What it actually costs, and why the quotes differ.
The same system gets quoted thousands apart. That is rarely dishonesty, it is contractors pricing different scopes. Here is roughly where the numbers sit, what moves them, and two tools to size your own starting point before you call us.
Newcastle and the Hunter, 2026.
| Service call-out + minor works (fault find, GPO, small circuit) | $180 – $600 |
| Switchboard upgrade (RCD + main switch, single phase) | $1,400 – $3,500 |
| Solar 6.6kW (common residential, single phase) | $5,500 – $9,500 |
| Solar 10kW (larger home or small commercial) | $9,000 – $15,000 |
| Battery retrofit (10–13.5kWh, added to existing solar) | $9,000 – $16,000 |
| EV charger 7kW (home, single phase) | $1,200 – $2,800 |
| EV charger 22kW (three phase, may need board upgrade) | $2,800 – $7,500 |
| Commercial day-rate (per licensed electrician, business hours) | $95 – $140 / hr |
Size your solar, battery or EV charger.
A starting point in three clicks, using the same logic we use on site. Indicative only.
Ballpark your electrical job
A guide range in under a minute, from a service call to a full solar and battery system. Every job is quoted on-site, with the workings shown.
Six things that decide where your quote lands.
Most of them never show in the finished system. All of them decide what you pay, and how safely it runs.
Switchboard condition
The single biggest lever on renewables and EV work. An old or full board with no RCDs has to be upgraded before new load or export is added, and that is a costed step.
Phase + supply
Single phase caps a charger at 7kW and limits export. Three phase opens up 22kW charging and bigger inverters, but the supply and main switch have to carry it.
Cable run + access
Distance from the board to the panels, battery or charger, plus roof type and access, sets the cable size and labour. A long run in conduit is real money.
System size + grade
Solar kW, panel and inverter grade, battery kWh and roof pitch or orientation all move the number. Premium gear costs more and lasts longer, and we name it.
Compliance + certification
Certificate of Compliance, as-builts, STC handling and any metering changes are line items, never assumed away.
Commercial conditions
After-hours work, live-site staging, traffic management and tenancy rules on a trading site all change the rate. We scope them up front.
Is your switchboard ready for new load?
Switchboard condition is the biggest single lever on renewables and EV work. Check yours in a minute.
Answer every question to see your readiness.
Every quote shows the same scope and compliance sheet.
So the figure you are comparing is tied to a scope you can read, not a single number with nothing behind it.
- 1 Load calculation. Your actual demand worked out and shown, not a system size guessed off the roof.
- 2 Cable sizing + run length. Sized for the inverter or charger and the distance, not the cheapest roll on the van.
- 3 Switchboard assessment. Spare capacity, RCD and surge protection, fault level. Checked before anything is added.
- 4 System sized to your bill. Solar and battery sized to your usage and load profile, not to the headline rebate.
- 5 Make + model, named. The exact panel, inverter, battery or charger on the quote, not "good panels".
- 6 Warranties, itemised. Product, performance and workmanship listed separately with their years, so you can compare like for like.
- 7 Compliance paperwork. CES, Certificate of Compliance and as-builts named as deliverables, plus STCs handled and shown as a line.
What you get from us
- ✓Itemised scope + compliance sheet
- ✓Load calc shown on the quote
- ✓Cable sized to the job
- ✓Switchboard checked first
- ✓CEC + licence numbers on the quote
- ✓Make and model named
- ✓Warranties listed separately
- ✓STCs and rebates shown as a line
Cowboy tells
- ✕"System size" with no load calc
- ✕Cable sized to the cheapest roll
- ✕No switchboard check
- ✕Sized to the rebate, not the bill
- ✕No CoC or as-builts
- ✕"Good panels", brand unnamed
- ✕"10-year warranty", undefined
- ✕"Rebate applied", no figure
We will tell you the smaller one if that is the honest answer.
Single install or upgrade
One job: a home EV charger, a switchboard upgrade, a fault rectification, a single solar system.
Wrong when: the supply or board needs work first (we will tell you).
Whole-home energy
Solar plus battery, or solar plus an EV charger, sized together and put on one design.
Wrong when: you only need one piece right now.
Commercial + project
Fit-outs, staged works, commercial solar, EV fleet charging, or a maintenance agreement.
Wrong when: a single domestic job is all that is in front of you.
What people ask before they book.
How much does solar, battery or EV charging cost?
Why are energy quotes so far apart for the same job?
Do you give fixed quotes or estimates?
Is the cheapest quote ever the right one?
Read deeper before you compare quotes
Get a fixed, itemised quote with the load calc shown.
Tell us what you need. We’ll book a walkthrough and send a quote with the work itemised, not just a number.