Strata solar quotes are only comparable when the owners corporation defines the scope first. Learn how to write a scope document, request like-for-like quotes, plan approvals, choose an allocation model and settle maintenance. An owners corporation gets reliable, comparable solar quotes by deciding what it wants before it asks anyone for a price. That means writing a short scope document, sending the same scope and data to every supplier, and requiring quotes in the same format. Without that groundwork, each supplier designs a different system, and the committee ends up comparing a small common-property system with a large shared one, which leads to long debates and deferred decisions at the general meeting.
Step 1: Decide what the solar is for
Strata solar usually follows one of three models. Choosing one, or asking suppliers to price two, is the most important decision in the scope.
| Model | How it works | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common property only | Solar supplies lifts, lighting, pumps, car park ventilation and other shared loads | Most buildings; simplest approvals and metering | Daytime common loads can be modest, which limits useful size |
| Individual systems per lot | Each participating owner's panels are wired to their own meter | Low-rise buildings with enough roof for participants | Roof space allocation, cable routes, fairness to other owners |
| Shared solar to units | One system supplies several units through a metering arrangement | Larger buildings with committed owners | Metering and billing costs, retailer choice, ongoing administration |
Common-property solar lowers the shared electricity bill that every owner's levies pay for; individual systems benefit the owners who fund them. Limited roof space is the usual point of contention, so agree the allocation principle early.
Step 2: Write the scope document
Two or three pages is enough. Include:
- Building details: number of lots and storeys, roof type and area, access arrangements and any heritage or streetscape constraints.
- The chosen model, or the two models you want priced.
- Twelve months of common-property electricity bills, plus interval data if the meter records it.
- Switchboard and meter room locations, with photos if available.
- Supplier requirements: accredited designers and installers, licensed electricians, public liability insurance, and New Energy Tech Approved Seller status if the building may use NSW strata funding.
- Deliverables: panel layout, single-line diagram, production estimate, monitoring plan and maintenance schedule.
- Items to price separately, such as roof repairs, structural certification, switchboard upgrades or scaffolding.
- Whether the design should allow for a future battery or EV charging.
- A deadline, a site inspection window and the quote format you require.
Step 3: Make the quotes comparable
Ask every supplier to complete the same one-page summary so the committee isn't decoding different layouts. It should state:
- system size in kW and panel count;
- panel and inverter models, with product and performance warranty terms;
- expected annual production and the share used by common property;
- price before and after certificate discounts, with every inclusion and exclusion listed;
- workmanship warranty length and who honours it;
- network export limits, and whether the grid application is included;
- monitoring, and who holds the account;
- a maintenance plan with its yearly cost.
Three quotes is a sensible target. Insist on a site inspection, because a roof, switchboard and meter room can't be judged properly from aerial images. Our installer vetting guide covers the credentials to check, and our warranty guide explains each warranty line.
How to score the quotes fairly
A simple scoring sheet helps the committee explain its recommendation to owners. Agree the criteria and their weighting before any quote is opened, so nobody can claim the criteria were chosen to suit a favourite supplier. A typical sheet covers:
- Total cost over the life of the system, including maintenance and monitoring, not just the upfront price.
- Quality and warranty backing of the panels and inverters.
- How closely the design matches the scope and the building's actual common-property loads.
- Completeness: how many items are excluded or marked "to be confirmed".
- Supplier credentials, insurance and after-sales support arrangements.
- How clearly the proposal explains the project to owners who aren't technical.
Where one supplier has excluded something another has included, add a realistic allowance before scoring so the totals compare like with like.
Step 4: Plan approvals early
Strata solar needs decisions from owners, not just the committee. Before quotes arrive, ask your strata manager:
- what type of resolution the work requires at a general meeting;
- whether a by-law is needed for the use of common property, especially for individual systems on a shared roof;
- whether council approval is likely, for example in heritage areas or where panels are visible from the street;
- how the work will be funded: capital works fund, special levy or finance;
- how and when the building's insurer should be told.
Legal advice on resolution and by-law wording, where needed, prevents disputes later. Allow enough time between receiving quotes and the meeting for owners to read the summary.
Step 5: Settle maintenance and responsibility
Solar on common property becomes a shared asset to maintain, while individual systems raise questions about who pays when work on one affects others. Record the answers in the proposal:
- who arranges and pays for inspections, cleaning and repairs;
- how roof access is organised and who holds the keys;
- what happens if the roof under the panels needs repair;
- who watches the monitoring and responds to alerts;
- where warranty documents and serial numbers are kept in the strata records.
Keep a shared battery in view
From 1 September 2026, NSW offers incentives for eligible apartment buildings with at least 4 units that install shared batteries of 20-200 kWh usable capacity, with a larger incentive when qualifying new or additional solar is installed in the required period. If a shared battery is possible, ask suppliers to price solar alone and solar with a battery, and to explain how timing affects eligibility. Confirm the current details on the NSW Government rebates and schemes page before owners vote, and see our NSW incentives guide for an overview.
Next steps
Write the scope, circulate it to the committee, then send the same pack to every supplier. To include a New Energy Tech Approved Seller in your comparison, request a free assessment from Blue Energy Solar. The energy market lists a Strata Shared Solar Installation from $24,900 per building, a Roof Solar Allocation Study from $990 and an Owners Corporation Proposal & Report from $990. These prices are indicative and are confirmed after a site assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a strata solar project usually take?
Timing depends mostly on meetings rather than installation. Preparing the scope, collecting quotes and holding a general meeting can take several months, and council or network approvals can add more. Installation is often much quicker once approvals are in place. Building the meeting timetable into the plan from the start, and considering an extraordinary general meeting, stops the project stalling between annual meetings.
Can an individual owner install solar on a shared roof?
Not without the owners corporation. The roof is usually common property, so an owner needs approval, often through a resolution and a by-law setting conditions such as maintenance, insurance and removal. Rules differ between buildings, so the strata manager is the first contact. An owner who goes ahead without approval risks being required to remove the system at their own cost.
Does the owners corporation need an independent consultant?
Not always. A smaller building with a clear scope can often run the process itself with help from the strata manager. Larger buildings, shared solar to units, or projects combining solar, batteries and EV charging may benefit from a feasibility study first. If you engage a consultant, ask them to disclose any commissions or supplier relationships in writing so owners can trust the recommendation.
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