How do I read a solar quote in South Africa?

Treat a solar quote like a mini engineering pack, not a flyer. The goal is apples-to-apples comparison and a paper trail for warranties when something fails in year four.

The must-have line items

1. PV: brand, model, wattage, quantity, total kWp, flash-test tolerance.
2. Inverter: brand, exact model, phase, firmware family, backup rating, NRS / municipal list status — NRS-approved.
3. Battery: brand, model, nameplate kWh, usable kWh at warranty DoD, continuous kW — DoD.
4. Mounting: rail brand, roof-type method, wind region note.
5. Balance of system: cable sizes, isolators, SPDs, earth/bond, DB changes, essentials board — cables · SPDs.
6. Compliance: CoC, SSEG application, ECSA commissioning if required, dual-supply labels.
7. Soft costs: scaffolding, travel, temporary power, disposal, after-hours.
8. Exclusions: roof repairs, main breaker upgrade, trenching, HOA fees, meter swap.

Numbers people misread

Savings claims — stress test

Replace brochure tariffs with your bill. Re-run with export at metro credit rates (about 152.93 / 143.29 / 108.25 / 184.60 c/kWh incl. paths) not retail. Ignore Stage 6 fear pricing as the primary ROI. Tools: check a quote · payback · 5 kW cost bands · monthly savings.

Published 2026 price sense-check

A complete 5 kW hybrid with 5–10 kWh lithium often quotes roughly R72 000–R120 000 in published Johannesburg/Pretoria/national ranges. Far below without a battery may be grid-tie only. Far above may include a large pack, three-phase kit, scaffolding, or premium brands — ask for the split.

Red flags

• Cash-only, no company letterhead, no findable entity.
• Inverter not on the approved list for your metro.
• Battery brand with no local agent.
• “We handle SSEG” with no named person or timeline.
• Roof penetrations with no waterproofing responsibility.
• Pressure to sign today because “panel prices jump tomorrow.”

More patterns: installer red flags · DIY risks.

How to compare two quotes in 15 minutes

1. Normalise to the same usable kWh and same essentials list.
2. Stack warranty years (product + performance + workmanship).
3. Check monitoring app included and who owns the account.
4. Ask both for a one-page yield estimate on your tariff.
5. Prefer the clearer engineer over the smoother salesperson when scopes match.

Questions to email before the deposit

• Who lodges SSEG and what is the expected timeline in this metro?
• What happens if the municipality rejects the inverter model?
• Is the backup board itemised? Which circuits?
• What is excluded if the DB needs an upgrade?
• How are warranty claims handled — who ships the swap unit?

Cover-page numbers that must exist before you compare rand

1. DC kWp and panel count / wattage class.
2. Inverter kW, topology (hybrid / string / AC-coupled) and NRS certificate reference.
3. Battery usable kWh (not only sticker) and continuous backup kW.
4. Assumed tariff code, fixed charges, and whether export = R0 in the savings sheet.
5. SSEG / CoC / warranty registration responsibilities and deadlines.

Quotes missing usable kWh or treating feed-in like European net-metering are not comparable — usable kWh · feed-in · check a quote.

One-page comparison table

Build a spreadsheet with columns: price, PV kWp, hybrid continuous kW, usable kWh, NRS model, SSEG labour, SPD scope, export c/kWh assumed, prepaid migration note, warranty years/throughput. Fill it from each PDF before any verbal negotiation — check-quote · red flags.

Quick questions

What is the difference between kW and kWp?

kW usually means inverter power; kWp is panel peak capacity. A 5 kW hybrid with 6.6 kWp panels is common.

Should labour be itemised?

Yes — and CoC / SSEG fees should not hide as surprise disbursements.

Do I need a site visit before a firm quote?

For most homes yes — photos help for ballparks; firm prices need roof and DB eyes.

Where this sits on the Solar News 24 desk

Read next: home solar pillar, costs & savings, metro tariffs 2026/27, and how to size a system. For EV households, pair with the EV charging guide (DriveElectric / SAEV cost cites). Always verify figures on your own bill and distributor schedule — municipal tariffs change every July.

Worked comparison sketch

Quote A: 6.6 kWp Brand X, 5 kW hybrid on the metro list, 10 kWh usable LFP, CoC+SSEG included — R118 000. Quote B: “5 kW package” R96 000 with unnamed panels, 10 kWh nameplate (8 kWh usable), SSEG “client to arrange.” After normalising usable storage and compliance, Quote A can be the better buy even though it looks more expensive. Always restate both quotes on one spreadsheet with the same columns.

Fixed charges and the “savings” line

Cape Town Home User services + wires sit near R424/month in 2026/27 examples — solar does not delete them. A quote that promises “80% bill cut” without subtracting fixed charges is selling a fantasy. Ask for: (a) expected imported kWh after solar, (b) expected exported kWh and credit rate, (c) fixed charges unchanged. Rebuild the monthly saving yourself on the metro schedule — tariffs desk.

Warranty paperwork that must be named

• Inverter years + who registers the claim (installer vs importer).
• Battery years and cycles/throughput + retained capacity floor.
• Panel product + linear performance warranties.
• Workmanship / roof penetration responsibility and insurance notification.

Longevity shoppers often shortlist packs with published SA throughput letters — Solar MD’s SS4160 story (years + MWh) sits among Freedom Won, BYD, BlueNova (MKII 10y/6 000 cycles at ≤80% DoD) and peers. Compare PDFs, not slogans — warranties.

Payment milestones that protect you

Prefer deposits tied to equipment delivery and a final retention until CoC + SSEG submission proof. Avoid “100% before scaffolding arrives.” Rent-to-own and bank energy loans need the National Credit Act pre-agreement quotation — total repayable, not only the pretty debit — finance guide.

SSEG and CoC lines that must not be vague

“SSEG assistance” without naming who submits, who pays the meter, and what happens if the metro queries the single-line diagram is a cost bomb. Same for CoC: the registered person who signs must be named. Dual-supply / changeover labels belong on the snag list before final payment. Cross-check SSEG registration and NRS-approved inverters.

If two quotes differ by more than ~15% on the same usable kWh and inverter class, ask for a line-by-line scope compare — missing rail kits, DC isolators, or Wi-Fi dongles often explain the “cheap” one.

Photograph the proposed roof layout and DB before you sign. Verbal promises about “we will sort SSEG” disappear when project managers change — the signed scope wins.

Ask whether scaffolding, crane, or tile-replacement contingency sits inside the price. Roof surprises are the most common mid-install variation orders on SA suburban homes.

Owner checklist (print this)

1. Write down your goal in one sentence (bill cut, fridge backup, EV, or all three).
2. Pull 12 months of kWh from bills or the prepaid app.
3. List essentials circuits with approximate watts.
4. Photograph the DB, roof and meter before any site visit.
5. Ask every installer the same three questions and file the answers.
6. Do not pay a large deposit without a written scope, model numbers and compliance line items.

Related desk pages: home solar pillar · costs & savings · all answers · FAQ.