Check the installer is certified
MCS is the UK quality mark for small-scale renewables and publishes a find-an-installer search. Certification is usually a condition of export tariffs, so check it before you sign.
MCS: find an installer ↗COSTS AND PAPERWORK
A good quote is
more than a price.
No prices are published on this site: they depend on your roof, equipment and the work involved. Use this guide to check that a written quote is complete and that the paperwork behind it is in place.
Prepare a solar enquiryAsk about the Smart Export Guarantee
Ofgem explains the SEG, under which licensed suppliers offer tariffs for exported electricity. Ask what metering and certification the design includes and do not assume a rate.
Ofgem: Smart Export Guarantee ↗Look at your energy certificate
GOV.UK lets you find the existing Energy Performance Certificate for a property. It shows the recorded insulation and heating and any recommendations, useful context before adding solar.
GOV.UK: find an energy certificate ↗What a complete written quote contains
- Panel make, model, count, rated output and the modelled annual generation with assumptions.
- Inverter, and battery if included, with usable capacity and warranty terms.
- Mounting system and roof type, with confirmation of projection and height limits.
- Scaffolding, electrical work, consumer unit changes and any roof repairs, each priced or excluded.
- Who notifies the electricity network operator and building control, and when.
- Payment schedule, deposit protection, lead time and cancellation terms.
- How VAT is applied to the quoted work.
Compare on the same basis
Ask two or three installers for the same scope with the same assumptions. A lower headline price with fewer panels, a smaller inverter or excluded scaffolding is not a saving.
MCS, Ofgem and GOV.UK sources checked 12 September 2026. No prices, savings or payback periods are stated on this site.
A CLEARER START
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your solar project?
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