Choosing a Solar Installer for a Terrace House: Compare the Written Scope
Decision details
Fits if: Terrace-house owners reviewing one or more written proposals and wanting a consistent comparison checklist.
Main drawback: A checklist cannot establish site suitability, a fair price, provider registration status or future savings.
Compare: exact panel/inverter models, kWp and kWac, site work, application owner, fees, exclusions and equipment/workmanship warranty.
In this guide
Compare a solar installer’s written scope before the package total. For a terrace house, put the exact panel and inverter models, roof and electrical work, exclusions, application responsibility and separate warranty terms beside each quote. A lower total is meaningful only after you know what each provider will supply. This checklist does not endorse an installer or establish site suitability, a fair market price or future savings.
What a headline quote leaves unanswered
One captured Malaysian buyer asked for an installer or brand recommendation while describing a no-battery solar quote and monthly electricity use. That is an individual buying question, not a verified current offer or a benchmark for your house. The excerpt does not state the inverter output, roof work, application charges or warranty scope. Those missing details are the next questions to ask. [source]
Your bill and house type are starting information for a site review. They do not determine suitable capacity or payback by themselves. Ask each provider to explain the design against your actual roof layout, phase supply and electricity use, and record which assumptions could change the price after inspection.
Use one comparison sheet for every provider
Ask both providers to complete the same fields. If one answer is missing, obtain it before choosing on price; a blank entry is not evidence that the work is included.
| Decision | Record for each proposal | What to resolve before accepting |
|---|---|---|
| Same equipment and size? | Panel model, quantity and kWp; inverter model and output in kWac | Different models or capacities are different offers, not directly comparable totals |
| What output does each design estimate, and can it expand later? | Estimated annual generation and assumptions; proposed provisions for added panels or storage | Treat generation as a proposal estimate, not a guarantee; ask what equipment, wiring, space or approvals would change for expansion and obtain any added cost in writing |
| Same installation scope? | Mounting, roof work, wiring, protection, monitoring and exclusions | Name any work not included and who will price or perform it |
| Who handles the application? | Submitting provider, connection phase, review route and included charges | Confirm responsibility and payment; do not treat an application as approval |
| Who handles damage or faults? | Equipment and workmanship terms, exclusions, claim contact and roof-repair responsibility | A brand warranty and an installation warranty answer different questions |
| Who provides after-sales service and maintenance? | First contact, party that diagnoses/attends, any service partner and coverage; maintenance period, visit frequency, included tasks and any price | Separate scheduled visits and callout costs from monitoring, ad-hoc support and warranties |
| What is the project-specific schedule? | Estimated dates, application responsibilities, site prerequisites, work sequence, commissioning and handover | Ask what dependencies could change dates; selection or deposit alone does not prove approval or an installation slot |
| What will you pay and when? | Dated total, deposit, payment milestones and scope-change terms | Ask how a site finding or equipment substitution changes the written offer |
Keep panel kWp separate from inverter kWac
The cited Peninsular Malaysia Solar ATAP domestic rules use inverter output in kWac, not panel capacity in kWp. The ordinary thresholds are 5 kWac for single-phase and 15 kWac for three-phase. Above those thresholds, the cited route requires a Connection Confirmation Check with a RM1,000 fee; it does not promise approval. Ask the provider to state the declared inverter output and applicable review route. [source] [source]
The cited application charge is RM7.50 per kWac and non-refundable. The cited TNB stamp duty is RM10 unless legally exempt. These are dated rule references, not a complete installation price. Ask whether each applicable charge is included and who pays it; confirm the requirements applying to your account before signing. [source] [source]
Agree roof and warranty responsibility before work starts
A separate buyer-bank account reports broken tiles and leaks after an installation. One report does not measure damage frequency or prove anything about another installer. It identifies a practical question: who records the roof condition, who repairs installation-related damage, and what written terms cover the work? [source]
Ask for equipment and workmanship terms separately, including exclusions, claim contact and process. Clarify what happens if a component is unavailable or a fault involves both the installer and equipment maker. A verbal assurance does not fill those gaps in the proposal.
Decide what is ready to compare
If models, work, exclusions and responsibilities match, compare the dated totals and payment terms. If they differ, ask each provider to explain and price the difference. Keep the explanation with the quote before paying a deposit. Registration checks, site suitability and actual warranty terms still need their own evidence; this sheet does not certify them.
The enquiry below is for a comparison question. It does not verify a provider, quote, installation slot or approval. For application context, read the terrace-house approval guide or use the solar calculator with its stated assumptions.
Source notes
- Captured English Malaysian buyer question, research/90-solar-mine/VERBATIM.jsonl row 90-0605, captured 2026-09-29. Original Lowyat post. Self-reported buying context, not a verified current quote or installer recommendation.
- Captured account, research/90-solar-mine/VERBATIM.jsonl row 90-0089, captured 2026-09-29. Original Lowyat post. Individual report of broken tiles and leaks, not a damage rate.
Frequently asked questions
Why can two installer proposals differ so much?
They may cover different panel capacity, inverter output, equipment, roof work, wiring, application fees or exclusions. Ask for the same itemized scope before treating the totals as comparable.
Should I choose the cheapest solar quote?
Not until you have compared exact models, included work, exclusions and warranties. A low headline total does not establish equivalent equipment or a complete installation.
What should a terrace-house solar quote specify?
Ask for panel capacity in kWp, inverter output in kWac, exact models, mounting and electrical work, application responsibility, fees, exclusions, and separate equipment and workmanship warranty terms.
Is a 10 kWp panel array within the domestic connection limit?
Panel kWp and inverter kWac are different measures. The domestic limit referenced here is expressed in inverter output, so ask the provider to show the declared kWac and confirm the applicable application conditions [source] [source].
Which application charges should appear in the proposal?
The proposal should state who handles and pays each applicable charge. The cited ATAP application fee is RM7.50 per kWac and non-refundable [source]; the cited TNB stamp duty is RM10 [source]. Confirm current requirements before signing.
How should I compare responsibility for roof damage or leaks?
Ask the installer to record the roof condition before work, explain how tiles and penetrations will be handled, and name who repairs installation-related damage. Put the claim contact, process and workmanship or waterproofing terms in writing. One buyer-bank post describes roof damage after an installation; it is one account, not evidence about installers generally.
Does the installer use local technicians or outsource service?
Ask who receives a service request, which company will diagnose or attend at your site, what area it covers, and whether travel, callout, labour or parts are charged separately. Have the provider name any service partner and explain who remains responsible if the original installer is unavailable. A local or in-house label alone does not establish response time or service quality.
Is annual solar maintenance included in the price?
Do not assume it is. Ask the offer to state the maintenance period, visit frequency, tasks, exclusions and price after any included period. Keep scheduled maintenance separate from monitoring, ad-hoc support and equipment or workmanship warranty; compare the written service costs over the same period.
What happens after I select a contractor, and how long will installation take?
Ask for a project-specific written sequence and estimated dates: final scope, application submission and decision responsibilities, site prerequisites, planned work, commissioning and handover records, and payment milestones. Confirm which dependencies can shift the schedule. A deposit or contractor selection alone does not establish application approval or an installation slot; do not assume one universal timeline.