Solar Panel FAQs

A typical 4kW home system (around 10 panels) costs £5,500–£7,500 fully installed, with smaller systems from around £4,500 and larger homes £7,500–£9,500. Domestic solar currently attracts 0% VAT. Commercial systems run from roughly £750–£1,000 per kW at scale, priced on survey.

Yes, for most properties. A typical home system saves £600–£1,100 a year between bill savings and export payments, paying for itself in 6–9 years against a 25-year panel warranty. Commercial systems typically pay back even faster — around 4–6 years — because businesses use most of their generation on site.

Usually around 10 panels (a 4kW system), which generates roughly 3,400–3,800kWh per year — close to average household consumption. The right number depends on your usage, roof space and budget, which is what our free assessment works out.

Yes — panels generate from daylight, not just direct sunshine. Output is lower in winter and on overcast days, but UK systems are designed and quoted on realistic year-round generation figures, and the UK receives more than enough light for solar to pay back well.

MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) is the UK quality standard for small-scale renewable installations. MCS-certified installation is required for Smart Export Guarantee payments and is expected by insurers and mortgage lenders — all our installations are MCS-certified.

The SEG requires energy suppliers to pay you for surplus solar electricity you export to the grid. Rates vary by supplier, and an MCS certificate is required to sign up — we register every installation so you qualify.

Domestic solar currently benefits from 0% VAT, and some households qualify for support through schemes such as ECO4 depending on circumstances. Businesses can use capital allowances to offset the cost against tax. We'll flag anything you're eligible for at quote stage.

Usually not — most domestic and many commercial rooftop installations fall under permitted development. Listed buildings, conservation areas and flat-roof or ground-mounted schemes can need consent; we check and advise at survey stage.

South-facing pitched roofs are ideal, but east/west roofs generate around 80–85% as much. We assess orientation, pitch, shading, roof condition and structure before quoting — and if your roof genuinely isn't suitable, we'll tell you.

Most home installations are completed in one to two days once scaffolding is up. Commercial rooftop projects typically take one to two weeks depending on size, scheduled to minimise disruption to your operations.

For most households, yes. A battery stores daytime generation for evening use and can charge on cheap overnight tariffs in winter, roughly doubling the savings from a solar system. Home batteries cost £2,000–£4,500 installed and carry 10-year warranties.

Panels are warrantied for 25 years and typically keep generating beyond that, losing only around 0.5% output per year. Inverters usually need replacing once in a system's life, at around the 10–12 year mark.

Very little — but not none. An occasional professional clean, a periodic electrical check and monitoring for inverter faults keep output at its best. We offer one-off health checks and ongoing maintenance on all systems, whoever installed them.

Yes — commercial installation is a core specialism. We install rooftop and ground-mounted arrays for warehouses, offices, factories, farms, hotels and schools, with full generation modelling, DNO grid approval handled, and payback typically in 4–6 years.

Evidence increasingly says yes — solar improves a property's EPC rating and lowers its running costs, both of which buyers pay attention to. An MCS certificate and documented generation history strengthen the case at sale.

The whole of the UK — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Browse the areas page to find your county and nearest town, or just submit an enquiry and we'll take it from there.