Choose your power company with confidence.

1. Start with the load, not the brand

List appliances, running hours and critical loads. Ask a qualified installer to assess peak demand, starting currents and future expansion. A short online guide cannot replace a site survey.

2. Compare complete proposals

For solar, ask about panel output, inverter capacity, usable battery energy, protection and expected backup duration under your load. For generators, ask about prime versus standby rating, fuel use at stated loads, noise, ventilation and safe installation.

3. Check support before paying

Request written warranty terms, installation responsibilities, parts availability and service response commitments. Ask for references from comparable projects that you can verify.

4. Look at lifetime cost

Compare equipment, installation, fuel, servicing, battery replacement assumptions and financing charges. Savings depend on your actual usage and tariffs; do not accept a generic payback promise.

5. Shortlist more than one supplier

Send the same project brief to two or three companies so the proposals are comparable. Avoid judging a system solely by its headline price.