physical panel. The panel performance warranty covers output decline over decades. The inverter warranty is separate and often shorter. The workmanship warranty covers the install itself. These have different lengths and different backers. A quote that lists them apart is telling you the truth about what is covered and for how long.
We show you the load calc, the cable sizing and the STC figure before you sign. Those are the parts the cheap quote leaves off.
The switchboard check is where solar quotes most often diverge. An older board without RCD protection or with no spare way cannot host an inverter safely until it is upgraded. The honest installer inspects it and prices the upgrade as a line. The cheap quote leaves it off, then either raises it mid-job or installs onto a board that should not carry the load. If you are unsure what condition your board is in, read what triggers a switchboard upgrade.
Hold any two quotes side by side and check them against these seven lines. The cheaper one is often cheaper because it is missing three of them. A quote you can read is a quote you can trust, and it is the first thing we hand over before any deposit changes hands.