Printable checklist
Compare the same job, not just the final price.
A cheaper quote can exclude the work a more expensive quote includes. Use this sheet for two or three written proposals before choosing a contractor.
Prepared by Samuel Mario Pop Achim · 28 September 2026
Your comparison sheet
Write the property type and proposed measure at the top of each quote. Ask each contractor to price the same specification, and mark every missing item as “not confirmed” rather than treating it as included.
| Check | Ask for this in writing | Confirmed? |
|---|---|---|
| Full scope | Equipment models, quantities, labour, access, scaffolding, electrical work and waste removal. | ☐ |
| Gross price | Full VAT-inclusive cost before any grant, with optional extras priced separately. | ☐ |
| Grant assumption | Scheme, measure, eligible amount, who applies, who receives payment and the approval deadline. | ☐ |
| Cash flow | Deposit, stage payments, final payment and the amount you must fund while waiting for a grant. | ☐ |
| Exclusions | Roof repairs, consumer-unit upgrades, radiator changes, decorating or making good, BER and assessments. | ☐ |
| Performance | Annual generation or heat demand assumptions, shading, design temperatures and what is guaranteed. | ☐ |
| Aftercare | Product and workmanship warranty, call-out costs, exclusions and who handles faults. | ☐ |
| Handover | Certificates, test results, manuals, commissioning settings, grant paperwork and monitoring access. | ☐ |
A worked comparison: the low headline price
These are fictional solar quotes to demonstrate the method, not market prices. Quote A is €8,200 but excludes €700 scaffolding and a €300 assessment. Quote B is €8,900 including both. Once the scope is equal, A costs €9,200 and B €8,900. If both qualify for the same €1,800 grant, the net figures are €7,400 and €7,100. Subtracting the grant twice, or comparing one price before grant with another after grant, would reverse the impression.
The €300 difference alone should not decide it. Compare the proposed equipment, forecast assumptions, warranties and payment terms. A higher output claim needs evidence of how it was estimated for your roof.
Questions specific to solar PV
- What are the panel capacity in kWp and inverter rating in kW? They are different specifications.
- Does the generation estimate allow for roof direction, shade and system losses?
- What share is assumed to be used in the home, and what export rate underpins the payback?
- Is a battery included? What are its usable capacity, warranty conditions and replacement assumptions?
- Who manages network notification and the post-installation documentation?
Questions specific to heat pumps
- What heat-loss calculation supports the proposed size and design flow temperature?
- Are radiators, pipework, hot-water cylinder and electrical changes included?
- Which elements of the grant bundle are actually eligible for this home?
- Where will the outdoor unit go, and how are access, drainage and noise addressed?
- Who commissions the controls and explains them at handover?
Questions specific to insulation
- What existing material and moisture condition has been found?
- Which areas are included and how are edges, openings and the attic hatch treated?
- How will ventilation, services and safe access be maintained?
- Are repairs and making good included, and is the proposed system suitable for this building?
- What evidence will document the finished work for the assessor?
Before paying a deposit
Confirm the contractor is registered for the specific grant measure, check references and read the contract. A grant estimate is not approval. Do not start grant-funded work before approval; follow the offer’s conditions and deadline. Avoid sharing an MPRN or bill publicly when asking for general advice.
Check the current SEAI individual grant requirements. Our calculators help test the financial assumptions, but they cannot assess workmanship or technical suitability.