Variations: How do they work?

As a digital platform, we’ve built advanced 3D modelling to create a thorough solar design for your roof based on its tilt, orientation, sun exposure, and shading.

Once the design is generated, we take a number of steps to ensure that it’s right for your home. This includes having an accredited solar PV designer review the design, as well as asking you to provide further information about your switchboard and roof material that can’t always be seen from our mapping in our pre-installation questionnaire. 

If something needs to change in your order, we do our best to ensure this change happens before installation day. We absorb the cost of small variations like extra cable length, but if a variation presents a change in the cost to your system, we’ll get in touch with you immediately to give you the details, and ask whether or not you’re happy to proceed.

Once on-site (and despite all of our best efforts ahead of time), if the installer identifies a need for a variation, the installer will inform UPowr, and an updated quote will be sent to you for review. As a digital company - it’s best to have the platform open and the messenger app available to talk to us at all times.

The installer will only begin working if you accept the changes to your quote. If you do not accept, the job will either be cancelled or rescheduled for a later date⁠. 

Potential variations

Board upgrades

• Meter board - Most meter boards in Victoria are upgraded and in good condition, but in the case that yours is not, it will need to be upgraded. If you live outside Victoria, the quality of your meter board is likely linked to the age of your home or the last time electrical work was completed at your house. It is important that you complete the pre-installation questionnaire to help us get the quoted price as accurate as possible. Upgrades are necessary to comply with the latest electrical standards for safety.
  
  
• Switchboard - Your switchboard contains all of the main electrical switches for your home and relays electricity through a number of circuits. Some switchboards have enough space to add the switches for your PV system, some will not. If yours does not, additional effort to install switches into the mains board will be required.

In both cases, we can prepare your order for this ahead of time as soon as you complete the pre-installation questionnaire.

Equipment changes

Your installer brings all of the equipment needed to complete a job based on the data used to design your system. On rare occasions, it's possible that they may need additional or different equipment to complete the job. If this is required and will have a cost or time impact on your job we will let you know as quickly as possible. 

An example of this could be that while the height of your roof from the ground was understood, the access point required a different lifting device to get on top. 

Design changes

It’s possible that changes could be made to the design and layout of your system. If they lead to a material difference from what you were expecting, UPowr and your installer will ensure you’re happy with this difference before installation begins. 

An example of this is that the spacing of rafters may require the system to be placed differently in order to be fixed to your structural roof design.