Solar quotations

How to write a solar quotation

Author: to be added

Published 10 Oct 2026

A good solar quotation names the customer and site, states the system size and mode, lists every component in a bill of materials, separates price from tax, shows any subsidy as a separate line, and ends with clear terms and a validity date. Write it so the customer can compare it line by line.

What a solar quotation must contain

A solar quotation is a priced offer. The customer reads it, compares it with one or two others, and decides who to call back. That means it has to be complete, easy to scan and honest about what is and is not included. Start from a tested layout such as the solar quotation format instead of a blank page, then adapt it to the job.

At minimum, every quotation needs your company name and contact details, a quotation number and date, the customer name and site address, the system size and mode, the scope of work, a bill of materials, the price build-up, tax, subsidy treatment, payment terms, warranty terms and a validity date.

Describe the system before the price

Open with a plain summary: the system size in kilowatts, the mode (on-grid, off-grid or hybrid), and what the customer gets in everyday terms. If you are unsure which words to use for capacity, the kW versus kWp entry explains the difference so you quote the same thing every time.

Customers who do not know the jargon still understand a sentence such as "a grid-connected rooftop system that offsets your daytime usage". Keep the technical detail for the bill of materials.

Build the bill of materials

The bill of materials is where trust is won or lost. List panels, inverter, mounting structure, cables, protection devices, earthing and monitoring, each with a make and model rather than "as per availability". A template such as the on-grid solar bill of materials gives you the standard rows to start from, and the bill of materials glossary entry explains the term for newer team members.

State what is excluded as clearly as what is included. Civil work, extra cable runs, meter charges and approval fees are the usual sources of arguments after the order.

Separate price from tax

Show equipment, balance of system and installation as separate lines, apply discounts visibly, and only then show tax. Keep the taxable value, each tax line and the grand total in one block so the customer's accountant can check it in seconds. Which tax lines apply depends on the supplier and customer states; the GST calculator shows the split for any pair of states.

Write the grand total in words as well as figures. It removes ambiguity and looks professional.

Show subsidy honestly

If the customer may qualify for a subsidy, show it as a separate, clearly labelled indicative line and show the net cost beside it. Never fold it into the price. The amount depends on the scheme rules and the approval process, and the rules change.

Write terms people can follow

Terms should answer the questions customers ask later: when payments fall due, what the warranty covers and who handles claims, what happens if the site is not ready, and how long the prices hold. Use plain sentences, and reuse a standard set such as the solar terms and conditions template so nothing is forgotten from one quote to the next.

Common mistakes

• Vague equipment descriptions

  Writing a category instead of a make and model lets the customer assume the better option and blame you when the delivered item differs.

• Tax buried inside the price

  A single all-inclusive figure hides the tax split and makes comparison with other quotes unfair to you.

• Subsidy mixed into the price

  The customer sees a lower price now and a dispute later if the approved amount differs. Keep it as its own indicative line.

• No validity date

  Without one, a customer can accept a months-old price after costs have moved.

• Exclusions left unsaid

  Civil work, extra cabling and approval fees are the most common surprises. List them.

What to check before you send

Read the quotation as the customer would. Confirm the name, address and system size, check that every line in the bill of materials has a make and model, make sure the totals add up and the amount in words matches the figures, and confirm the tax split matches the two states involved. Check that the subsidy line is labelled indicative, that the validity date is present, and that the terms are the current version. When you are ready to produce the document, the quotation generator builds it from your price book and saves each revision.