How Long Does a Solar Install Take? A Process Guide

Most standard home solar systems go on in a single day. A typical 6.6kW to 10kW install on a straightforward single-storey roof takes us six to eight hours, and you'll usually be generating power the same afternoon once the grid paperwork clears.

That's the short answer. Below is what actually happens across the timeline, from the first quote visit to the day the meter starts spinning backwards.

The quick answer: install day is one day, the process is longer

The physical installation is the fast part. The full journey from signing to switch-on is usually two to four weeks, and the delay is almost always paperwork, not labour.

Before we touch the roof we lodge a connection application with your network, either Ausgrid across most of Sydney and Newcastle or Endeavour in the west and south-west. Approval for a standard residential system usually comes back in a few business days, but larger systems or export limits can take longer.

Bigger or trickier jobs run to two days. Two-storey homes, tile roofs needing extra flashing, three-phase power, or a battery going in alongside the panels will often push us into a second day.

What we check on the quote visit

A proper quote is done on-site, not from a satellite image. We get up into the roof cavity and look at the rafters, because we're fixing brackets into structural timber, not just the battens.

The switchboard is where a lot of jobs get their surprises. Older homes around Dee Why and Mona Vale often have a full board with no spare space, or ceramic fuses and no main switch, which means a board upgrade before the inverter can be wired in safely. That's an extra $800 to $1,500 that a phone quote will never mention.

We also check your meter. If you've still got an old accumulation meter, you'll need a smart bi-directional meter fitted so exports can be measured, and that's arranged through your retailer after we finish, not by us on the day.

While we're up there we note shading from gum trees, TV antennas and neighbouring rooflines, and plan panel placement around it. A common mistake by cheaper installers is cramming panels onto a shaded south face just to hit a headline kW number, which drags the whole string's output down.

Install day, hour by hour

We usually arrive between 7 and 8am. First job is safety setup: roof anchors, edge protection and isolating the switchboard before any electrical work starts.

Next we mark out and fit the mounting rails. On a Colorbond roof we use tile-free brackets and seal every penetration; on a tile roof we lift tiles, fit roof hooks to the rafters and grind clearance so nothing sits under pressure and cracks later.

Panels go up mid-morning, then the DC cabling is run into the roof cavity and down to the inverter, which we mount in a shaded spot, often the garage or a side wall. Direct afternoon sun on an inverter shortens its life, so placement matters.

By early afternoon we're wiring the inverter into the switchboard, fitting isolators and labelling everything to standard. We then commission the system, test the earthing and export settings, and walk you through the monitoring app so you can see live production on your phone.

Expect a bit of noise and roughly one power interruption of an hour or so while we tie into the board. We clean up as we go, and all old packaging and offcuts leave with us.

After we leave: rebates, meter and switch-on

The federal STC rebate is claimed for you and already discounted off the price you're quoted, so there's no separate form to chase. For a 6.6kW system in NSW that discount is currently worth roughly $2,000 to $2,500 off the upfront cost.

If you're adding a battery, the NSW battery incentive can knock a further amount off, and we handle that claim as part of the job. It's worth doing the sums with realistic feed-in tariffs in mind, because export rates have fallen to around 4 to 7 cents per kWh. Self-consuming your own power, or storing it in a battery, is now worth far more than selling it back.

The last step is your retailer swapping in the smart meter and switching your account to a solar tariff. That's usually within a couple of weeks of install. Your system runs fine in the meantime; you just won't be credited for exports until the meter change is done.

Book a free on-site assessment

Every roof, switchboard and meter setup is different, and the only way to give you an accurate price and timeline is to look at yours. We'll assess your home across Sydney, the Northern Beaches or Newcastle, flag any switchboard or shading issues, and give you a fixed quote with the rebates already applied. Get in touch to book your free assessment.