KATAWA PROJECTS / PRACTICAL GUIDES

How to Compare Solar Installation Quotes in Cape Town

Two solar quotations with the same price can deliver very different results. Before selecting equipment, compare panel capacity, inverter output, usable battery storage, supported loads, compliance costs and what is excluded.

Request a quotation ↗Call our team

✓ Cape Town metro coverage✓ Service visits by arrangement✓ Clear quotation scope

Cape Town property guidance

Request a service visit

Talk to us about your property

If this guide describes a problem at your property, tell us the suburb, the symptoms and the work you want assessed. We will discuss the appropriate solar service during standard working hours.

☎ +27 61 424 8433 WhatsApp our team ↗

Solar / Informed decisions

Compare Solar Installation Quotes: what matters before you book

Compare the three different capacity figures

Solar panel capacity is normally described in kWp: the combined rated peak output under standard test conditions. The inverter’s AC rating, usually kW or kVA, limits the rate of power delivered. Battery capacity in kWh describes stored energy, not output power. A system offered as “5 kW solar” might refer to the inverter, the panels or an incomplete shorthand. Ask every installer to state all three clearly, including usable rather than merely nominal battery storage. The figures must be considered with the actual household load profile, not ranked as if bigger is always better.

Examine equipment, workmanship and warranty duties

Request the exact panel, inverter, battery and mounting models, plus datasheets and warranty terms. Ask who deals with a defective component, which labour or transport costs may be excluded and whether monitoring is included. Compare the mounting method for your specific roof type and Cape Town wind exposure. A quotation with an unexplained lump-sum “installation materials” line makes it harder to compare safety components, isolation, protection and cable routes. A credible proposal should state the design assumptions, expected service limitations and planned commissioning checks.

Check authorisation before signing

For qualifying PV and battery systems in the City electricity supply area, the City requires an online embedded-generation application and relevant approvals. Its process distinguishes Permission to Install from final commissioning authorisation: equipment should not simply be switched on once panels are on the roof. Approved inverters, an appropriately registered professional’s involvement, documentation and a CoC can matter. Properties supplied by Eskom follow a different approval route. Ask which party will prepare the submission, sign the documents, respond to queries and confirm permission for operation. Be cautious of a quote that quietly excludes all of this.

Compare what the system will actually do

A useful quote states essential circuits, expected battery autonomy under reasonable assumptions, whether solar can run loads during an outage and what happens in low-sun winter conditions. Heating, cooking, EV charging and pool pumps may need separate planning. Panel count without roof orientation or shading information is not enough. We review your electricity use, priorities and site conditions so alternative proposals can be considered on a common basis. The correct choice may be a smaller system with realistic backup coverage rather than a larger marketing package with hidden exclusions.

Five questions to send each installer before choosing

Ask for an equipment schedule showing manufacturer and model numbers, inverter AC capacity, total module wattage and battery usable energy. Request the proposed backed-up circuit list, exclusions for high-power equipment and the assumptions used for any runtime or savings estimate. Confirm roof access, scaffolding, protection and surge devices, and whether all installation labour and materials are included. Ask who prepares the City or Eskom application, what professional sign-off is needed and when the system may lawfully be operated. Finally, request written warranty terms, the commissioning handover package and a contact for after-sales faults. Answers in the same format make competing quotes substantially easier to evaluate.

Reference: City of Cape Town: embedded-generation authorisation

Situations worth discussing

How to recognise the different situations

One quote says 8 kW and another says 10 kWh

Ask which number describes AC inverter output and which describes battery energy before comparing.

Lowest price excludes City application and certification

Request the full paperwork and commissioning responsibility in writing.

Roof has partial afternoon shade

Ask for a shading and layout assessment, not an unqualified annual production promise.

Planning & quotation

What we would clarify before quoting

The following details determine whether we can recommend a straightforward visit or whether specialist assessment is needed.

Panel kWp, inverter AC rating and usable battery kWh
Specified equipment makes and warranty terms
Roof survey, shading and mounting approach
City or Eskom authorisation responsibilities
Commissioning tests, monitoring and support

Frequently asked questions

Compare Solar Installation Quotes: common questions

Is more battery capacity always better?

Only if the selected loads, charging ability and budget justify it. Usable energy and the inverter’s limits matter.

Can an installer activate the system immediately after fitting it?

Applicable Cape Town systems must follow the approval and commissioning sequence; installation alone is not operating authorisation.

Should I choose the lowest quote for identical inverter ratings?

Not before checking panels, battery specifications, mounting, protection, warranty, workmanship and excluded services.