In Australia, around 3 million households enjoy the benefits of rooftop solar. Solar is a good investment because it increases property, saves electricity bills. Customers are preferring solar installers in Perth for three reasons. Firstly, the installation cost is high. Secondly, solar systems are for long-term usage. Thirdly, it involves electric power. An installer who provides great service does quality work and offers a fair price would be the first choice. Hiring a professional solar installer makes better sense than risking an accident. They will have specialized tools and equipment to get the job done.
Moreover, their extensive training and experience enable them to complete the installation more efficiently and this increases the property value. Some manufacturers will not cover the warranty if the installers are uncertified. Choosing quality installers from a marketplace flooded with companies claiming to be the best solar installers around is not an easy task.
Professional & certified solar installer in Perth
To be eligible for government rebates, the designer and installer of your solar system must be accredited by the Clean Energy Council (CEC). Apart from CEC, the technician who is installing the solar panel must have an electrical license. If you are installing Tesla Battery, there should be a separate certification from Tesla. The Clean Energy Council’s accreditation scheme ensures that accredited designers and installers of solar PV power systems have undergone the necessary professional training.
CEC will see to it that the installers follow industry best practices and adhere to Australian Standards. Likewise, they ensure that a routine updating of skills and product knowledge is also done. An accredited installer will provide you with a very good system design and specification that best suits your needs.
Is your installer trustworthy?
To maintain high standards and to protect consumers, the solar industry has many accreditations. Clean Energy Council (CEC) is the accreditation body for the designer, installer, and components. The first thing your chosen installer should have is an electrical license. The second is accreditation with the Clean Energy Council of Australia (or CEC).
The CEC lists more than 7000 accredited solar installers on its website. Anyone can look for the logo and check the list of CEC Approved Solar Retailers to verify if an installer is actually approved. One can check whether their system design is by a CEC accredited system designer and ask for their CEC installer accreditation during installation.
To know whether the installer is trustworthy, it would be ideal to check whether the company has a strong presence in your area. Discuss with anyone in your community or relative who has installed solar systems previously. Check below points also
- The installers are operating from a virtual office or physical office?
- How long have they been working from the same office?
- Do installers have good customer reviews in productreview.com and google?
A trustworthy installer never goes for exaggerated claims or aggressive sales techniques. Asking you to sign on the spot, use door-to-door sales are some of the untrustworthy sales tactics.
Local solar installer Vs National companies
National companies are more expensive as their pricing is based on the company’s market share and financial goals. Local companies are cheaper as they are less under pressure and have fewer profit criteria than larger companies.
National installers hire subcontractors to do their installation work. The accountability is a little different than with a local company. The only finance option with local solar installers is paying in cash or taking a loan from solar lenders. With national installers, one has the option for a lease, or a Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA).
A national solar company installs solar panels in various states and locations while local solar panel companies serve only a specific area or state. To conclude, it would be ideal to choose a local solar company over a national one. As their local expertise and building code knowledge would be more suitable for local construction projects.
With their knowledge of prevailing local environmental conditions, local solar companies can provide you a custom solar panels that fit your needs. Also, they can customize the system to fit into the needs by upgrading materials that are more suitable to local climates.
Leasing solar system VS installing your own
If you can afford to pay an upfront installation cost, owning a system is a better investment than leasing or taking out a loan. Though it will take some time to have savings, owning a system helps to maximise ROI and equity in the home. It also increases the market value of the building.
One can own a system by buying it or by taking a solar loan. Loans are generally available for 10 to 25-year terms. Interest rates range from 3% to 8%. Dealer fees are typically around 5-15%
Leasing a solar energy system is a better option for people who don’t have the cash to buy a system. Lease customers aren’t guaranteed to save money. The lease agreement can complicate home sales. A solar lease is the best option if one is looking to create a predictable, lower electric bill and start saving immediately.
They don’t have to worry about the responsibility of maintaining or repairing their solar panel system. It helps to reduce electricity costs by 30% – 50%
Solar leases and PPAs are typically for 20 to 25-year terms. With a PPA, one has the option to purchase the system after the 5-year mark, at which point you can buy the system outright.
Solar system installation agreement
A solar system installation agreement is a contract entered into between the customer and retailer for the purpose of installing a solar system. It complies with the contract requirements under the Clean Energy Council Approved Solar Retailer program.
A solar system installation agreement includes:
- A customer quote and contract terms and conditions, including system pricing, delivery, and payment details.
- In solar installation Terms and Conditions following things should be explained. sale of the system, payments, and refunds, delivery and installation, accessing the premise, system performance, maintenance, and STC assignment. Apart from the above topics, system guarantees and warranties and obligations under the Privacy Act also should be included.
- Dealings for grid connection and other approvals
- The retailer’s commitments and customers’ obligations in relation to installation requirements.
Workmanship warranty
A workmanship warranty provides coverage against any defects that arise from workmanship in installing solar panels, inverters, or batteries on the premises.
A workmanship warranty covers only the work performed by the contractor including any installation errors. It usually covers about one year following the completion of the work.
Not all contractors follow it. One has to be cautious enough to carefully read the fine print to get the details of the workmanship warranty.
It is important to review the terms and conditions and talk directly to your contractor about any concerns you may have.
It is recommended to find a contractor that offers a workmanship warranty that covers a wide range of common issues, such as leaks.
To summarise, getting the installation done by a certified solar installer involves everything from designing to installation in a professional way. By doing so one can benefit from warranties and quality materials.
Home Solar System in Perth, WA
