Essential Solar Reviews
4.5
Leave a review Based on 120 reviews
- 5 star 29
- 4 star 82
- 3 star 9
- 2 star 0
- 1 star 0
Average Customer Review
- Value 4.17
- System Quality 4.44
- Customer Service 4.63
- Installation 4.68
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About Essential Solar, Solar Installers
Essential Solar is a Solar Power Installation company based in Tullamarine and serves VIC. Here are their reviews as submitted by visitors to SolarQuotes
Essential Solar Solar Reviews
We follow up with all reviewers after 12 months to see how their system is going since it was installed. These are all the reviewers who have responded to our 1 year follow up:
I spent approximately 6 weeks researching solar panels, inverters, smart meters etc, I then looked up customer satisfaction and feedback.
Based on the above I selected Essential Solar as they understood my requirements and put together a package that met all my requirements. I was then able to proceed with complete confidence, the installation went like clockwork I had a great team who were professional and precise.
The panels have now been working for the past 4 weeks so glad I had a smart meter included as I can see at a glance on my phone or Ipad exactly what is happening. Would thoroughly recommend Essential Solar in Tullamarine. Show additional information
Based on the above I selected Essential Solar as they understood my requirements and put together a package that met all my requirements. I was then able to proceed with complete confidence, the installation went like clockwork I had a great team who were professional and precise.
The panels have now been working for the past 4 weeks so glad I had a smart meter included as I can see at a glance on my phone or Ipad exactly what is happening. Would thoroughly recommend Essential Solar in Tullamarine. Show additional information
Essential solar is a hassle free, professional company that made a rather difficult process of researching and comparing solar companies so much easier. They are experts in their field, make you feel at ease and if there are any questions or issues after installation, they don't hesitate to assist and rectify the situation straight away. Could not recommend highly enough.
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The sales process was very straight forward, with a very professional salesman visiting the house, and explaining everything very clearly. He wasn't too pushy and respected that I needed time to make a decision. He followed up a few times but was not overly pushy.
Once I had signed up, the two admin ladies in the office were fantastic, calling me throughout the process to ensure everything was running smoothly. They had a document which explained all the steps and it was really quite seamless.
The installers were very professional, courteous, very friendly, no issues whatsoever. They made a big mess on the day (as expected), but cleaned everything up and left no trace that they had been there. They were very careful with doors, gates, gutters, walls - nothing was scratched/dented. All perfect. You could see by the way they worked, that they treated my house as if it was their own - rare to see, but very pleasing indeed.
The after-install process was great too - there's an inspection that needs to happen, and then some forms to be submitted before the system is commissioned. This was all relatively easy.
The only complaint I have, is that we have a bungalow style roof, and I specifically asked for the panels to be pushed back away from the edge (on installation day) to ensure they wouldn't be visible from the street. The installer agreed to move them as far back as possible, understanding my reasons, and in the end the panels are 600mm back from the edge.
BUT, what I didn't know (and wasn't told - hence my issue) is that there is a big ugly yellow isolator switch that must be installed next to each bank of panels (only required in Victoria apparently) and this was clearly visible (and quite unsightly) from the front of the house. Had I known this would happen I would have asked for the panels to be arranged in 2 rows (further back), or for the isolator to be installed on the other side of the panels (the back of the roof). But once it's done, there's little you can do about it short of starting all over again, because everything needs to be done in single cable runs, and there are holes in the roof where the cables go in so you can't really change things easily.
In fairness, the company owner (an engineer) was very prompt at trying to fix the issue the best they could - they rotated the switch so it wouldn't be as visible, and moved it as far back as they could. It's still a little visible, but not nearly as bad as before, and acceptable to me now.
Word of advice: if aesthetics are important in your install, double check positions of EVERYTHING that is going to be installed on the roof (and side wall for that matter) - don't just check the obvious things like panels and inverters. There are lots of switches/isolators/plugs/conduits/cables that also get installed.
Would I go with these guys again - yes ABSOLUTELY. I guess it's just one of those small things that you learn along the way. Show additional information
Once I had signed up, the two admin ladies in the office were fantastic, calling me throughout the process to ensure everything was running smoothly. They had a document which explained all the steps and it was really quite seamless.
The installers were very professional, courteous, very friendly, no issues whatsoever. They made a big mess on the day (as expected), but cleaned everything up and left no trace that they had been there. They were very careful with doors, gates, gutters, walls - nothing was scratched/dented. All perfect. You could see by the way they worked, that they treated my house as if it was their own - rare to see, but very pleasing indeed.
The after-install process was great too - there's an inspection that needs to happen, and then some forms to be submitted before the system is commissioned. This was all relatively easy.
The only complaint I have, is that we have a bungalow style roof, and I specifically asked for the panels to be pushed back away from the edge (on installation day) to ensure they wouldn't be visible from the street. The installer agreed to move them as far back as possible, understanding my reasons, and in the end the panels are 600mm back from the edge.
BUT, what I didn't know (and wasn't told - hence my issue) is that there is a big ugly yellow isolator switch that must be installed next to each bank of panels (only required in Victoria apparently) and this was clearly visible (and quite unsightly) from the front of the house. Had I known this would happen I would have asked for the panels to be arranged in 2 rows (further back), or for the isolator to be installed on the other side of the panels (the back of the roof). But once it's done, there's little you can do about it short of starting all over again, because everything needs to be done in single cable runs, and there are holes in the roof where the cables go in so you can't really change things easily.
In fairness, the company owner (an engineer) was very prompt at trying to fix the issue the best they could - they rotated the switch so it wouldn't be as visible, and moved it as far back as they could. It's still a little visible, but not nearly as bad as before, and acceptable to me now.
Word of advice: if aesthetics are important in your install, double check positions of EVERYTHING that is going to be installed on the roof (and side wall for that matter) - don't just check the obvious things like panels and inverters. There are lots of switches/isolators/plugs/conduits/cables that also get installed.
Would I go with these guys again - yes ABSOLUTELY. I guess it's just one of those small things that you learn along the way. Show additional information
Our whole experience with Essential Solar was trouble free. We found the staff are knowledgeable, helpful and thoroughly professional and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone considering solar installation.
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I received a very professional and trouble free service from Essential Solar from start to finish. The Technical Sales Advisor Ray Bout was knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with, but he went beyond that and actively recorded and responded to the particular challenges of the installation that I was concerned needed addressing. This was then backed up by General Manager David Bruce who discussed the installation plan with me in detail so that I was assured that we were all on the same page. This ensured that the installation by Cathal and his team was efficient, to my expectations and went without a hitch. All the while, I received great customer service from Jessica and Rebecca who made sure I was up to date with valuable information and sent me all the forms etc. Overall, I had a very positive experience.
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I chose Essential Solar as one of three quotes I received from an Solar comparison site.
Essential Solar were the first of the three random alternative quoters to to respond directly to me.
I chose them because:
- their online customer references were all positive and very good over a long history
- their price was the best of the 3 online quotes I compared
- they use top quality components and all work is done by them, not by subcontractors
- their initial onsite inspection and full quote was professionally done, with the person arriving onsite as promised and doing a thorough job. It gave me additional confidence.
Their service was top quality from start to finish.
Every step of the process was communicated clearly and every step was completed as promised, on time, with great quality and friendly professional service, to the price quoted.
It is so refreshing to deal with a business that operates this well, thinks of the customer first and does such a professional job. A rarity it seems these days.
They did such a good job that our neighbours saw and witnessed this and have also since now installed with Essential Solar. Show additional information
Essential Solar were the first of the three random alternative quoters to to respond directly to me.
I chose them because:
- their online customer references were all positive and very good over a long history
- their price was the best of the 3 online quotes I compared
- they use top quality components and all work is done by them, not by subcontractors
- their initial onsite inspection and full quote was professionally done, with the person arriving onsite as promised and doing a thorough job. It gave me additional confidence.
Their service was top quality from start to finish.
Every step of the process was communicated clearly and every step was completed as promised, on time, with great quality and friendly professional service, to the price quoted.
It is so refreshing to deal with a business that operates this well, thinks of the customer first and does such a professional job. A rarity it seems these days.
They did such a good job that our neighbours saw and witnessed this and have also since now installed with Essential Solar. Show additional information
Every one was very cordial, helpful and efficient,professional . I absolutely recommend them.
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Very good experience with both the sales person and the back office team. Sales person not too pushy, came to visit house in person and explained things well. Good communication and follow-up from the back office team. Installation was straight-forward, no issues. Hard to rate/compare value for money and quality of system, but I have no complaints or concerns. I chose Essential Solar because they gave me the best service and customer experience. Price was not the cheapest quote but was within range and realistic.
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The installation technicians were first class,went about their job with no bother or fuss very professional and skilled.
Would recommend the company and their staff to anyone.
On completion of installation all the boxes and packing materials were picked up taken away,left job clean as a whistle.
Well done good service in this day and age. Show additional information
Would recommend the company and their staff to anyone.
On completion of installation all the boxes and packing materials were picked up taken away,left job clean as a whistle.
Well done good service in this day and age. Show additional information
Essential solar were prompt, efficient and provided the best service out of all the quotes we'd received. Price was a little higher compared to others but we preferred to go with a more experienced company that does not sub-contract it's installers.
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Good honest people to deal with.
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A very positive experience. Customer service is excellent & all requests/enquiries were responded to quickly. The technical sales advisor is patience & provided information/answers to my questions. Installer was great and knows his works well & this gives me confidence. The whole process is relatively simple and well executed. Now waiting for distributor to calibrate meter.
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Very professional, knowledgeable and thorough. After sales assistance has been exceptional.
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It was pretty easy so far, still stuff to be done though
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Very helpful and detailed,spent 2 hours going over every detail regarding needs and installation.
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David Bruce (essential Solar) visited me and spent nearly two hours with me explaining the pros and cons of solar power. He had gone to the effort of finding the technical details (sunshine hours etc.) for my particular situation.A very impressive provider. geoff Barlow
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Installed as scheduled in time, only two days later the system is being inspected (tomorrow) and hopefully soon after that I can make my own power.
Installation long term quality - too early to tell, but looks good so far. Exceeded my expectations. Customer service so far good, but the job is not yet finished, it is not yet up and runnung. But I don't expect difficulties. Show additional information
Installation long term quality - too early to tell, but looks good so far. Exceeded my expectations. Customer service so far good, but the job is not yet finished, it is not yet up and runnung. But I don't expect difficulties. Show additional information
It was a great experience from Start to Finish. The salesman looked at our needs and helped us decide on the best system, The Installers were courteous and Helpful and the Customer service after the Install was top notch too.
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Buying and installation of the solar panels was done in an efficient and friendly manner.The installers arrived on the time that was stated and the installation was carried out in a timely manner.Everyone I dealt with throughout the process was very friendly and accommodating and answered any questions I had.
I highly recommend this company!
Your professionalism was impeccable! Show additional information
I highly recommend this company!
Your professionalism was impeccable! Show additional information
While I had three companies attend my property. I ended up with only two quotes. One said I needed a new meter board and never got back to me with a number. The next gave an excellent presentation however said I would need all my existing fuse blocks replaced and possibly a complete rewire of the board. That work would have cost nearly as much as the solar install itself. Given the risk of that expense I decided not to go ahead with them.
Essential solar were OK with the existing board and were more creative than the others in the solar panel placement. I had extra ones on the south side as well as panels on the north. While South facing panels are not as effective, they still work and the extra cost of more panels was really a small component of the overall price. They were the only one of three who thought of doing things this way.
The whole job was done in a few hours despite being a two story building and challenging access. These guys really know their stuff. In the end, I only had one viable quote yet I felt the cost was reasonable and the company reviews online were very favourable. Backup, support, information and the work itself have been excellent throughout. I'd be happy to recommend Essential Solar without hesitation. Show additional information
Essential solar were OK with the existing board and were more creative than the others in the solar panel placement. I had extra ones on the south side as well as panels on the north. While South facing panels are not as effective, they still work and the extra cost of more panels was really a small component of the overall price. They were the only one of three who thought of doing things this way.
The whole job was done in a few hours despite being a two story building and challenging access. These guys really know their stuff. In the end, I only had one viable quote yet I felt the cost was reasonable and the company reviews online were very favourable. Backup, support, information and the work itself have been excellent throughout. I'd be happy to recommend Essential Solar without hesitation. Show additional information
Wonderful description of overall solar system prior to installation (ie: first visit) - answered all questions in a manner I easily understood - thoroughly proffessional service from start to finish.
Initial contact was excellent, installers were great, back -up (office contact) was (and still is) exceptional.
Great company of good people.
Very, very happy with process and products. Show additional information
Initial contact was excellent, installers were great, back -up (office contact) was (and still is) exceptional.
Great company of good people.
Very, very happy with process and products. Show additional information
Essential Solar seemed to be the right choice for us. David Bruce came out and designed the system, answered all our questions, without the hype of others, and made suggestions on how to maximise the effectiveness of the system. When people tell me they have a special deal but I must decide now, I walk. Installation went well, no dramas and the guys cleaned up. We also changed all our lights to Led at the same time. Discussed battery options with David but will wait until production costs are lower to provide a better pay back. System has been commissioned and is feeding into the grid and we are delighted with the outcome. Thanks to SolarQuotes for recommending Essential Solar and thanks to David for a job well done. Sorry for the boring reference but nothing dramatic happened which is the way I like it.
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The three suppliers provided by Finn were all very good and it was really between Essential Solar and another supplier. In the end I went with Essential Solar as they had a unique chip that performed the equivalent of better than a micro inverter as I was concerned with shading in my property. All in all Solar Quotes is an excellent site and Finn has been more than helpful.
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Re value for money and quality of system, only time will tell esp. as we are yet to go 'live'
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The sales person Ray was the main reason we went with Essencial his knowledge and care to make sure we had the best system for are needs was important to us in making are decision.
The install team were very curtious and very good at what they did neat tidy and efficient install. Show additional information
The install team were very curtious and very good at what they did neat tidy and efficient install. Show additional information
Whilst I am a fairly well informed electrical engineer, I found the SolarQuotes website an extremely useful resource. I chose a higher power system than was initially quoted as I expect to use an increased amount of day time power in retirement and because I will use heat pumps for heating (and cooling), and probably for ideological reasons. All providers indicated the proposed system was oversized for my current usage patterns. The three providers offered different configurations with plausible arguments for each different configuration. I choose a system mainly on the specifically offered equipment, but also on price.
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Experience with the installer was far superior to that with the electricity retailer (Origin Energy) who rate very poorly in the category of communication. Electricity distributor (Citipower) were good and direct and easy to get through to - although they performed the changes to my smart meter very soon after installation - but neglected to tell one important person - me.
After one month I'm still not entirely sure whether my retailer has received and acted on my application for feed-in tariff - as modest as it is!
System installation and customer service from Essential has been good.
Overall the solar game is quite interesting and considering the fact that energy retailers reap low-cost feed-in energy from people like myself and sell it for considerably more to other buyers, they treat their customers pretty poorly. Show additional information
After one month I'm still not entirely sure whether my retailer has received and acted on my application for feed-in tariff - as modest as it is!
System installation and customer service from Essential has been good.
Overall the solar game is quite interesting and considering the fact that energy retailers reap low-cost feed-in energy from people like myself and sell it for considerably more to other buyers, they treat their customers pretty poorly. Show additional information
Provided excellent support and service every step of the way through the process. Highly recommend Essential Solar.
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Finn's website is an excellent site for learning about Solar Energy. Three companies were provided for quotes but only 2 got back to us. The first to contact us was Essential Solar. They did this the next day. This definitely won them some brownie points and a foot in the door. The second company took a week to contact us and after arranging an appointment did not show up. However they did ring to say they "were too busy to come". Hence Essential Solar got the job. We had had 2 previous quotes so had numbers and info to compare with Ess Solar. From there it was full steam ahead with contracts signed and installation dates booked in. We found them an excellent company to deal with; the staff friendly and helpful; and everything flowed according to plan. We have had some issues with TV reception after the installation of the panels but Essential Solar followed up our queries with phone calls from the installers and a site visit and phone calls from the Company owner. However the problem is beyond their control and is still to be resolved.
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Installers arrived on time, and were very professional. I was surprised how quickly they installed the system, and at the quality of their work.
The customer service staff were great and answered all my questions promptly and efficiently.
While there are cheaper systems on the market, I wanted the best and I got it. Show additional information
The customer service staff were great and answered all my questions promptly and efficiently.
While there are cheaper systems on the market, I wanted the best and I got it. Show additional information
I was very pleased to receive your 3 names from whom i got quotes
I was comfortable with each and received a good range of responses which allowed me to fine tune my selection
Of interest I had to obtain a Planning permit because I am in a Heritage Overlay. I did this myself and received the permit in less than a week.
Am awaiting Smart Meter connection to get up and running. Got only 5 cents for feed in tarrif; pathetic!!
Am also about to change 22 halogen downlights to LED's.
So all that is left to effect my savings is to get my partner's participation??? Show additional information
I was comfortable with each and received a good range of responses which allowed me to fine tune my selection
Of interest I had to obtain a Planning permit because I am in a Heritage Overlay. I did this myself and received the permit in less than a week.
Am awaiting Smart Meter connection to get up and running. Got only 5 cents for feed in tarrif; pathetic!!
Am also about to change 22 halogen downlights to LED's.
So all that is left to effect my savings is to get my partner's participation??? Show additional information
A fairly straightforward experience once I did some basic homework. there came a time when I had to trust what Information I was given, as it is easy to get bogged down in technicalities, every manufacturers product is "wonderful" There are Australian made panels & inverters out there, that added to the difficulty of choosing a system as installers have not yet embraced the local product, longevity is yet to be determined, though warranties are in keeping with other manufacturers. Unable to rate the system as a working unit as I am still waiting for meter to be reconfigured. The system of paperwork seems convoluted (to me) Holding up the "turning on" of the system while something that is usually done remotely, takes 6-10 business days.
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Ray was very patient with me as I asked a lot of noob questions and The installation guys did a great job, clean and tidy. The girls in the office were great too. I was looking for a peace of mind and Essential provided me with it.
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They didn't follow there own process, no plan was forwarded for my acceptance and when it finally was, it didn't take in to account the solar hot water.
Panels selected were unavailable (twice), although I'll allow it was just before Christmas.
Hadn't recorded my payment. Show additional information
Panels selected were unavailable (twice), although I'll allow it was just before Christmas.
Hadn't recorded my payment. Show additional information
We received 3 quotes for our recent commercial solar installation and Essential Solar were not only prompt, efficient and competitive but also provided additional savings by changing our lighting to LED. We subsequently added additional LED lighting whilst other contractors were in our building and Essential Solar quickly responded to our request to install these in our high ceilings whilst we had scissor lifts on site. We had a minor hick up with two fluros but this was promptly resolved with the assistance of the General Manager, David Bruce. We have found all staff including installer Carl, Rebecca and Jessica in the office capable, efficient and pleasant to deal with. We thoroughly recommend Essential Solar as a reliable and competent partner for solar upgrades.
David Williams Salvation Army Dingley 23/01/17 Show additional information
David Williams Salvation Army Dingley 23/01/17 Show additional information
We did have a hick up with two of our fluros but this was promptly fixed with a personal visit from the General Manager David Bruce who was most helpful.
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Although I was keen to go solar, I found the prospect daunting. It raised so many questions!
What size/how many panels? Which brand? Which supplier? Which inverter? Which electricity retailer?
Can I put the panels on the North and the West side of the roof? On and and on it went, a real minefield, but then,
by a stroke of good luck I came across SolarQuotes.com.au. I couldn't believe it - ALL my questions were answered!
Not only that, but everything was explained in a way that anyone could understand. Best website EVER!
SolarQuotes helped me to decide on Essential Solar and I couldn't be happier.
Rebecca at Essential Solar was extremely helpful. She is obviously very knowledgeable and explained everything to me very well.
She got the solar system for me in record time and the installers arrived early in the morning and were finished by lunchtime.
After sales service included helping me to get the feed-in tariff from the electricity retailer. I find it hard to believe that
customer service like this still exists and am truly grateful. I don't often do testimonials, but this one I want to shout from the (solar) rooftops! Show additional information
What size/how many panels? Which brand? Which supplier? Which inverter? Which electricity retailer?
Can I put the panels on the North and the West side of the roof? On and and on it went, a real minefield, but then,
by a stroke of good luck I came across SolarQuotes.com.au. I couldn't believe it - ALL my questions were answered!
Not only that, but everything was explained in a way that anyone could understand. Best website EVER!
SolarQuotes helped me to decide on Essential Solar and I couldn't be happier.
Rebecca at Essential Solar was extremely helpful. She is obviously very knowledgeable and explained everything to me very well.
She got the solar system for me in record time and the installers arrived early in the morning and were finished by lunchtime.
After sales service included helping me to get the feed-in tariff from the electricity retailer. I find it hard to believe that
customer service like this still exists and am truly grateful. I don't often do testimonials, but this one I want to shout from the (solar) rooftops! Show additional information
Everyone I dealt with from Essential Solar were extremely helpful. Always prompt to reply to my queries and so knowledgeable. There was no delay on their behalf at all, and they went beyond the help I expected from them even beyond the installation. Very happy with their service.
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It was a very difficult decision as all three quotes offered high quality systems and were professionally and personably presented. I believe we would have had a good outcome with whichever quote we chose and we were much more confident of making a good decision because of the quality of our options.
In addition, the ability to access the wealth of information made available by Finn Peacock was a huge bonus, along with the knowledge that the companies who offered quotes had been thoroughly vetted. As a non technical person it was extremely helpful to be able to access information from a very technical source!
This was in marked contrast to the previous system we had purchased and with which we had been unhappy. Show additional information
In addition, the ability to access the wealth of information made available by Finn Peacock was a huge bonus, along with the knowledge that the companies who offered quotes had been thoroughly vetted. As a non technical person it was extremely helpful to be able to access information from a very technical source!
This was in marked contrast to the previous system we had purchased and with which we had been unhappy. Show additional information
