Solar panels
in Witham.

COMPARE LIKE WITH LIKE

Build a Witham quote comparison around the property record

Save the conservation-area result and any planning conditions you find for the address. Give those details, the same electricity-use figure and the same roof photographs to every installer. The quote should state which roof slopes were assessed and what usable area was measured. It should also show whether a dormer, roof window or extension changes the layout. This creates a common brief and makes differences in panel count or forecast output easier to question.

Ask each quote to separate panels, inverter, scaffold, electrical work and any roof preparation. If one design relies on permitted development, ask the installer to identify the rule used. The quote should confirm that the proposal fits it. For leasehold or shared-ownership homes, record whose approval is still required. Compare only after those open points appear in writing. An omitted permission or access cost can make the cheapest headline price misleading.

Witham checks before choosing a proposal

• Town centre boundary: save the council record and the result for the exact address. Add any listing or earlier planning condition as a separate item. This avoids applying the conservation-area name to every Witham property. The installer must still address any restriction found in the property details.
• Usable roof: show dormers, roof windows, extensions and known repairs on current photographs. Request the measured usable area and layout for every slope considered. A design may move panels to avoid an obstruction. The new quote should then update generation, scaffold and cable assumptions instead of reusing figures from the first sketch.
• Authority to proceed: for leasehold or shared ownership, name the party whose permission is required. Record the details that party has requested. Keep that approval separate from the council planning check. A complete scope identifies who supplies drawings and who arranges access. It also marks any cost that remains provisional until the owner or manager replies.
• Handover evidence: confirm who provides electrical certificates, network notification, equipment warranties and monitoring access. Put these documents in the quote rather than assuming they come with every package. If an export tariff is part of the comparison, check the supplier’s current eligibility rules. Match them against the planned metering and certification.