Start with the property and the electricity you use
A useful solar enquiry starts with your address, property type and electricity consumption. Give prospective installers your annual usage and, if available, information showing when you use electricity. Explain any planned changes such as an electric vehicle, a heat pump or different occupancy. These details help the company distinguish the electricity you may use as it is generated from the electricity you may store or export.
Ask the installer to assess the roof, shading, access and electrical installation before recommending a system. An online package is a starting point for discussion, not a survey of your property. If you do not own the whole building or control the roof, establish who needs to agree to the project before arranging work.
For independent background, read the Energy Saving Trust guide to solar panels.
Solar PV, solar thermal and battery storage
Solar photovoltaic panels produce electricity. Solar thermal systems collect heat for hot water. A company working with one technology does not necessarily install or service the other, so describe your requirement clearly.
A battery is another decision. Ask whether it is intended to store solar generation, charge from a time-of-use tariff, provide backup, or perform a combination of functions. Compare usable storage capacity and charge/discharge power separately. Do not assume a battery provides electricity during a grid outage: ask what backup equipment, electrical work and operating limits apply.
Use our solar battery installation guide for new systems and retrofits. If you need a permanently independent supply for a remote property, start with the off-grid solar guide.
What a useful solar quotation includes
Ask each company to quote against the same brief. A cheaper proposal may exclude work or use different assumptions rather than offer the same installation for less.
| Part of the proposal | What to compare |
|---|---|
| Equipment | Panel capacity, inverter model, mounting and any battery or monitoring equipment |
| Design | Panel layout, shading assessment, expected generation and the assumptions behind it |
| Installation | Roof access, scaffolding, electrical work, commissioning and exclusions |
| Documents | Connection paperwork, applicable certificates, manuals, monitoring access and warranty registration |
| Total price | Installed amount, VAT treatment, payment stages, quotation expiry and potential additional charges |
| Aftercare | Separate product and workmanship warranties, support contact and charges for visits |
If the specification changes after the survey, ask for an updated written quotation. Keep the final equipment list with the contract so substitutions can be assessed before work starts.
Understand the savings estimate
Ask the company to show how it estimated generation, on-site use, export and any battery losses. Check the electricity and export prices used, together with assumptions about future price changes and maintenance. Compare two proposals using consistent assumptions before comparing their estimated payback periods.
A directory-wide average cannot replace a property-specific quotation. Roof access, the electrical installation, equipment choice and the scope of the work can all change the installed price. Avoid treating an unexplained savings headline or a hardware-only price as the cost and benefit of a complete installation.
Grants and export payments are different
Funding programmes have their own eligibility, application and delivery requirements. Use the current official route for your location and exact technology before counting a grant in your budget. A funding badge on an installer listing does not establish that the company can deliver funded work or that your property qualifies.
Relevant starting points include Warm Homes enquiries in England, Nest in Wales, Home Energy Scotland terms and SEAI solar grant information for Ireland. Check the official sources linked from each guide.
The Smart Export Guarantee concerns payment for eligible exported electricity in Great Britain; it is not an upfront installation grant. Confirm the supplier’s current requirements and ask the installer which documents it supplies. For an Irish property, check the applicable Irish supplier and SEAI information rather than applying a Great Britain scheme description.
Check the company and the work it accepts
Use the regional directory to find starting points, then confirm your postcode and project directly. A company’s office location is not its complete service area. Ask who surveys, installs and provides aftercare, including whether another business carries out any part of the work.
Verify current certification or manufacturer claims through the relevant official source and check the exact business and technology involved. Existing directory categories and company statements are not independent certification. For repairs, ask whether the company supports your equipment and accepts systems installed by others.
Plan the handover and maintenance
Agree which records you will receive before work starts. Request the final equipment specification, applicable commissioning and electrical documents, manuals, warranty information and access to monitoring. Ask the installer to demonstrate the operating settings and explain how to report a fault.
Keep these records for future maintenance or a change of property ownership. If your system develops a problem, our solar repair guide explains what to send a contractor. Cleaning and roof-related removal are separate jobs: see panel cleaning and removal and reinstallation for the scope to agree.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add a battery after installing solar panels?
Potentially, but the installer needs to assess the existing inverter, equipment compatibility, electrical installation and proposed location. Ask it to identify what stays, what changes and how existing warranties are affected. Use a complete installed quotation rather than a battery hardware price alone.
Do solar panels make a property fully off-grid?
Do not assume so. A permanently independent system needs a design for the actual loads, winter generation, storage reserve and alternative supply. Standard grid-connected solar and battery packages have different requirements.
How do I compare solar installers near me?
Confirm postcode coverage, the exact work offered and recent experience with comparable properties. Give each company the same brief, check relevant credentials through official resources and compare the complete written specification and aftercare terms.
Does a grant or accreditation badge guarantee eligibility?
No. Check the current scheme conditions and the exact company claim. Funding eligibility, technical certification, trade membership and manufacturer status are separate questions; none should be inferred simply from a directory category.
How long will my installation take?
Ask the contractor for a schedule based on the survey, access, equipment availability, required permissions and electrical work. Confirm which stages require someone at the property and what could delay commissioning. The directory cannot promise one duration for every installation.
Can an installer repair a system fitted by another company?
Some do, but model support and the available records matter. Share the equipment details and fault history, then agree the diagnostic charge, visit scope and any warranty enquiry before booking.
Guide reviewed 19 September 2026. General guidance and current scheme sources are linked above. Company-specific services should be confirmed directly before booking.