A clear, Australian guide to quoting solar accurately: gather the customer's real usage, size and price the system, apply STCs and GST, model savings on their actual tariff, and present a quote that wins on value rather than price. Here's the workflow.
What you'll need
- The customer's power bill, or interval/NEM12 data for the most accurate result.
- The proposed system, panels, inverter and any battery.
- Current STC pricing and your install costs.
Step 1 — Gather usage and tariff
The single biggest cause of inaccurate quotes is using an average tariff instead of the customer's real one. Pull their bill or interval data so your savings figures hold up. Magic Power Bill can read the rates straight from a PDF bill.
Step 2 — Size and price the system
Size the array (and battery, if any) to their usage and budget, then price the hardware and installation. Keep your pricing consistent across your team so customers get the same number whoever they speak to.
Step 3 — Apply STCs and GST
Calculate STCs by system size and location and apply them as a point-of-sale discount, then handle GST. Software does this automatically so you're not looking up deeming periods and zone ratings by hand.
Step 4 — Model the savings
Project savings on the customer's actual tariff, including time-of-use periods where relevant. Honest, defensible figures build trust and protect you from unhappy customers post-install.
Step 5 — Present and follow up
Deliver a clean, branded proposal with a clear call to action, then follow up promptly. (More on closing in our 10 rules of quoting solar systems.)
Australian-specific note: STC value moves with the market and the deeming period shortens each year, so always quote on current certificate pricing. Battery quotes should reflect the Federal Battery Rebate where eligible.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked questions
What goes into an accurate solar quote?
The system price, STC rebates, GST and a savings projection based on the customer's real tariff and usage. Quoting on average rates instead of the actual bill is the most common cause of inaccuracy.
How are STCs applied?
They're calculated from system size and location and applied as a point-of-sale discount. Quoting software counts the certificates automatically.
Should I quote over the phone?
Generally no, it reduces you to a number compared on price alone. A presented, professional quote lets you sell on value and accuracy first.
