Case Study
Solar Quote Calculator
A snappy, custom-built solar estimator plugin designed to help our client capture better leads without the bloat.
Project Brief
We designed and built this custom WordPress plugin for a client who was tired of boring, static lead forms that bore prospective customers.
Our goal was simple: create an interactive, step-by-step calculator that gives visitors instant estimates while giving our client total control over their rates, hardware costs, and form messaging behind the scenes.
The Challenge
Most off-the-shelf calculator plugins are heavy, ugly, and hard to customize. The main challenge was building an ultra-fast calculation engine that updates in real time as users click through the options, without slowing down the site.
We also needed to make sure our client could easily change their pricing rules-like roof pitch surcharges, battery add-on costs, and custom CTA links-right from their WordPress dashboard without ever having to touch a line of code.
Finally, we wanted to make sure the plugin was easy to drop into any page or post using a simple shortcode, so it could be used across multiple campaigns without extra setup.
Functionality
Straightforward Pricing Controls
An easy backend panel where our client can update energy rates, base panel costs, system sizes, and export tariffs anytime.
Interactive 4-Step Funnel
Takes users smoothly through property types, monthly bill amounts, roof styles, sun exposure, battery choices, and postcodes.
Automatic Roof & Hardware Pricing
Calculates extra costs for complex roof types like slate on the fly, while automatically factoring in shade optimizers when needed.
Battery Add-On Options
Lets homeowners easily toggle 5 kWh or 10 kWh storage packages to see how it changes their overall quote and energy savings.
Instant Savings & Lead Capture
Collects and validates visitor contact info before showing a detailed breakdown of system size (kWp), recommended panels, payback timelines, and 25-year savings.
Email Notifications & Lead Management
Sends a copy of the lead form to the client's email and stores it in the WordPress database for easy access and follow-up.
A closer look
Property & Bill Selector
The opening step of the funnel where users pick their home layout and use an interactive slider to dial in their average monthly power bill.
Roof & Location Details
Here visitors pick their roof material, sun coverage, and postcode so the calculator can automatically adjust for mounting complexity and regional sunlight.
Battery Upgrades
A quick add-on step letting users pair battery storage units with their setup and immediately see how it impacts their overall estimate.
Lead Capture Form
A clean lead form that collects and validates the customer’s name, email, and phone number before revealing their final breakdown.
Instant Quote & Financial Summary
The final results screen gives visitors a clear snapshot of their recommended setup, total estimated cost, payback period, 25-year net savings, and call-to-action buttons.
Admin Settings - Calculation Defaults
The backend settings screen where the client can quickly set energy prices, installation costs per kWp, and system size limits.
Admin Settings - Roofing & Hardware Multipliers
An easy admin screen for setting price adjustments on tricky roof types and defining extra hardware costs for shaded setups.
Admin Settings - Batteries & Tariffs
Controls for managing battery pricing options, smart export tariffs, and self-consumption estimates.
Admin Settings - Form UI & CTA Redirects
A simple dashboard area where the site owner can change front-end text, field labels, button copy, and link redirects without coding.
Admin Settings - Shortcode & Snippets
A handy reference tab providing the shortcode and copy-paste PHP snippets for integrating the estimator straight into custom theme templates.
Architecture
We built this plugin from scratch without bloated third-party libraries. The calculation logic runs entirely in the user's browser using clean JavaScript, meaning zero lag and no page reloads as they tweak their setup.
On the backend, lightweight PHP handles the settings panel, shortcode integration ([solar-quote-calculator]), and form submission-keeping the whole plugin fast and simple to maintain.
Skills Used
Replacing our old lead form with this calculator totally changed the game for us. Being able to tweak electricity rates, battery costs, and button links directly from our WordPress admin gives our team complete freedom to run campaigns without constantly needing tech help.
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