The builder’s solar package is usually the minimum
Most volume builders offer a solar package, and it is typically the smallest system that satisfies the energy rating requirement. It is rarely sized to how you will actually live in the house, and the equipment is usually chosen on price.
That is not necessarily a bad deal — but it is worth comparing against a system specified for your household rather than for a compliance certificate. You are generally free to decline the builder’s package and arrange your own after handover.
Things worth doing during construction
A few decisions at the frame stage make later work much cheaper: conduit run from the roof space to the switchboard, a switchboard with spare capacity and physical room for a solar breaker and battery isolator, three-phase supply if it is available in your estate, and a suitable wall location for a battery that is not a west-facing garage wall.
Even if you are not installing straight away, these cost very little during construction and a great deal afterwards.
Timing around handover
We generally install after handover, once you hold the keys and the builder’s warranty position is clear. Installing before handover can complicate roof warranty and access, and builders vary in whether they permit it.
The practical sequence is: settle, connect power in your name, then install. We can have the design and approvals ready so the install happens soon after you move in.
Common questions
Will solar void my roof warranty?
Not if it is installed correctly with proper flashing and the right brackets for your roof type. Check your builder’s documentation — some require notification. We can provide install documentation for your records.
Should I take the builder’s package or go separate?
Compare them properly: panel and inverter brand, system size, warranty terms and who installs it. Sometimes the builder’s offer is genuinely fine. Often it is a 3 kW system on a house that will use 25 kWh a day.
Can you quote before the house is finished?
Yes. Send us your site plan and roof plan and we can design from those, then confirm at handover.