Essential Solar Reviews
About
Essential solar is a family owned renewable energy company established in 2012.
We are a high-quality retailer, designer and installer of both residential and commercial solar PV rooftop generators.
Our success lies in our devotion to quality of products and our enthusiastic staff dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction. We are committed to providing the right solution to each and everyone of our customers while focusing on Performance, Quality and Reliability.
At Essential Solar we regard every company and residential customer an important part of our business. We pride ourselves in providing exception advice, support and service from our first consultation to years after installation.
As well as the environmental benefits of solar power, we understand that an important driver to install solar is to save money. Our qualified CEC design team will ensure the best panel layout for your premises based on a number of factors, including shading, roof availability and electrical parameters to maximise efficiency of your system and providing the best financial return.
Of course, purchasing a solar PV is a long-term commitment so the reliability of the components of the entire system is critically important and for that reason Essential Solar’s CEC accredited installers will only install Tier 1 products. We are accredited direct service partners with Fronius Australia and believe our business relationships is an important aspect of our company to be able to supply our customers with the latest and most efficient products on the market and continue to provide our customers with the best support possible.
Don’t waste sunlight – make the sunshine work for you.
Reviewers report paying: $3,300 - $8,898 for depending on hardware choice and installation difficulty ( how is this calculated? )
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.
Essential Solar Reviews (744)
Show Most Recent reviews from All time across Australia
Average Scores
Value for money
Quality of System
Installation
Customer Service
- 5 star 282
- 4 star 415
- 3 star 42
- 2 star 4
- 1 star 1
View Timeline
24 June 2024
12 June 2024
Great installation. Friendly installation team and very efficient. Cleaned up everything left the place immaculate.
No complaints. Very happy with the whole process. I have recommended them to my sister who is going to contact them.06 June 2024
Original Review on 11-08-2023:
Professional installer
Informative sales person - visited the property - responded promptly to requested changes in quoting.Very professional installation. Slight confusion over backup circuits but was rectified immediately and agreeably.
I was shown briefly how to operate and inspection and connection proceeded as planned.
10 months later we asked Malcolm: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
It's been great. I even used the same installer to put in a Tesla EV charger for the MG I bought soon after installing the panels. Have been able to charge almost exclusively using solar from the house supply or from the charger. Again, the May/June weather has meant I've been forced to use some off-peak grid to charge the EV overnight. Also, this extra grid-use prompted me to switch to an electricity supplier with better rates and longer off-peak period (and sign-on bonus!)02 June 2024
Delivered as promised
Using the Finn Peacock Solarquotes process made the whole experience straight forward.The three quotes were varied in their offering giving us good comparisons of our options.
Helpful spreadsheets etc made comparisons easy.
All respondents were responsive, professional, courteous and on-time for visits.
Whilst were happy to choose any of the three we were swayed by Ray Bout's (Essential) knowledge, approach and cost competitiveness of the solution.
23 May 2024
Essential Solar were excellent to deal with. Installers did a great job. Highly recommended
Solar quotes provided a quote from a company Essential Solar. Sales rep Ray provided a thorough quote and understanding of what to expect. Installation team were very good with a lot of information for us. Federal rebate arrangement by Essential Solar and Vic state rebate process very easy to do. Fast approval and installation went off with out hasslePanel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
23 May 2024
Thanks Solar Quotes
Essential solar were great in terms of sales and after sales. Highly recommend them. Thanks to sales person Natalie Hummel and Jessica Kidd. Also, Amir was a great installer.23 May 2024
Very professional sales & instillation team
From the quote to grid connection was about 3 weeks everything was organised for me very impressive team20 May 2024
Beyond expectations
From the first enquiry with Essential Solar to the completion of the installation of a 6 Kw solar system we experienced a professionalism beyond our expectations. The on site visit from the Technical Sales Adviser set the tone and gave us confidence to proceed. Communication between all those involved with the process was seamless. A detailed, precise and accurate outline of all the regulatory steps to be followed was very helpful. The quality of the work of the installers was commented on during the electrical safety inspection. Essential solar handled negotiations with our energy provider, connections to the grid etc. Upon completion we received a comprehensive documentation file. We highly recommend Essential Solar.20 May 2024
Very effiicient process
The sales/quoting process was very professional and informative. Any questions were answered fully and promptly. Staff from Essential Solar remained in contact with us throughout the quoting, application and installation processes, and each step happened quite quickly. The installers were punctual, friendly and professional. As the system was installed only a couple of days ago it has not been certified yet, but this should hopefully happen in the next week or so.17 May 2024
Excellent advice and support
Essential Solar gave clear and informed advice on the solar installation options - I felt well informed of key concepts for consideration.They have locally based staff who have long tenure with the company and industry which gave me confidence.
The installation team did attempt to add additional charges associated with upgrading the switchboard which were not communicated at the time. I pushed back on this and Essential Solar accepted this as their cost.
The post sale support was well communicated and timely - they were clear on the multiple steps in the process and stuck to the plan they communicated.
Happy to recommend Essential Solar
Panel rating: 4/5
14 May 2024
Solar installation
Solar quotes was the starting point to get solar installed. They provided 2 companies to quote. One company was not interested but essential solar were very informative and professional. Sales rep had done his homework and had a comprehensive contract. Installation team delivered the panels a few days before and took the time to scope the job. Installation guys were 100% to deal with and set up our phone apps etc. Very highly recommend this companyPanel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
09 May 2024
An incentive was offered by Essential Solar for this review. Learn more here.
A few hiccups but happy with the end result
Paul was very friendly and helpful with no "hard sell". I have never had a solar system before and was provided with a full explanation of which system would work best for me and the installation process. The communication regarding the installation (they always turned up on time) was great and the office staff were always friendly and helpful and answered all of my questions. Because my house was a new build there was a hiccup with the location of the switchboard. I would encourage all new build owners to provide their solar company with a set of plans showing the location of their services or to wait until their house is completely finished with all services installed to ensure there are no encroachments to the location of the switchboard. After some (at times stressful) negotiations about moving the switchboard the issue was fixed and I was shown how to download the app. The process of obtaining the rebate was made easy for me and they also organised everything with my connection to the grid so I could get my feed in tarriffs after the final install. I am very happy with the Enphase app that lets me monitor input/output and choose the best times to use my solar energy.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
07 May 2024
Great install
Quick to give quote and get process running. Consultants were polite and efficient, helpful in addressing issues and concerns. Punctual and tidy on day of install. Gave quotes on different brands all rated highly. Very competitive pricing. Willing to install system where other installers said it was not possible or worth it.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
04 May 2024
Solid and credible local operators
Excellent technical sales service that explained all the necessary concepts clearly and succinctly.Local in house installation crew and attentive and responsive customer service team
30 April 2024
Great service
The whole process was generally very clear and professional. The only negative was that they wouldn't itemise the quote, which meant I had to manually calculate each item based on other data to do a quote comparison, which seemed unnecessarily opaque.The planning, installation and connection all went well, with clear communication throughout.
Pleased with the service by the whole team.
13 April 2024
Couldn’t be happier
From the start to the finish everything and everyone were brilliant,The only downside was that someone had to miss out on a job,
If I could have used 2 installers I would have been happy to do so.
I spent most of my live in customer service so I’m very critical when it comes to service , everything was 5 star
Thank you solar quotes for the fantastic leads
11 April 2024
Original Review on 30-05-2023:
Solar Panel / Inverter Commitment
Agreed to scheduled installation date which was completed in one dayAlso the electrical installers managed to organise for Electrical Inspector to approve installation on the same day.
pricing was competitive so choice of supplier was more about quality of product and delivery of service.
No problem promoting them as a preferred supplier
11 months later we asked Mark: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
Yes... just interested in battery installation, available storage capacity and of course the price.02 April 2024
From initial enquiry to installation, 10/10
Excellent sales/quoting process. The installation was prompt and professional and overall customer service communication was excellent from initial enquiry, through to installation.Panel rating: 4/5
Inverter rating: 4/5
28 March 2024
An incentive was offered by Essential Solar for this review. Learn more here.
Great solar company
From the first phone call. All the staff including installation staff were very helpful. Would recommend. Explained everything very clearly and answered all my questions. Good quality and good value24 March 2024
Stress free from start to finish. Great job guys.
Had a great experience with Essential and very happy with the result. Our bills by default seem to be reduced by around 33% on average (only one big summer month to compare with), more if we did more during the day to maximise usage of what we produce (didn't get a battery).Quote stage was long (our doing), but good. Of the three recommended to me by SolarQuotes, Essential was the only one that arranged a time to actually look at what they were dealing with and be a matter of fact, practical and professional with their assessment of our needs and wants. After a bit of back and forth (me to get the best price and best inclusions, we weren't looking for cheap, we were looking for quality with the aim in future proofing), we proceeded with Essential Solar due to their care and attention to detail and the selling point for me was using their own employees and nothing was contracted out. Our price included brackets and clips for a flat Kliplok roof, a new meterbox installation, rewiring of the old one, and a consumption monitor (best thing we purchased!!).
Once deposit was paid, they were very swift in setting up installations. Installers were on time on a very hot day and got straight to it, installing with care all the panels (photo attached) and doing a good job of it! They couldn't do everything in the one full day, so they came back 1.5 weeks later to finish it: they did the conduit cables, all the wiring and installed/set up the inverter in a three-quarter day.
Once installation was completed, the electrician's instructions were clear and explained everything to me and even gave me advice on what to do in the future when we consider EV (reason we added the new box) and battery installations. Above and beyond. Effortless, friendly and professional. Only one criticism I have in relation to the conduit installation was a failed drill hole in the render at the front door, a bit visible. But small. I cannot speak for the roof and whether any damage is up there (I have no way to get on the roof, it's quite high and no ladder), but from the photos it looks pretty sound with care clearly taken to not create any issues.
Process following this was quick as well. They arranged the inspector to sign off quickly was all done within 2 days. Sadly the slowest (and most unfortunate point) was on the retailer and electricity provider: they charged us extra to configure the main meter remotely to accept FiT metred to the grid and took a little longer than I would have liked (5 business days, max was 20). Essential did make it clear to us that this may happen from the very beginning, so all our expectations were met and there were no surprises.
We've had it for a good two to three weeks now, metred with the retailer for about one and am very impressed with the overall experience Essential has provided to us. As it's all still new to us I go back to them every week or so with questions that pop up and they respond within a timely manner and have been incredibly professional throughout. I am very glad we proceeded with Essential and I look forward to coming back to them in future for maintenance and when we save enough to invest in a battery.
Inverter rating: 5/5
17 March 2024
Great job
Sales/quoting process was good, only one of the three quotes where someone came onsite before providing the quote.The installation ran well, punctual, polite, timely and tidy.
Everything was organised.
16 March 2024
Good quality installination and good sales staff
The whole process was simple and quick. The installation was of good quality and the staff acted in a professional manner. Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a feed in tariff as AusNet do not allow any export to the grid05 March 2024
Responsive service
Responsive customer service and the (sub-contracted) installation team was great.04 March 2024
Great installer
I would recommend Essential Solar as a great installer. Communication with customers seems like is on the top level. Also, I liked the quality of the installation. The one thing that could be better is communication between office employees and the installation crew. The reason for that: I often contacted the office and we discussed my skylights, which I want to keep, and which I don't need any longer. I specified that the panels could be installed over them. On the day of the installation though the manager of the installer crew told me that the skylights that I don't need should be removed in advance. Eventually, the crew kindly removed the unnecessary skylight themselves however it wasn't communicated to me by the office team.03 March 2024
Generally excellent installation and service
The sales process was generally very good. Some photographs of the installation site didn't make their way to the system designer. Consequently the design had to be modified. But this happened smoothly with no resulting delay. Installation was quick and tidy. I observed and notified one minor issue at 4.30 pm a couple of days later. A person was on site fixing it at 7.45 the next morning. Incredible service. Essential solar looked after all the paperwork and organised grid connection including modification of my electrical meter. The system has performed well. I opted to have a "smart" meter installed. This is mounted in the switchboard and allows monitoring of what is happening (power generation and consumption) on my mobile phone. This has been useful in deciding when to run appliances, heating etc, to minimise power consumption from the grid during periods of low solar .panel outputPanel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
21 February 2024
21 February 2024
Original Review on 27-04-2023:
Top performance
Very well organised. Took the time to actually visit our premises. Quote came through quickly together with all the technical specs. Again were quick to put wheels in motion once quote was accepted, installed within 3 weeks and inspected day after. Great work all round.10 months later we asked Lloyd: "Are you happy with the performance of your system so far?"
So far so good. System has performed exceptionally well, and this is reflected in reduced power bills and less reliance on gas due to reverse cycle air cons installed shortly after. System more than covers the air cons during daylight hours.18 February 2024
Essential Solar - they did a great job
After my initial enquiry they scheduled a timely appointment. The consultant explained the different options and we were able to make a decision at our meeting. The consultant was very courteous and knowledgeable. They undertook the work within the agreed timetable. The independent engineer who approved the work commented that Essential Solar had done a very good job.Inverter rating: 4/5
11 February 2024
Fantastic Installation
I liked that Essential Solar did a thorough physical inspection of the roof before the installation date and as a consequence had to reduce the number of proposed panels. The installation team were prompt, friendly, professional and informative and tidied up upon completion. When an unexpected problem occurred they modified the layout so that the overall system size was unaffected. The system still is awaiting official inspection but that has been organised.31 January 2024
Support from beginning to end
We are the very happy new owners of a 9kw solar system. We were delighted at every step - from sales to install to connection - by the people at Essential Solar with whom we interacted. Great team, very competitive pricing and incredibly patient with all our questions. Managing to squeeze in an install start before the end of the year was a big bonus. Can't recommend Essential highly enough.Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
31 January 2024
My roof layout is awful and Essential Solar delivered.
I have a terrible roof layout for solar, 2 bedroom unit with all sorts of odd roof lines.Most installers I contacted promptly ignored me and the few that responded basically told me not to bother / it wasn't worth it.
I'm stubborn and fortunately I lucked upon Essential Solar who were more than happy to put together a proposal for me. It was exactly what I wanted and the price was extremely reasonable given the circumstances I had put them under.
System is x9 JA 440W solar panels + 9 IQ8AC Enphase microinverters on a variety of faces/orientations with consumption monitoring. 4 East (Roof), 2 North (Garage / Carport), 1 North (Roof), 2 West (Roof).
The installers did an excellent job, didn't break a single tile on my roof (Concrete tiles) and didn't leave a single leak. Everyone I dealt with throughout the entire process made it extremely easy.
Would definitely recommend.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
30 January 2024
Essential Solar Installation
Fact Finding very good with Hayley.The quoting process was good and Hayley worked hard to provide the system best suited to our home.
The installation was good.
We were delayed as a new swirchboard was required.
Anthony did a great job with the install,very courteous,punctual and well organised.
Customer service with Ed and Jessica were very helpful and quick to respond.
21 January 2024
professional service
Essential Solar where professional in all aspects of the process from sales and quotes to customer service and installation I recommend the to anyone who is looking to install solar19 January 2024
Great Company to deal with from A to Z
My system has been installed now for about 4 weeks and things have been going well. Essential Solar is a professional outfit and dealing with them was a refreshing experience. From sales to installation, to aftersales documentation, the team has it together. I would definitely recommend.12 January 2024
11kw system Essential Solar
Had my system installed by essential solar. The salesman was a nice bloke, the system he offered was a little more expensive then some of the other quotes. However he seemed to really know his stuff and I trusted he was offering me a good value system.The installation took most of the day, everything seemingly went well.
The only criticism I would have is some of our garage epoxy and tiles out the backyard were damaged on installation day. Otherwise not a bad experience.
Currently waiting for the paperwork to be processed in order to have the system connected to the grid.
Early signs are that the system is producing well.
10 January 2024
Very good install
I had no problem with Essintialsolars quoting or sales team, I could contact them without any fuss and they always returned my calls and were patient and had a very good understanding about solar products. Very happy with the install Anthony and his worker were very courteous polite ,they cleaned up after the install was complete. Customer service was professional and prompt. They organized my grid connection after the install.Panel rating: 5/5
04 January 2024
Good Installation, great customer service!
Amazing service from Asad. He visited my place and talked through his recommendations. I am an electrician, so I have a good understanding of the products and what we were after.Asad was calm, friendly and helpful, even with the numerous questions I had. I was quite fixed with what I was trying to achieve, and Asad was very accommodating.
Installation was completed sooner than they initially advised, and we were up and running. The installers did a decent job.
We consistently have been producing 50+ kWh per day. Although I have nothing to compare the system to, I believe it is performing well. We are consistently hitting the export limit, so hard to see how it would perform if our load increased. We will be purchasing an EV soon, so will be able to get a better picture of its performance.
01 January 2024
Professional installation team.
Site visit was essential part of quotation.This part of the process of listening to the customer's requirement and providing the best solution was excellent.
Site installation team had to be coax initiallly to accomodate customer's requirement for best outcome.
Once this was establised the rest of the installation went smoothly and professtionally.
Customer service kept me informed at all times. They do return calls.
Inverter rating: 4/5
30 December 2023
Excellent service
Essential where knowledgeable, they done a excellent job with the install. They kept in constant contact and where able to accommodate for my requests on panel positioning paralleling north and east, inverter and panel brands ect.. I would use them again if I had to do it all over.20 December 2023
Super Customer Service
Always kept me informed and nothing was a problem, highly recommended.Inverter rating: 4/5
10 December 2023
Solar Extension
Essential Solar installed my first 9Kw system in 2018 and it has performed very well. In Nov 2023 I decided to upgrade my house by replacing the 20 year old ducted gas heating system with new a 3 phase air-conditioning systems that meant upgrading my incoming supply. At the same time I decided to install 3 phase heat pump for the pool and that allowed me to free up space on the roof by removing the pool solar heating panels that don't heat up the pool on a cloudy day.I requested Essential Solar to look at extending my current array and integrating the new extension with into the 3 phase incoming supply. Their engineers came back to me with a plan to install a further 8.8Kw system and they provided me with the yield report that examined the estimated average daily energy output by month.
The installation took a day to complete. They did an excellent job and didn't even break a tile! I was most impressed with the panels they used and micro inverters are the way to go. Enphase monitors the system and I can see in real time what I'm consuming and generating.
I highly recommend Essential Solar.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
04 December 2023
Amazing installer
The quote was provided very fast, we asked questions and had all answers answered. We were so satisfied from start to finish. Works and looks amazing. Could not be happier with the final product.04 December 2023
Confused no more!
I loved the fact that I had the support of Solar Quotes during this process, this very much put my mind at ease. Each of the businesses that provided quotes to me were professional and I ended up torn between two quotes that were very similar and both contacts were approachable and informative however, I chose Essential Solar because their representative came out to my house and was able to go through everything with me face to face and answer my questions. I was comfortable and never felt inferior because of all my questions. He provided me with a few quotes and went through each thoroughly explaining the differences and the pros and cons of each of them. I never felt pressured to choose the most expensive (which I did not), or that I had to go through his company because he had made the effort to personally come to speak to me. I was also able to request inhouse installers rather than subcontractors. I am just waiting for the inspector to come out and I am ready to go. Everyone at Essential Solar have made every step a stress-free process, and I thank them and Solar quotes for their assistance.30 November 2023
Essential Solar is 2nd to none.
Essential Solar installed 21 panels to the roof of my home in Thomastown a few years ago. When my son who lives in Epping was considering having solar panels fitted to his home I had no hesitation in recommending Essential Solar.Prior to ringing a Solar Panel installer I had read up on the different brands, performance and prices so I would have some knowledge about the product and pricing. When calling Essential Solar they were the only company that recommended Panels and Inverter that were listed as being in the top range.
Their Customer Service Representative was polite, professional, knowledgeable but not pushy, he was able to answer all my questions and gave additional information to what I myself had read. During the installation and follow up I really felt that I was in good hands, they organised the grid connection and assisted me to set up the display on my phone so I could check any time of the day or night to see how my system was performing
The after service follow up reassured me that I had made the best choice and would not hesitate in recommending Essential Solar to my family and friends.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
23 November 2023
Very Pleased with solar installation . . .
A representative from the company made an appointment & arrived as arranged. He was pleasant, informative & left me feeling confident that all would go along as discussed.On the day of installation, 3 men arrived & quickly got to work & on with the job.
They were efficient, professional, there was no cleaning up after them. Very pleased.
The electrical inspector arrived within a couple of days. All good
22 November 2023
Professional Installation
Essential Solar did a great job with my solar install. The person who visited my premise was not pushy or trying to force a sale but provided me with a lot of options. Though initially I did not go with an install, I contacted them after a year given there were 440W panels available.The team provided me with all the quotes I needed and once accepted sent over someone to measure if the panels will fit.
The install was neat and the installer made sure he was complying with all the rules and regulation in regards to the space required from the edge of the roof etc.
My only call out to essential is to have more stringent measuring process as when the installers came over they had to reduce 2 panels as they were close to the ridges.
Post install I have had a few questions regarding monitoring and the team has been extremely helpful.
Overall I would recommend them and contact them if I need any solar installs to be done in the future.
Inverter rating: 5/5
15 November 2023
Happy Days -
Solar Essentials contacted me within 48 hrs of my request for a quote and arranged a sales representative to attend onsite for inspection and discussion of system requirements within 7 days.Sales agent was very knowledgeable, courteous and took the time to tailor the proposed system to our specific needs and budget.
Installation was booked and complete within 4 weeks of quoting - with post installation grid connection and safety inspection arranged within 2-3 days by Solar Essentials. Installation crew were polite, tidy and punctual.
Only one small mark down to 4 stars regarding installation (affecting remote monitoring of system only) - this will be rectified shortly.
Great after sales support and customer care!
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5
08 November 2023
Excellent experience with Essential Solar.
The process of installing solar with Essential was seamless from start to finish.Our salesperson Firoz visited our property, and we discussed what type of system would suit the household's needs and budget. Initially, we set a low to medium-price setup. It was nice that he was not pushy with any particular product or system. He gave us space to investigate if this was suited. After investigating a bit more on how we may use solar in the future we asked Firoz for a second proposal with higher-end products with micro inverters. In the end, Firoz supplied us with three comprehensive quotes and we chose higher-end solar panels and microinverters.
We chose REC 410W Alpha Pure Panels to possibly lessen the risk of failure and avoid service calls or replacements. We have a two-story building and everything is more expensive and problematic to fix than a single level. We liked the reviews of the REC panels. We liked the idea of micro-invertors for two reasons. One for safety and efficiency and two to negate having the inverter at the front door. I am aware string inverters are perfectly safe but sometimes for peace of mind is worth it.
The Essential Solar trades were so professional, and respectful that we hardly knew they were there. They arrived as suggested and left everything tidy. The appropriate noise level was a plus because we've experienced trades over the years who set up extremely loud music all day and don't think about home office workers or shift workers around us.
I would not hesitate to recommend Essential. They delivered as expected. Even to the end when our energy provider was causing a delay in the coordination of our meter (solar) configuration the lovely Jessica sorted it out re-sending all the documents that Essential had already sent out and following up because our provider had lost documents.
Panel rating: 5/5
06 November 2023
Essential Solar
Essential Solar sent someone to inspect my property before i was given a quote. The quote was very detailed and professionally presented. There was a delay in the installation but i was told beforehand. The new inverter is not yet in the country. I was constantly updated. Install is clean. Customer Service was great. They organized the grid connection as well as meter upgrade. Nothing to complain.05 November 2023
Review
Great service from initial contact through to install.friendly and capable staff. Definitely recommend these guys!
Good people
The quoting inspection revealed an upgrade of switchboard was necessary. They were happy to give me quotes for many different scenarios and different equipment.The installation was the very next week, which went smoothly and the inspector hooked it up the following week, all very efficient.
Panel rating: 5/5
Inverter rating: 5/5