What to Expect From a Home Solar Survey

Before we quote for any installation, one of our engineers visits your home. This survey is free, takes about an hour, and shapes everything that comes after: the system size, the quote, the projected savings figure.

Here’s what to expect.

What we look at

The roof. We check the pitch, orientation, and condition. South-facing roofs at 30 to 40 degrees are ideal, but east or west-facing roofs still perform well. We look for any shading from trees, chimneys, or neighbouring buildings that would affect output during key daylight hours. We also check the roof covering. Some older tiles and certain flat-roof materials need work before panels can go on safely.

The electrics. We look at your consumer unit (fuse box) to confirm it can handle the addition of a solar inverter and, if relevant, battery storage. Most modern homes are straightforward. Older properties occasionally need minor electrical work first, which we flag upfront.

Energy usage. We’ll ask about your electricity bills or annual usage figure. This lets us model what proportion of your consumption a given system size would cover, and estimate the financial return over time.

Roof access and scaffolding. For most installations we need scaffolding, and we assess what’s required based on roof height and access. We include all scaffolding costs in the quote. No surprises.

What we don’t do

We don’t use the survey as an opportunity to pressure you into anything. There’s no salesperson involved, just an engineer. They give you an honest assessment of what’s possible and flag anything that might affect the recommendation.

If your roof isn’t suitable for solar in its current state, we’ll tell you that plainly rather than quote for a substandard installation.

What comes next

Within a few days of the survey, we send a written quote. This includes the proposed system design, panel count, expected annual generation (in kWh), projected bill savings, and the total installed cost.

For larger systems or properties with complex roofs, we may also include a shading analysis using software that models output throughout the year.

You’re under no obligation to proceed. If you want a second opinion or quotes from other installers, that’s sensible. We’d encourage it.

A note on remote surveys

Some companies now offer remote surveys using satellite imagery and data from your energy supplier. These can give a rough estimate, but they miss things a physical inspection catches: the condition of the roof covering, the state of the electrics, access requirements, and localised shading not visible from above. We do remote assessments in some circumstances, but we always follow up with a physical survey before installation.

Booking one

Surveys are free and available across most of England, Wales and Scotland. You can book via our contact page or by calling us directly. We’ll arrange a time that suits you and send confirmation with everything you need to know beforehand.