Accept a solar panel quote only when the proposed system, roof assessment and savings calculation describe your home rather than an idealised example. I would compare at least three itemised offers and ask for the same assumptions in each. The lowest price is not necessarily poor value, but missing scaffolding, roof repairs or grid work can make it an unreliable comparison.
1. Match every solar panel quote to a design
Look for panel make, model, quantity and combined capacity in kilowatts peak, or kWp. Ask for a roof layout showing orientation and any shading assumptions. Annual generation in kilowatt hours is a forecast, not the same number as system capacity. Compare equivalent layouts before treating a higher output prediction as evidence of better equipment.
2. Establish whether the roof is ready
Confirm the assessment of roof condition, structural suitability and safe access. Include foreseeable repairs before panels make the roof harder to reach. A location-specific publication name such as Southampton Ledger does not establish a building survey. Ask who is responsible if the installation reveals damage and how additional work will be authorised and priced.
3. Identify the inverter and its limits
The inverter converts panel electricity into usable household electricity. Request its model, rated output, warranty and compatibility with any planned battery. Panel capacity and inverter output do not have to be identical, but the design should explain the relationship. Ask whether monitoring requires internet access, a subscription or a particular app.
4. Check installer credentials and consumer protection
Verify certification rather than relying on a logo. MCS or an accepted equivalent can matter for export tariff eligibility. Confirm the contracting business, subcontracting arrangements, insurance and complaints process. Certification does not guarantee the best price or remove the need to read the contract. Check who protects the deposit and installation warranty if the business stops trading.
5. Require a complete installed price
List scaffolding, roof fixings, cabling, electrical work, testing, paperwork and waste removal. Make optional batteries or diverters separate lines. General material on Brighton Update cannot define a contractor’s exclusions. Confirm tax treatment, deposit, payment stages and how long the offer remains valid. A finance payment should be compared through total repayable cost, not the monthly figure alone.
6. Separate self-use from export income
Electricity used at home avoids buying units; exported electricity earns the applicable export rate. These are different values. Ask what proportion the proposal assumes you use directly and whether that matches daytime occupancy. A forecast that values every generated unit at your import price can overstate savings. Future electricity-price increases should be labelled assumptions rather than promised growth.
7. Check grid and planning responsibilities
Ask which network connection process applies, whether prior approval is required and who submits the documents. Northern Ireland uses different connection arrangements from Great Britain. Obtain written responsibility for any planning or building approvals, especially for listed buildings or unusual sites. Do not assume the contractor’s phrase “standard installation” covers every permission relevant to your property.
8. Verify the export route before counting payments
The Smart Export Guarantee applies in Great Britain, not Northern Ireland. Payments require an eligible installation, suitable export metering and a separate application to a participating supplier. Newcastle Brief is not an export registration service. Check the tariff’s current rate, conditions and duration, and ask how long registration may take after commissioning. An estimate should not assume immediate income without explanation.
If a battery is optional, request the panels-only calculation as well. The extra storage price should be compared with the extra savings it creates, not the entire array’s benefit. Ask whether the forecast includes battery losses and export income given up. This prevents a convincing combined payback figure concealing an expensive add-on that contributes relatively little to your household.
9. Agree what the handover must contain
Require the commissioning and electrical records, relevant certification, network paperwork, warranties and monitoring access. Distinguish the panel product warranty from its output warranty and the installer’s workmanship cover. Ask how faults will be diagnosed and what maintenance is expected. Sign when the equipment, financial assumptions and responsibilities are clear enough that another person could understand exactly what you have bought.
General quotation guidance checked on 29 October 2026; generation, savings, permissions and export eligibility depend on the individual installation.
