Comparing Solar Quotes in Figtree: What a Good Quote Shows

Two solar quotes for a Figtree home can both say "6.6kW" and describe very different systems. The difference is usually in lines the cheaper quote leaves out: how the panels are split across your roof faces, which inverter input each face uses, what happens at the switchboard, and who stands behind the warranty. This checklist goes through what a good quote should show, line by line, so you can compare like with like.

The short answer

A quote you can compare should name, at minimum:

• The panel brand, model and wattage, and the number of panels on each roof face.

• The inverter brand and model, how many MPPT trackers it has, and which face connects to which.

• The total system size in kW and the STC discount shown as its own line.

• Everything that is not a straightforward install: switchboard work, scaffold or edge protection, coastal-grade hardware, tile replacement.

• The warranties, and the Australian company that backs each one.

If a quote cannot answer those, ask whether anyone has measured your roof. Our Figtree solar page covers the local side: split roofs, east and west faces, and estimated prices for 2525.

Why Figtree roofs need a closer look

Homes on the side of Cobbler's Hill and up in Figtree Heights rarely have one large north-facing roof. A hip roof on a sloping block gives you two or three smaller faces pointing different ways. That is fine for solar, but it means the layout is a design decision, not a default. A quote priced from a satellite photo tends to show a total panel count and nothing else.

Line by line: what to check

Panels per roof face

A good quote shows a layout: for example, eight panels on the north-east face and six on the north-west. Without it, you cannot tell whether the system was designed for your roof or for an average one. Panels on a south face, or in shade for much of the day, add cost without adding much output.

The inverter and its trackers

An MPPT tracker is the part of the inverter that finds the best operating point for a group of panels. Panels facing different ways see different sun, so each face needs its own tracker. Most home inverters have two. If two faces share one, the weaker face drags the stronger one down every afternoon. Ask how many trackers the inverter has and which face goes where.

Optimisers or microinverters, only where they earn it

If part of the array is shaded by a tree or a neighbour's second storey at different times of day, optimisers or microinverters let each panel work on its own. On an unshaded roof they add cost for little gain. A quote that includes them everywhere, or nowhere, without explaining why, deserves a question. Our guide to solar on a shaded roof goes through the options.

The STC discount, shown separately

The federal discount should be its own line, so you can see the price before and after it. Figtree is in STC zone 3: in 2026 a 6.6kW system earns 45 certificates, about $1,710, and a 10kW system 69 certificates, about $2,622. Check any quote against the solar rebate calculator. A quote showing a much larger "rebate" is either wrong or is counting something else.

Exclusions and extras

This is where cheap quotes become expensive invoices. Look for a clear statement of what is not included, and ask about each of these:

• Switchboard work. Older boards with ceramic fuses need upgrading first. Our Corrimal page explains why, and our switchboard upgrade guide covers what the work involves.

• Access. Two-storey homes and steep roofs need edge protection or scaffold. See our Unanderra page.

• Roof repairs. Broken tiles found during installation, and who pays for them.

• Inverter and battery position. Figtree was one of the worst-hit suburbs in the 1998 Wollongong floods. If your block is flood-affected, the inverter and any battery should be mounted well above the flood level, and the quote should say where they go.

Warranties, and who backs them

Panels typically carry a product warranty and a separate performance warranty; inverters carry their own, usually shorter. What matters is not just the number of years but whether the manufacturer has an Australian office that will honour it if the installer is gone. Our solar warranty checklist lists the questions to ask.

Connection and export limit

The quote should say that the installer will lodge the grid connection application and confirm your export limit before installation. In the Illawarra, flexible exports become the default for eligible new systems from November 2026 and need an internet-connected, CSIP-AUS compliant inverter. Ask whether the quoted inverter qualifies.

Monitoring

On a split array, monitoring that shows each face or string makes a fault on one face easy to spot. Ask what the monitoring shows and whether it is included. Our solar monitoring guide covers what is worth tracking.

Comparing three quotes side by side

Fill it in and the comparison usually becomes obvious. A quote that is several hundred dollars cheaper and blank on four of these lines is not cheaper.

What a fair price looks like in Figtree

As a benchmark, our packages come to about $3,990 for 6.6kW, $5,490 for 10kW and $7,990 for 13.2kW, installed, after the STC discount, for a straightforward job. Our Wollongong solar cost guide explains what moves a price above that.

Common questions

How many solar quotes should I get?

Three is usually enough to see what a fair price and a complete quote look like. More than that tends to add confusion rather than information.

Why is one quote much cheaper than the others?

Usually because something is missing: switchboard work, access equipment, a second inverter tracker, or a named panel brand. Compare the lines, not the totals.

Should a solar quote include a site visit?

For a split or sloping roof, yes. A satellite image shows the outline of a roof, not its pitch, its shading through the year, or the state of the switchboard.

Is an east-west roof worth quoting?

Usually. An east-west array makes less at noon than a north-facing one, but it starts earlier and finishes later, which often suits how a household uses power.

Get a quote you can check

Our quotes show the panels on each face, the inverter and its trackers, the STC discount and every extra as its own line. Start with the solar system size calculator for an estimate, or see how we install in Figtree.