Quote comparison · Brisbane

What is actually included in a home battery quote?

Two quotes can show the same battery capacity and still describe different jobs. Before comparing the number at the bottom, make sure the equipment, installation work and remaining site questions are written down.

The short answer

“Installed” needs a written definition.

A useful quote tells you exactly what will be supplied, who is responsible for the installation and what could still change after the property is checked. A headline package price cannot answer those questions on its own.

Recent homeowners speaking with our team have asked whether a price includes whole-home backup, additional cable, a firewall, a concrete base, switchboard work and finance fees. These are sensible questions. They affect either the equipment, the labour or the total amount paid.

Published 4 August 2026 · Updated 2 September 2026 · Author: SUNNY Energy. Sources reviewed: Australian Government guidance on quotes and contracts, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program and its consumer requirements, plus Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office battery guidance. Final equipment and electrical scope remain property specific.

Six lines to find

A quote should make the whole job visible.

1 · Exact equipment

Battery family, module count, total and usable capacity, inverter make and complete model, inverter power and the intended single- or three-phase pathway.

2 · Installation scope

Mounting, electrical connection, protection, commissioning, required labels and monitoring handover should be described rather than hidden inside the word “installed”.

3 · Backup boundary

The quote should say whether backup is included, which loads or circuits are proposed and what still needs to be confirmed at the switchboard.

4 · Price and rebate

Look for GST, the total price, the battery discount being applied, quote validity and any assumptions that could change the amount before installation.

5 · Site exclusions

Extra cable, switchboard rectification, access, battery-location work and changes to existing solar should be included, excluded or clearly marked for confirmation.

6 · Warranty and support

Separate product, performance and workmanship cover. Confirm who registers the equipment, provides the app handover and owns the first response after commissioning.

What can change the total

Most surprises come from the property, not the battery label.

Existing electrical system

  • Single- or three-phase supply and the intended inverter architecture
  • Existing solar inverter compatibility and whether it stays or changes
  • Switchboard condition, protection, metering and available space
  • Network connection, export control or meter requirements

Installation and backup

  • Distance and access between the switchboard, inverter and battery
  • Battery position, mounting surface and current siting requirements
  • Protection from impact and any site-specific location work
  • Essential-circuit or wider blackout backup and switching work

Do not ask a salesperson to guess these costs from a generic package. Ask what is already known, what evidence is still needed and when any additional work will be confirmed in writing.

Compare like with like

Put both quotes into the same six rows.

Battery

Usable kWh, module count, supported battery family and expansion assumptions.

Inverter

Complete model, kW output, phase and supported battery and backup pathway.

Backup

Included or optional, selected circuits, power limits and site checks still required.

Site work

Switchboard, cable, access, mounting, protection and changes to existing solar.

Price

GST, rebate treatment, cash price, finance total payable and quote expiry.

After installation

Commissioning, app access, documents, registration, workmanship contact and fault pathway.

Start with a range, then close the site gaps.

Use the estimator for a preliminary capacity and price path. SUNNY will then identify the equipment and site evidence needed before a proposal is treated as firm.

Estimate my home

What to send first

You do not need to complete an electrical questionnaire.

For a useful starting answer, send your suburb, whether solar is already installed, the inverter model if you know it, single- or three-phase supply if known, and the battery capacity or outcome you are considering.

If you want sizing, savings or payback based on your own consumption, add a recent bill or interval data. If installation position, backup or final site cost is the question, clear photos of the existing inverter, closed switchboard and proposed battery area are more useful than another generic package comparison.

For the technical pathways, continue with the existing-solar retrofit guide and the blackout backup guide. For current price bands, use the Brisbane battery cost guide.

Questions before signing

Read the scope, not only the total.

Is an advertised “installed” battery price the final price?

Not automatically. It should identify the exact equipment and what standard installation covers. Switchboard work, unusual cable routes, battery-location work, backup circuits and changes to existing solar can still alter the site-specific scope. Those items should be identified in writing before work proceeds.

Should blackout backup be shown separately in the quote?

Yes. The quote should state whether backup is included, which circuits or loads are intended to remain available, and any switching or switchboard work still subject to site confirmation. Battery capacity alone does not prove whole-home backup.

Do I need a full electricity bill before asking for an estimate?

No. A suburb, the existing solar and inverter details, the property phase if known, and your intended battery or backup outcome are enough to start. A recent bill or interval data becomes important when you want the capacity, savings or payback estimated from your actual usage.

What should I compare when two battery quotes have different prices?

Put the exact battery capacity, inverter model and power, phase, backup scope, site work, rebate treatment, warranties, commissioning and after-sales responsibility side by side. A lower headline number is not a like-for-like saving when part of the work is missing or still undefined.

Can finance change the total price?

It can. Ask for the cash price, deposit, fees, interest or repayment charges and total amount payable. Compare the total payable for the same equipment and installation scope, not only the weekly or monthly repayment.

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