Why In-House Electricians Matter for Your Solar Installation (And How to Check)
Quick Answer: Whether your solar installer uses in-house electricians or subcontractors directly affects installation quality, warranty reliability, and accountability. In-house teams are trained on specific systems, follow consistent standards, and give you a single point of contact if anything goes wrong. Always ask your installer whether their electricians are employees or subcontractors before signing.
When you compare solar quotes in Perth, you’ll notice some companies emphasise their ‘in-house installation teams’ while others don’t mention it at all. This isn’t a small detail. It’s one of the most significant quality differentiators in the industry, and most homeowners don’t think to ask about it.
In-House vs Subcontracted: What’s the Difference?
| Factor | In-House Electricians | Subcontractors |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | Direct employees of the solar company | Independent contractors hired per job |
| Training | Trained on company’s specific systems/standards | General electrical training, variable solar experience |
| Accountability | Company directly responsible for work quality | Grey area — installer blames subbie, subbie blames installer |
| Consistency | Same standards every installation | Quality varies job to job |
| Warranty claims | One company handles everything | Finger-pointing between parties |
| Schedule control | Company manages timeline directly | Subject to subcontractor availability |
The Warranty Problem with Subcontractors
This is where the in-house vs subcontractor question becomes critical. Your workmanship warranty covers installation faults — wiring issues, roof penetration leaks, mounting failures, incorrect configuration. When something goes wrong:
- With in-house electricians, you call one company. They sent the installer, they trained them, they’re responsible. The warranty claim is straightforward.
- With subcontractors, the solar company may argue the fault is the subcontractor’s responsibility. The subcontractor may have moved on or gone out of business. You’re stuck in the middle.
How to Check If Your Installer Uses In-House Teams
- Ask directly: ‘Are the electricians who will install my system employees of your company?’
- Check the electrical licence: The installer should work under the company’s electrical contractor licence (EC number), not their own.
- Read Google reviews: Mentions of ‘their team’ or specific installer names suggest in-house. Complaints about ‘the subcontractor they sent’ are a red flag.
- Ask for the installer’s name in advance: In-house companies can typically tell you who will be on your roof. Subcontractor-dependent companies often can’t.
Quick tip: Ask this question: ‘If there’s a warranty issue in 5 years, will the same team who installed my system come back to fix it?’ Companies with in-house electricians can confidently say yes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do subcontracted solar installations fail more often?
There’s no industry-wide data comparing failure rates, but installation quality issues are the most common source of solar complaints. The issue is consistency and accountability. In-house teams follow standardised procedures and are directly supervised. Subcontractor quality depends on whoever is available that week.
How can I tell if a company really uses in-house electricians?
Ask for the electrical contractor licence number (EC number) and verify it matches the solar company’s business name through the WA Department of Commerce register. If the EC number belongs to a different company, the work is being subcontracted. Also check the company’s website and social media — companies with in-house teams typically feature their installers in photos and videos.
Does using in-house electricians cost more?
Sometimes slightly, because employing full-time electricians costs more than hiring subcontractors per job. However, the difference is typically $200-$500 on a residential system — a small price for significantly better warranty protection, consistent installation quality, and a single point of accountability. Talk Energy’s price match guarantee ensures you’re not paying a premium for this quality.
Talk Energy employs strictly in-house electricians under EC15564. Get a Free Quote or call (08) 6255 5914.
Talk Energy: Perth’s most trusted solar and battery installer, with 250+ five-star reviews and a 20-year workmanship warranty.
