To reduce your bill in Vaud, start with the tariff for your address and your consumption. Compare settings, renovation and solar using a full budget rather than assuming one price or payback period applies across the canton.
Identify the tariff for your address Find the DSO, product, year, billing period and meter on your bill. Check the schedule for your municipality and consumption profile. A cantonal average cannot replace your contract; households in a canton do not necessarily share a supplier or tariff.
Compare matching periods Match readings, estimates, kWh, advance payments and adjustments. Separate energy, network, metering, levies and VAT. A higher total may reflect consumption or a different period. Check actual charges before attributing the difference to a general price rise.
Choose measurable savings Identify heating, hot water, charging and unnecessary appliance use. Compare timing, cost, comfort and safety before changing settings. Night electricity is not always cheaper; use your contract’s time bands and prices. Assess control adjustments before buying equipment.
Calculate solar for your home Request monthly generation and consumption during the same hours. Distinguish electricity used on site from sold surplus. Include installed cost, maintenance, finance and replacement. Solar does not freeze every household cost for decades. Compare a battery with a version without storage under the same assumptions.
Confirm grants and payback Have Pronovo support calculated and local programmes checked for the specific project. Confirm conditions, combined support and application timing before ordering. Payback must follow from the quote and actual tariffs under conservative and favourable scenarios. Savings after payback are not all net profit when costs remain.
A comparison in Vaud: renovation in stages Imagine a home with a usable roof, while heating and insulation will be renovated at different times. This is a possible case, without assuming all Vaud buildings follow that schedule. Request two assessments: one for current demand and another for consumption expected after renovation.
Improving the building envelope can change heat demand. Have the designer explain the future electricity profile and its assumptions. Do not add insulation and control savings that are already included in the same estimate.
If equipment will be installed later, require a written list of components planned for the expansion. “Expandable” establishes neither future price, necessary work nor availability of a compatible model. Also price a solution that will remain without an expansion.
Organise grant applications around each project’s actual schedule. Compare a single contract with separate interventions, considering roof access, responsibilities and commissioning. The best sequence depends on the home’s condition and the offers received.