{"id":94054,"date":"2025-08-23T07:05:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T21:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=94054"},"modified":"2025-08-22T14:51:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T05:21:08","slug":"phase-shift-why-the-rate-my-quote-frenzy-is-toxic-for-solar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/phase-shift-why-the-rate-my-quote-frenzy-is-toxic-for-solar\/","title":{"rendered":"Phase Shift: Why the Rate My Quote Frenzy Is Toxic for Solar"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

A couple of years ago, Ronald (SolarQuotes’ Fact Checker) asked me for advice on buying a commuter push bike. I told him:<\/p>\n

“Whatever you do, don’t buy a bike from K-Mart!”.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The next week, I walked into the office and saw a K-Mart bike leaning against the wall. It died on its maiden trip from Ronald’s house. The bottom bracket was toast, the gears were mangled, and the thing wouldn’t pedal.<\/p>\n

When I pulled it apart at home, I was surprised. The hardtail frame itself wasn’t bad – good welds, decent geometry. But the components? Mostly junk. I replaced the worst of it with spares from my garage, bought a proper bottom bracket, headset and brakes. The components were worth about $600 on top of the $150 bike. The result: a solid commuter that rides well and should last for years.<\/p>\n

The lesson stuck with me: with the right parts, fitted properly, even a K-Mart bike frame can turn into reliable transport. Manufacturing technology is so mature, even dirt-cheap bike frames can be reasonable quality these days.<\/p>\n

The Same Applies For Solar<\/h2>\n

Solar’s at that stage. Most panels and inverters on the CEC list are fine. The frame is solid. But the difference between a solar power system that saves you money for decades and one that drives you mad comes down to design, installation, configuration and support.<\/p>\n

There are some dirt-cheap Chinese brands that are actually OK. I’ve seen them run reliably when installed, configured and supported by the right people. Some good installers I know use them without drama. But you won’t see those brands on our Trusted Brands chart<\/a>\u00a0– for two reasons:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. They’re the calling card of bottom-feeder solar retailers. The cheap-and-nasty end of the industry loves these brands, so if you’re not careful you’ll end up with OK hardware butchered by a bad design and install.<\/li>\n
  2. Their Australian support is patchy at best. If your installer has your back, that’s fine. But if you are with a bottom-end retailer that doesn’t do customer support, you’re left trying to get the manufacturer to help you, and without industry connections, you’re in for a world of pain.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The ‘Rate My Quote’ Circus<\/h2>\n

    Which brings me to the circus on the giant My Efficient Electric Home Facebook group. This community has provided a lot of value over the years, but these days is dominated by ‘Rate My Quote’ posts. Post a screenshot and wait for the mob to decide if that’s too much (or too little) money for the brand being offered.<\/p>\n

    This kind of quote shaming is poison. It reduces a complex system – design, installation, commissioning, long-term support – down to two things: the logo on the hardware and the price at the bottom. It makes good installers look like rip-off merchants, while encouraging a race to the bottom that leaves consumers stranded when things go wrong.<\/p>\n

    \"A

    One example of the recent barrage of social media posts asking for a public verdict on a solar\/battery quote.<\/p><\/div>\n

    A Quote Doesn’t Just Cover The Hardware + Install<\/h2>\n

    The truth is you’re not buying panels, an inverter and a battery. You’re buying decades of lower bills – and maybe blackout protection. That only happens when someone designs, installs, configures and supports the system properly.<\/p>\n

    Want proof? Look at SolarQuotes’ top-rated installers<\/a>. They’re often fitting solid mid-range gear and backing it with service that lasts. Their five-star reviews aren’t just from shiny new installs either – plenty are from customers who had their systems installed half a decade ago and are still impressed, because their installer is still taking their calls, or even better, proactively calling them years later to check they’re still happy with the system.<\/p>\n

    \"istore

    A beautifully installed, well-supported, mid-range system on my shed.<\/p><\/div>\n

    The good news? Plenty of Australians are smart enough to value that. The bad news? Too many are still getting sucked into a brand vs. dollars quote frenzy, and the whole industry pays for it.<\/p>\n

    And if K-Mart ever starts selling solar systems next to the cheap mountain bikes, you’ll know we’ve hit rock bottom.<\/p>\n

    Phase Shift is a weekly opinion column by SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock. Subscribe to\u00a0SolarQuotes\u2019 free newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to get it emailed to your inbox each week along with our other home electrification coverage.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    A couple of years ago, Ronald (SolarQuotes’ Fact Checker) asked me for advice on buying a commuter push bike. I told him: “Whatever you do, don’t buy a bike from K-Mart!”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94055,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-installation","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy the Rate My Quote Frenzy Is Toxic for Solar<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Online 'Rate My Quote' posts reduce a complex system down to two things: the logo on the hardware and the price at the bottom.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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I started SolarQuotes in 2009 and the SolarQuotes blog in 2013 with the belief that it\u2019s more important to be truthful and objective than popular. My last \"real job\" was working for the CSIRO in their renewable energy division. Since 2009, I\u2019ve helped over 800,000 Aussies get quotes for solar from installers I trust. 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As we've\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Installation"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Installation","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-installation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tiled roofs and solar power","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/broken-tile-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/broken-tile-header.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/broken-tile-header.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/broken-tile-header.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/broken-tile-header.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3614,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/install-solar-panels-metal-roof-without-leaks\/","url_meta":{"origin":94054,"position":1},"title":"How to install solar panels on a metal roof – without leaks.","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"May 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"This post comes courtesy of Trevor Berrill. Trevor is\u00a0Principal of\u00a0\u00a0Solaris Sustainable Homes\u00a0and is a 30 year veteran of\u00a0\u00a0both renewable energy \u00a0and energy efficiency. It is a honour to have him contribute to this\u00a0humble blog. Here Trevor describes\u00a0how a good solar installer should\u00a0install solar panels to a metal roof and how\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Installation"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Installation","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-installation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"rusty roof screws","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/fig1.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/fig1.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/fig1.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52832,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solarquotes-tv-ep7-mb2110\/","url_meta":{"origin":94054,"position":2},"title":"The Rise Of Batteries In Australia – SolarQuotes TV Episode 7","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"August 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Are home batteries finally poised to go mainstream in Australia? And in a 17-kilometre race in to the city, which wins - a battery-assisted bike or an electric car? Tesla Powerwall vs. lead acid batteries, a debate between a battery cynic and a true believer, plus much more in episode\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SolarQuotes TV episode 7","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sqtv-ep7-b.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sqtv-ep7-b.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sqtv-ep7-b.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sqtv-ep7-b.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sqtv-ep7-b.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3348,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/chinese-solar-panels-list-careful\/","url_meta":{"origin":94054,"position":3},"title":"If your Chinese solar panels are not on one of these lists, be careful!","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"January 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A lot of people are wary of Chinese solar panels. China doesn't exactly cover itself in glory with some of the low quality junk it manufactures. But, as I have said many times before, China also produces some fantastic quality stuff. Need examples? I bet the device you are reading\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Panels"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Panels","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-panels-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"chinese solar panels","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/china-qa.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/china-qa.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/china-qa.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4034,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/huge-companies-rely-commerical-solar\/","url_meta":{"origin":94054,"position":4},"title":"The Huge Companies That Rely On Commerical Solar","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"October 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Whilst commercial solar systems\u00a0in Australia are steadily growing in number despite pushback from many electricity networks, the USA is forging ahead with enormous commercial systems. \u00a0America's biggest companies, like Wal*mart, Costco and Macy's are relying on solar power to reduce their bills. Here's a great snapshot from the Sustainable Energy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Big Solar"","block_context":{"text":"Big Solar","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/utility-scale-solar\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"comercial solar infographic","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/solar-means-business-top-solar-users-in-the-us.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/solar-means-business-top-solar-users-in-the-us.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/solar-means-business-top-solar-users-in-the-us.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49900,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/fronius-gen24-sustainability-mb1979\/","url_meta":{"origin":94054,"position":5},"title":"Fronius Spruiks Solar Inverter Sustainability","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"May 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Fronius says its GEN24 Plus inverters have the first life cycle assessment in the world to be confirmed by an independent institute. Among the many myths bandied about regarding solar that refuse to die is the one claiming the energy used to create components exceeds what a system will generate\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Solar & Storage News"","block_context":{"text":"General Solar & Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fronius GEN24 Plus inverter sustainability","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/fronius-gen24.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/fronius-gen24.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/fronius-gen24.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/fronius-gen24.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/fronius-gen24.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94054"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":94084,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94054\/revisions\/94084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}