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All TopTipsfree power · 8 min read

The 10-minute solar cheatsheet: can you trust the bloke on your roof?

Quotes, kilowatts, feed-in tariffs — what actually matters before you sign anything.

Painterly solar panels on an Australian rooftop under a swirling blue sky

In a nutshell

Three quotes, Clean Energy Council-approved installers, size it to your evening usage — not your roof. Feed-in tariffs are tiny now; self-consumption is where the savings live.

Pros

  • Slashes daytime power bills almost immediately
  • Adds resale value when paired with a battery
  • Federal STC rebate still knocks thousands off install

Cons

  • Door-knockers and 'today only' deals are everywhere
  • Feed-in tariffs have dropped to 4–7c per kWh
  • Batteries still take 7–10 years to pay back for most homes

Cheatsheet

  1. 1Get 3 quotes from CEC-approved retailers (never the door-knocker)
  2. 2Size the system to your 5–9pm usage, not your roof
  3. 3Assume 4–7c feed-in, 30c self-consumption — run appliances during the day
  4. 4Ask for the inverter brand AND warranty in writing
  5. 5Check installer reviews on SolarQuotes before signing

Why bother

Done well, solar pays itself back in 4–6 years and quietly keeps paying you for another 15. Done badly, it's a $15k regret stuck on your roof. Ten minutes of homework changes which one you get.

Gear we like

Klein Tools clamp meter (Amazon AU)

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