All in a Week

There were five blokes clamouring over our house today fitting solar panels. This after a sales rep from a solar solutions company came to talk to me on Monday of last week, after a telemarketer had rung the week before and arranged the appointment. His quote was for 8 panels and a 3kw inverter thrown in, above the capacity of the 1.5 inverter we'd need, so we could inrease our number of panels when the price goes down in the future as the rep assured me it would, for the tidy sum of $6990.

Lib wasn't home when the rep called, and it was her birthday so we didn't discuss that evening, what with the champagne and present opening etc it seemed too much like business. The next morning, a week ago today, I met Heinz on my walk.

"What's new?" Heinz often greets me with this question.

"Not much Heinz,I got a quote yesterday from a company to fit solar panels."

"Did they ring you up, then come around?"

"Yes."

"They rang me too. I didn't buy from them. I got onto another crowd, much cheaper."

We stood in front of Amanda's house in Innes Rd., after stopping as we were going different directions. Werner, a builder renovating Amanda's house, was in conversation with her in the driveway. On seeing Heinz and I they walked up, Heinz and Werner being friends, and Amanda and I. After a few moments hearing a progress report on Amanda's house I excused myslf. As I left Heinz called to me with some urgency of tone.

"Don't do anything till you talk to me. Come and see me. You could save thousands."

"Are you home this afternoon?"

"Yes, I will show you my house. You've been saying you'll come for a long time. Now you must.

When I visited Heinz that afternoon he greeted me like a long friend, sitting me dowm in his loungeroom with the superb view of the Warbuton Range, and bringing me green tea and biscuits. He told me how efficient the solar company he purchased from was and offered to ring them so I could give them some details and ask for a price. To cut it short the price was over $2000 less, for 11 panels not 8, with a 2kw inverter. The chap I talked to googled our address and told me what I could do from the sattelite photo. I paid a 10% deposit on the phone using credit card and as soon as the contract arrived by email and I could send it back by post signed, they got it yesterday, they installed today.

It's not working yet, it has to be inspected by SPAus the electricity supplier first before it can be turned on. The electricity generated above what our house uses during the day will be fed back into the grid and purcased by the state government. There's a new meter needed at a cost (to us) of $250 to enable this which is to be added to the next electricity bill. Also we had to upgrade our switchboard at a cost of $700, also done today, the contractor paid by us, which we would have had to do anyway soon.

Touch wood it goes smoothly from here. The idea is that the system pays for itself in the first few years then the savings are real for the next decade. If we sell it should be an advantage to get a buyer, and a better price. Let's hope it has been a good decision.

Next time Heinz asks what's new I'll have something to tell him. Sometimes everything justs clicks into place and things happen quickly.