Smart Energy Answers Reviews
About
Smart Energy Answers (SEA) is Australia’s leading solar solutions provider with Head Office in Sydney. With a decade of collective experience in the field, our team has completed over 5,000 residential and commercial installations. We have an extensive team of designers, electricians, engineers, and technicians specially trained in all areas of solar generation power systems.
SEA is proud to have attained the highest accreditation level in Australia. As a CEC Approved Solar Retailer, we are committed to helping communities gain energy independence through the latest technologies and high-quality services.
Our Operations Director Sam is well known in the industry for the quality of his installation designs and workmanship and for having physically installed and commissioned the largest commercial Tesla Powerwall Installation in the world.
We are also a certified installer of LG Solar, REC Solar, Canadian Solar, Seraphim, Longi, SolarEdge, Fronius, Sungrow, sonnenBatterie, LG Chem and Tesla Powerwall.
We install systems and have Operation Centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Central Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong, and Orange. Contact us on 1300 732 679 or [email protected] for more information.
The SMART Difference
· Complex decisions made simple – because our experienced consultants are committed to helping you make an informed decision by providing a tailored assessment of your energy needs, future thinking.
· Buy quality, buy once – because we combine the best workmanship with some of the most superior products on the market today.
· Exceptional customer care – because our ultimate goal is to make our customers happy and to provide a delightful experience.
· Savings guaranteed – because our customers can benefit from our industry-leading performance guarantee, ensuring that you receive the best possible long-term outcome.
Reviewers report paying: $3,200 - $12,000 for depending on hardware choice and installation difficulty ( how is this calculated? )
Panels, inverter and battery brands
Panel brands currently installed
Panel brands previously installed
Inverter brands currently installed
Inverter brands previously installed
Battery brands currently installed
Battery brands previously installed
The views expressed by reviewers are theirs' alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of Peacock Media Group, which makes no representations as to the accuracy of the reviews. For our full disclaimer and further information, see our Terms of Use and our Review Guidelines.
Smart Energy Answers Reviews (387)
Show Most Recent reviews from All time across Australia
Average Scores
4.4/5
Value for money
4.6/5
Quality of System
4.6/5
Installation
4.5/5
Customer Service
- 5 star 148
- 4 star 199
- 3 star 36
- 2 star 3
- 1 star 1
View Timeline
06 December 2021
04 December 2021
Great system at a competitive price
Very smooth sales process, polite and informative sales team. Installation went well, took a full day, make sure you have a few spare tiles kicking around. Still waiting for grid connection and I’m not sure we’ve got the monitoring system that was promised...Inverter rating: 5/5
03 December 2021
Happy customer.
It was a streamlined process with all of my questions answered very promptly. The customer service has been excellent. Very happy to recommend Smart Energy Answers to anyone looking for a quality Solar System.01 December 2021
Overall fine, and clear step by step process, slight delay due to lockdown. Straightforward installation with minor tricky situation.
Decided to go with them with the quotes in the middle of the range with good well know Q Cells and a hybrid Goodwe inverter. Sent all my photos and recent electricity bills and they process the quote and provide information to apply solar rebate. Once rebate is approved, there was a few weeks delay due to Covid restriction and had the installation rescheduled.On installation day, the installers arrived within the estimated start time. Quickly went through where the cable gonna run, and had the inverter wired in the garage. There were 4-5 people working, so they started around 8:00am and finished at about 1:00pm. The only negative is one of the guys started to drill a hole for the DC cable to go into the garage at about waist level before asking me if that is ok. I was aghast as it looks ugly with pvc pipe running all the way from the roof to right at your vision level at the front of the house. Requested him to stop the drop cable piping near the ceiling of the entrance where it's not as obvious at eye level. Lucky it was consulted before a hole has been drilled through, however there's about 1cm deep of half drilled hole left in the bricks which looks like gonna have to be patched later with some mortar - hopefully Bunnings have a fix for this.
Solar panels were fitted 9 in the west and 7 in the east and they managed to avoid putting any behind my evap cooler that would have created shading - so a DC optimisers that was included in the quote ended up did not get used at all. They said they'll notify SEA to get the fees adjusted. Let's hope so.
After the install they help set me up with an account on Goodwe's SEM Portal and showed how it looks on the SEM Portal App. The next step is just have to wait for the inspector from the distributor which may take a few weeks before it can be fully turned on and utilised.
30 November 2021
Original Review on 30-03-2021:
Tilts or no tilts
The design and quote process through Smart Energy Answers was well explained and straight forward.The design provided for the panels to be mounted on tilt frames on my flat roof, which I was told was standard. However the kit provided to the installers did not include tilt frames so the panels were mounted flat. The installers thought this would not compromise the efficiency of the system and I ended up with a refund for the cost of the frames. Still, I should have been notified of the changed design prior to installation.
The installers were punctual, polite and efficient.
Follow up service was good, the instruction manual supplied was comprehensive and easy to follow.
8 months later we asked David: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
I'm very happy with the system installed. Solis inverter with WIFI monitoring has been trouble free. All we need is more sunshine.29 November 2021
Easy Process from start to finish. Quality Installation.
I emailed SMART to enquire about a quote and got a call back on the same day to book in a discussion / presentation. During the presentation with Aris via Google Meet, we discussed my requirements and what I am looking for based on my current electricity usage. Aris provided his expertise and recommended a 10kw system as one that best suits my family's needs. The meeting lasted for over 1 hour which I am very appreciative as Aris took his time to explain and answer my queries.The quote provided was reasonable and in the same range as other solar providers. On the day of installation, the guys were very professional and courteous. They left the property spotless. I am very happy with the overall process and the end result.
25 November 2021
Clear, generally good communication
Smart Energy Answers were by far the best communicators of the providers we sought quotes from. They also followed up in a timely way. There was a minor confusion about installation date, but generally the call centre and installers were easy to work with. The quote was the most thorough we got, dealing best with our shading issues.25 November 2021
SEA Solar System
The quoting process went smoothly & questions we had were explained well. The system was installed efficiently within a day & after a couple of issues related to our wifi coverage were resolved, SEA followed up with excellent after sales service. I would happily reccomend them for a battery solar system to anyone.Panel rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
25 November 2021
Fantastic installation and service
Thank you Darren and team for the fantastic installation, it is fast, and tidy. Were able to complete before it rains and all the conduits coming thru the wall and roof are sealed with silicon, all details are attended to. I need a smart meter upgrade and the team at SEA arranged it for me.24 November 2021
Original Review on 25-03-2021:
Grateful to Solar Quotes.
A standard for "working from home" needs to be set. The sales rep. that I dealt with must have worked in a tiny room which results in "hollow" sounds as they/he/she/other spoke. Very unprofessional! The rep was OK to variations I suggested and all went well until install day when the skies opened and only the inverter and cables could be installed and that because I had to insist the inverter not be on outside west wall but installed in garage. The install team were good - polite, tidy and punctual on their return visit several days later due to weekend intervening.. My gripe is that as I am not tech savvy, I did not understand how to use the inverter app. There is a video on SEA site but I wish the boss installer had set it up for me.I am still waiting for new meter nearly 4 weeks so far after SEA info for Electricity supplier got lost and only because I asked supplier when they will come did the info get re-sent.
I am glad most other people have trouble -free installs according to reviews.
8 months later we asked Brian: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
I'm very happy with overall performance of my equipment selected with help of Solar Quotes recommendations.I'm hoping that FIT will not reduce further as this will take edge off having solar installed. Battery costs have not reduced yet to consider their viability.
19 November 2021
Great Experience!
Very positive experience dealing with Smart Energy Answers. Great communication and high quality installation. They are using good products and offering very reasonable prices for their service. I recommend it. Thanks!19 November 2021
Superior work done but incomplete
Long delay for installation of Madimack ( still o/s) even though promised on hand when we signed.Still awaiting grid smart meter, etc..
17 November 2021
Competitive price and quick installation
Very good service from consultation, quotation, installation to after sales.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
14 November 2021
Smart Energy Answers
Very organised. Great installer team. Would recommend to anyone interested in installation.Inverter rating: 4/5
11 November 2021
Very professional advice and install
Very professional. Talked us through every step of the process and made sure the setup was the way we wanted it.Afterwards they helped with getting the grid connection sorted out, which was really helpful.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Battery rating: 5/5
11 November 2021
Professional installation and finished in 1 day
We had no doubt Smart Energy Answers really cared about us when we asked details for the Solar System to our house in Sydney. They were extremely helpful to find out the correct panels and inverter type for us when we told them our needs at the beginning. Also, we highly appreciate their approach and techniques throughout the selection process of Solar system. Last, but not least, I appreciate their after-sale customer service as well. Could not recommend highly enough. Thanks, Smart Energy Answers!Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
09 November 2021
Good but could be improved.
The sale and quoting process was really good. SEA answered our many questions and described how the whole process would progress. Communication during the sales/quoting process was prompt and for the most part very clear. Installation occurred on the date set, installers were on time, friendly and were tidy. Communication during the installation could have been better and I think the installation process would have benefited from an on-site inspection prior to installation. Following the installation, there was very poor communication with regard to the paper work and obtaining a signature for the transfer of the STCs to a third party.Also following installation, we thought we would be able to monitor the solar production, consumption, import and export of electricity using the SolarEdge app. However, with this particular model we are only able to monitor production from our solar panels. It turns out the ability to monitor consumption, import and export of electricity would have cost us an additional $650.
07 November 2021
I was impressed with the whole operation from sales to installation and follow up tech support with the app.
all good and yes my review is longer than 10 words but it keeps sending this back and if it does it again I will have to cancel the survey04 November 2021
Excellent service for a premium product
The quote was quick and with a sensible panel layout (unlike other providers I received quotes from), and after some feedback it was updated to suite my needs. Excellent customer service given that I had a very tight window in which to install tithe system. Installation was smooth, with only minor glitch at the start, no biggie.After installation I had a couple of teething problems with the enphase monitoring system, and the customer support were onto it straight away: one issue was the lack of consumption monitor, and that was resolved quickly (and while I was away!), soon after the retailer installed the new meter. The second issue is with the live panel performance, which is still not working, but I haven't pressed the issue since I'm momentarily abroad, so I can't pass judgement on this yet. I'm fairly confident that they'll get it sorted quickly, once I bring it up with them again.
Inverter rating: 5/5
29 October 2021
Great communication from start to finish and professional installation team.
The entire process from design and quoting, to arranging a time for the installation, and through to installation itself was smooth and easy. I found other suppliers were only keen to sell a rigid package plan but SEA were flexible to ideas and alternatives and found the time to listen and wait until I was ready, not when their special pricing or deal was ended.Professional, prompt and super friendly through all their communication, it gave me the confidence and peace of mind that I made the right choice in choosing them. Highly recommended.
Inverter rating: 4/5
28 October 2021
Great Experience
The sales/quoting process was seamless and the installation crew were prompt and respectful. As i had an existing system the grid connection was already active.Panel rating: 4/5
Inverter rating: 4/5
11 October 2021
Very happy
The sales and quoting process was very good with SEA. Dan, the sales engineer was super helpful and changed my quote a few times. He was always happy to explain things, and is clearly genuinely enthusiastic about PV. Installation was great too.06 October 2021
Very happy with my decision
I was happy to go with Smart Energy Answers of the 3 providers suggested by Solar Quotes. Daniel, the sales engineer, was very helpful, answering all of my questions and preparing a new quote for me. He worked for the sale like he cared about getting it, and was also obviously genuinely enthusiastic about PV systems.The install was also fabulous. The guys were courteous, quick and explained things well before they left. They earned their 5 stars.
I was a little surprised by the fact that they expected payment the day they sent me the invoice, and called to chase payment. Do they pay all their suppliers the same way? Although I found this slightly irksome, I'd still be happy to recommend them.
Inverter rating: 5/5
28 September 2021
Excellent Experience
Smart Energy Answers spent a lot of time with me in the quoting process, answering my questions deciphering the complexities of domestic solar. We went through a number of iterations of quotes, while we fine-tuned the system to my needs. Although not the cheapest, I chose them for the following reasons:- They had very good reviews across multiple websites.
- Their Head Office is in my local area.
- They have their own team...no contractors.
- They offered interest free finance.
- They didn't try and sell me cheap junk, rush me into buying, ring me weekly with 'special' deals, tell me how unreliable all the other vendors are.
Installation was completed quickly, politely and smoothly.
The Smartmeter was delayed, but they came back out and installed it once it came into stock. It turned out to be faulty and the supplier didn't have replacements in stock. They could have blamed the vendor and made me wait, instead they upgraded me to a much better unit without charge and installed it quickly and efficiently.
All in all, it was a very good experience.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
24 September 2021
Happy customer
Smart Energy Answers team was very helpful when we were looking into solar. They came to the house to quote and advise, then installed our solar without delay. We are very happy with our reduced power bills.22 September 2021
Not as smooth as I expected...
I liked that the system proposed met our needs for a slightly larger system. Other quotes went small/ cheap which wasn't our driver. Unfortunately, the six page proposal had five and a half pages of corporate fluff/ boilerplate and limited detail on our solution. The business case put forward relied on a number of incorrect or unachievable factors which smacked of "cut'n'paste". Fortunately, we'd done our own numbers and the overall system met our needs, so we accepted the proposal.The installation team (and the customer service manager that took over when our "sales consultant" went MIA) were brilliant. Tatiana responded promptly and was always helpful. The install team were professional and I was blown away how quickly they installed the system. Great work guys. No fuss, no mess.
Customer service has been great so far. We've uncovered a design/ product issue, but I'm pleased with the interaction and ownership that the install/ customer service team have shown. I'm confident that we'll get the problem resolved successfully.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 3/5
18 September 2021
Original Review on 16-01-2021:
solar system complete
installation was very professional on time tidy completed in area i requiredeverything was organised through supplier just awaiting new metre to be installed
very happy with Smart Energy Direct
8 months later we asked Graham : "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
yes13 September 2021
So far so good
Quoting process was easily I was provided with three options that may meet my needs. Installation process went smoothly on the day as planned. So far the system is helping with my electricity bills. Hopefully the system can last a long time to make my investment worth it.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
11 September 2021
Fast and professional, excellent result
Smart Energy Answers gave the best service, from the initial phone call to post-installation checking in. The first contact was with Adam who clearly explained how Smart Energy Answers could access both Federal and State incentive schemes on our behalf. He outlined all the costs involved and each step of the 6.6kw solar system installation, together with anticipated energy production and cost saving. Juno and Adam answered questions quickly. Habib and his team were excellent in the installation. All was achieved within a couple of weeks and we now look at the Solis app every day to see the amazing energy production. Even in the forest with shading through most of the day, the system produces an astounding amount of power. Highly recommended.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
10 September 2021
Solar panel upgrade working well and saves my electricity bill
I was looking to upgrade my old solar panel (1.5kw) from feeding off the grid changed to internal usage and feed the remaining to the grid. I did some searches on internet and also contacting one from a friend's reference. Most of them just sent the quotes straight away after looking my roof top from google view. Only one which company 'Smart Energy' made a contact and dispatched their consultant to my property for consultation.I was pleased with the consultant professionalism and answered all my questions; lots of questions asked and helped me in the process of picking up the right panels and inverter; comparing from cheap bargain products to high quality ones. Solar panels are my investment and I want to make sure it lasts long and productive. I managed to upgrade 5.5kw due to my limited roof area
My first energy bill came with $400 drop out of $600 that I used to pay quarterly. It was a huge saving. I can monitor how much energy my panels generated and how much electricity my property consumed during the day.
Based on my experience I am not hesitating to recommend Smart Energy to my friends.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
09 September 2021
Perfect product and customer service
I had the solar installed back in Dec-20. Everything has gone smoothly from the first phone call I made at the start with the sales consultant, to the installation and even the customer service team that regularly checks in with me to ensure the panels are working fine.The installation had to be done over 2 days due to the bad weather, but it went relatively well. The installers were very professional and experienced. They took a look at my house and decided that installing the inverter outdoor wasn't a good idea as it'll be exposed directly under the sun (north-facing). So they took the extra effort and time to install it within my garage.
Needless to say, after the installation, I immediately start seeing my energy bills go down (at times more than half, depending on the weather). Very satisfied with my purchase.
06 September 2021
Original Review on 05-01-2021:
Overall very pleased.
System is operating as hoped and information about the installation was timely and helpful.8 months later we asked Peter: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes, it has. Importantly, the output has been as predicted by the documentation, and even a little better than specified during the winter months (whihc have been less sunny than usual given a relatively wet winter).06 September 2021
Great Service and Installation
The Smart Energy Team were very good. They Sales team kept me up to date on where it was up to. They were able to answer my questions very prompted. The installation Team were fantastic. They worked very hard and were easy to get on with.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
04 September 2021
Quick and Quality Installation, Polite and Responsible Customer Service
SEA is definitely not the cheapest solar system installer you can find, but it's absolutely one of the best service providers. They started giving me surprise by contacting me 2 hours after I sent them the email for quotes. Because of the detail explanation their consultant provided, I could made the decision of solar panel and inverter easily.Now is the best part. They provided step-by-step emails guiding you to go through the most complicated process: applying the federal government and state government rebate. I applied both of them successfully upon the first submission!
Installation didn't disturb my daily life at all. Install guys came 8am in the morning and completed the work by afternoon. And there is another thing that impressed me. About a month after installation I received a call from SEA and said that a new requirement has been added by state government: Protective cover is now compulsory for all outdoor solar inverter. When I was about to ask who and I can find for this service, the customer service told me that SEA can provided it free of charge.
I would definitely recommend SEA to anyone who is looking for solar system installer that with high quality of work and will contact you proactively for latest information.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
03 September 2021
Great company with a great product
Sales were not pushy and offered plenty of options for us to consider delivered in a really useful comparison ‘app’. They contracted a local solar installer to do the work and could not have picked as nicer guy. He was really impressed with his dealings with the company as well. They did a lovely job & cleaned up thoroughly when finished.Post install support has been amazing. Honestly I couldn’t be happier sand now all that sunshine is working for me!
Inverter rating: 5/5
02 September 2021
Great install, easy to deal with
I don't normally leave reviews, however the whole process from end to end with Sea was quite seamless and went ahead as planned, despite lockdown and NSW construction restrictions because of COVID. Really clean install of both panels and inverter, very happy with overall support tooPanel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
30 August 2021
Very happy from start to finish with Smart Energy
From the meeting the sales guy, there installers to the customer care i have received form Smart Energy, i have been very happy with them and would recommend this company to my family and friends.27 August 2021
Knowledgeable, available, professional.
Smart Energy Answers were from the start super helpful, always available for follow-up questions and the whole process was run professionally, including installation.27 August 2021
Clear communication and great installation.
The team at smart energy answers were great to communicate with and understood our energy needs. The installation was very neat and tidy. Would highly recommend.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
24 August 2021
Love the customer service!
The quoting process with SmaartEnergyAnswers are very easy.The salesperson helped me throughout and very upfront about everything.
The installation is quick and easy.
To top it all, great customer service and they call you straight away if they want to know more information and you are always feel informed.
Inverter rating: 5/5
20 August 2021
Smart Energy Answers are Brilliant!
Dealing with Smart Energy Answers was an absolute pleasure from the first engagement through to post engagement follow up. Every person that I interacted with within this organisation is professional, friendly, and attentive. Most importantly they deliver on every single promise. Their response times are amazing, their willingness to provide information is incredible and level of service is second to none. I can’t remember the last time I received this level of service and can’t recommend them more. Lastly and probably most importantly, my solar system is brilliant!Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
19 August 2021
Easy process
Easy process ( with no need to chase the company) and pathway with good customer service- installers came on time and the process was smooth. Customer service was good with follow up call and grid connection all arranged. Only issue the quote was revised upwards by $270 via a mistake with rebate calculation - they should be more careful with that process.19 August 2021
Super efficient - in every way
Quoting and set up process easy. Turned up on the day they said with their efficient team.Follow up is reassuringly good. It seems as if there is a monitoring system in place to ensure customer satisfaction
18 August 2021
Effortless process and quick installation
The sales and after sales support has been fantastic. The installation was seamless and installers were on time, clear, polite and professional. We are regularly contacted to make sure everything is working. I loved that we didn't need to arrange anything it was all done by Smart Energy Answers.17 August 2021
Very Professional Great System Great Installation
They were very professional. on time, very tidy and polite. System worked as described, couldn't be happier.16 August 2021
Excellent service throughout
I was referred by a friend who just got a quote from Smart Answers. When I made the enquiry, the response was fast and effortless. The sales person set expectations with me that there may be delays as we approach summer but they still managed to book in installation well in advance. They were punctual, efficient and pleasant to have them onsite. I did have a problem with the app and solar connection within the first week but I think it was because I didn't follow the reset instructions. The customer service team was really helpful to assist me with troubleshooting and sent someone in straight away. Never had an issue since then.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
13 August 2021
Solar Panel installation - 12 Month On
Initially the Sales process was very easy. Daniel was very responsive in my requests and was not pushy at all.The installation was done on the date they told me and left without having made any mess. The installer spent the time to run me through what he did, how it works and what to expect next. It made for an easy transition on a process which I had no idea on.
It was great to see that they value their customer and continue to follow up on how the system is going. I am pleased with the whole process and still am.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
11 August 2021
Original Review on 10-12-2020:
New Solar Panels
Process effortless. Smooth and professional. Had no issues, but if you haggle and push you get results8 months later we asked Nikolaos: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Having the system for 6 months, its going fine. Something that needs highlighting is that the system performs better in the summer than winter.10 August 2021
Very positive experience
Smart Energy Answers worked with us to design and build a solar system that was right for the needs of our company. They were very flexible and able to accommodate our specific installation requirements. Hats off to the team there at Smart Energy Answers. We are happy to provide a reference for anyone who is thinking about using them.10 August 2021
Smooth and quick solar installation
From quote to installation, Smart Energy Answers provided compatible prices, detail explanation, process update & follow up. My solar installation was very quick and smooth. I'm happy with the whole installation.
Original Review on 04-04-2021:
Great personalised service
We chose SEA as they were the only company that offered a salesperson coming to our site for the initial consultation. The salesperson was excellent-well informed and passionate about his job. Their pricing was also competitive.Only complaints were with with installation: the installer didn’t grind all the tiles down where the brackets were installed (except for one really obvious one that I brought to his attention). Have informed SEA, but still waiting two weeks later. To be fair, it has been raining and the roof hasn’t leaked, bit I’d still like it fixed! Also, the rails the panels are mounted on weren’t trimmed back to the panel edges-they protrude 150 mm or so. Not a functional issue, but better if it was tidied up. Original ratings
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
Value for money: 4/5
Quality of System: 4/5
Installation: 3/5
Customer Service: 5/5
8 months later we asked Peter: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Performance wise, yes. My only complaint is with the MySolarEdge monitoring software. It under reports my production by about 30%. This under reporting is consistent to within 0.5%. My consumption is similarly under reported. This under reporting is relative to my actual meter readings. I have informed SEA, my installer nearly two weeks ago. There engineers are ‘investigating’. No satisfactory outcome as yet.