Everything you
need to know

Most roofs are. South-facing is best, but east and west-facing roofs work well too, and we'll check for shading from trees, chimneys or neighbouring buildings. If your roof isn't a good fit, we'll tell you rather than sell you something that won't deliver.

You buy less electricity from the grid, so your bills come down and future price rises hurt less. You can be paid for the power you export, your proposal shows how long your own system should take to pay for itself, and you cut your home's carbon emissions year after year.

It depends on the size of the system, which way your roof faces and any shading. As a rough guide, each kilowatt of panels on a good roof in our area produces around 850 to 1,000 kWh a year. Your Return on Investment Assessment shows the figure for your own roof.

Usually not. Rooftop solar on most houses counts as permitted development. Listed buildings, some conservation areas and flats can be different, so we check before anything is agreed and help with the application if one is needed.

For many homes, yes. A battery stores the solar you don't use during the day so you can use it in the evening, and on a time-of-use tariff it can charge when electricity is cheapest. Whether it's worth it for you depends on how you live, and we'll show you the numbers either way.

Not a salesperson. If you decide to go ahead after your showroom visit, one of our team carries out the survey. On installation day you'll meet our electricians, along with the roofing and scaffolding teams we work with, and your project manager stays your single point of contact from start to finish.

The scaffolding usually goes up a day or two before. On the day, the roofing team fits the panels while our electricians install the inverter, battery and any EV charger. Your power is off for a short time while we connect everything, and most installs are finished within a couple of days.

We treat every home as if it were our own. The team protects floors and furniture where they're working, keeps the site tidy and clears up properly before they leave. Cable routes and equipment positions are agreed with you at the survey, so nothing comes as a surprise.

Our electricians are qualified and we're an MCS-certified installer and NICEIC approved contractor, so your system is designed and installed to the standards needed for warranties and export payments. We're also a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer.

Panels sit on aluminium rails fixed to the rafters with roof hooks that slip under your tiles or slates, so the roof stays watertight. Cables run neatly into the loft and down to the inverter. The layout is designed for your roof at the survey, so we know exactly where every panel goes.

Your panels connect to an inverter, which turns their power into electricity your home can use. We fit the isolators and protection your system needs, test everything, and notify or apply to your local network operator (the DNO). Once it's commissioned you'll receive your MCS certificate.

Before we leave, we show you how everything works: what the inverter and battery are doing, how to read the app and what to do if you have a question. You'll also get your paperwork, including your MCS certificate, electrical certificate and warranty details.

We mainly fit LONGi panels, and have also fitted AIKO and JA Solar. All are established manufacturers with long warranties: LONGi EcoLife panels carry a 30-year product and 30-year performance warranty, and the AIKO and JA Solar panels we've fitted a 25-year product and 30-year performance warranty.

Powerwall 3 is a 13.5 kWh home battery with a built-in inverter, up to 11.04 kW output and three solar inputs. It stores your spare solar for later and is controlled through the Tesla app. As a Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer, we can give our customers better access to Tesla support.

Every solar system needs an inverter. Depending on your home, that might be a GoodWe hybrid inverter that runs your panels and battery together, or a battery with the inverter built in, such as Tesla Powerwall 3 or EcoFlow. We'll recommend what suits your roof, your battery plans and your budget.

We fit GoodWe, Tesla Powerwall and EcoFlow batteries. GoodWe comes in stackable 5 kWh and 8 kWh modules, Powerwall 3 holds 13.5 kWh in one unit, and EcoFlow is modular too. We size the battery to how much you use in the evening and overnight.

Your system comes with an app (GoodWe, Tesla or EcoFlow) that shows what your panels are generating, what your home is using, how full the battery is and what you're exporting. We set it up with you at handover so you know what you're looking at.

Your showroom visit is free and there's nothing to sign on the day. If you'd like to go ahead, the survey comes next, then a clear quotation for the whole project. There are no discount deadlines; take your quote, compare it with others and come back if it makes sense for you.

After your survey you'll get a clear quotation for the whole project, so you can see exactly what's included and take your time to decide. We don't offer finance; you pay for your system directly. When you go ahead you pay a deposit, which is never more than 25% of the price and is protected by insurance, as the Renewable Energy Consumer Code requires. The final payment is due once your installation is complete, and your quotation sets out every payment and when it's due. Solar panels and batteries for homes currently have 0% VAT, which HMRC has confirmed until 31 March 2027.

A typical terraced house with six panels and a small battery might save around £1,100 a year, and a large detached home with a bigger system £2,900 or more. Payback usually lands between four and seven years. Our free Return on Investment Assessment works out the numbers for your home.

Through the Smart Export Guarantee, your electricity supplier pays you for the power you send back to the grid. You'll need your MCS certificate, and we'll help you get set up. Grants for solar are limited for most homeowners, but if you might qualify for one, we'll point you in the right direction.

Panels, inverters and batteries each come with a manufacturer's warranty, and LONGi panels also include an exclusive Solar House labour and access warranty. Your installation also comes with a workmanship warranty, protected by an insurance-backed guarantee as the Renewable Energy Consumer Code requires, and we'll explain exactly what's covered, and for how long, before you sign anything.

Let your home insurer know you've had solar fitted; it's usually simple to add to your policy. As RECC members, we follow the Renewable Energy Consumer Code, which sets standards for how we sell, contract and protect your deposit.

Your app shows how your system is performing day to day. It's worth a quick look every so often, and if generation seems lower than it should be, or something doesn't look right, ring us or drop into the showroom and we'll take a look.

Solar panels need very little maintenance. Rain keeps them clean in most cases, and there are no moving parts. Keep an eye on your app, and if anything looks unusual, ring us or drop into the showroom and we'll talk you through it.

Getting the panels on the roof isn't the end of the job. If a question pops into your head six months later, about your app, your bills or adding a battery, ring us or drop into the showroom. You'll speak to people who answer the phone and know your system.

If something doesn't look right, check the app and the inverter or battery display first, then give us a call. Please don't go up on the roof yourself. We'll work out what's wrong and deal with the manufacturer for you if a part needs replacing under warranty.

Plenty of our customers start with panels and add a battery or EV charger later, and we can add a battery to panels another company fitted. We'll check what your existing equipment and your network operator allow, then design the upgrade to work with what you already have.

Your solar system stays with the house, and lower energy bills can be a real selling point. Pass your MCS certificate, warranties and app details to the new owners, and let your supplier know so export payments move to them. If they have questions, we're happy to help.

Most home chargers are 7 kW, which works with any electric car that uses the standard Type 2 plug (almost every EV sold in the UK). We'll check your car, your driveway and your electrics, and go through which charger suits how you drive.

We mainly fit Hypervolt chargers, because they're reliable, look neat on the wall and can be set to charge from spare solar or on a cheap overnight tariff. If you have a battery or solar from another brand, we'll talk you through what works best with it.

A 7 kW home charger adds roughly 25 to 30 miles of range for every hour it's plugged in, so most cars are full by the morning. How long it takes depends on your car's battery size and how empty it is.

Yes. A smart charger can top up your car using solar you'd otherwise send back to the grid, and switch to cheap overnight electricity when the sun isn't out. With a battery as well, we set everything up so the charger and battery work together rather than competing.

Usually not, but we check before anything is agreed. Some homes need a new consumer unit, or a bigger main fuse from your network operator. We notify your local network operator (DNO) about every charger we fit, as the rules require, and tell you up front if any extra work is needed.

Yes. Since 2022 every new home charger in Great Britain has to be a smart charger by law. That's good news: it means you can schedule charging for cheaper off-peak rates, use spare solar, and see what you've used in an app.

The government's EV chargepoint grant is mainly for people who live in flats or rent. Most homeowners with a driveway won't qualify, but the rules do change, so we'll check what's available for you.