Solar panel installation: get matched with a vetted installer

Fitting solar panels means working on your roof and your wiring, so the installer matters. This page explains what our referral covers, what a good survey and quote look like, and what happens from install day onward. It also shows who the service suits and who might do better elsewhere.

What the referral covers

We are an independent guide. We are not an installer, a lender, a broker or a government service. We do not fit panels, and we do not sell finance, so we have no stake in which system you pick.

What we offer is a consent-based enquiry referral. You fill in a short form, and you choose to send it. Your enquiry goes into a central lead dashboard, and the operator can then match you with a vetted, MCS-certified installer. We never contact an installer automatically.

MCS is the UK quality mark for small-scale renewables. You can check any business on the MCS installer search. We suggest you do this for every installer, including any we match you with, because it takes a minute and protects you.

Your matched installer is a separate business, although we vet it first. It writes its own quote, signs its own contract and gives its own warranty. We do none of those things. Our guide to MCS-certified solar installers shows how to check one.

Who this suits

The service suits a homeowner who wants real quotes without chasing installers one by one. It also suits you if you want a second view before you sign. You will need a roof you can use and the right to put panels on it.

It may not suit you if you rent, or if you live in a flat with a shared roof. In that case you may need permission first. It will not suit you if you want to skip the survey, because a proper quote needs a look at your roof.

What a good survey includes

A good installer visits your home, because a photo cannot show everything. Here is what you should expect them to look at.

• Roof direction, angle and shading, since they drive how much power you make.
• Roof condition and structure. The MCS solar standard says the installer must make sure a competent person checks the roof can carry the load. From 18 June 2026, MCS installers must also give structural and wind loading evidence where no certified mounting system is available.
• Your electrics, including the consumer unit and where the inverter will go.
• Your power use, using your bills or smart meter data.

Our guide on preparing for a survey lists what to have ready. For help sizing, read how many solar panels you need.

What a good quote includes

A quote should be in writing and should show exactly what you get. Look for the system size in kWp, the panel and inverter makes, and the expected yearly output. It should also list what the price covers, such as scaffolding and electrical work.

Output estimates need a stated method. For example, the PVGIS tool gives about 1,020 kWh per kWp a year for a south-facing roof at 35 degrees in London. The same roof gives about 968 in Birmingham, 896 in Manchester and 1,025 in Bristol.

These figures use PVGIS-SARAH3 data and a 14% loss allowance. Real roofs differ, however, so treat them as a check on a quote, not a promise. See our UK city solar output table for 24 cities.

Check that the quote shows VAT clearly. HMRC zero-rates installing solar panels from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027, with 5% after that under current rules. For price context, read our solar panel costs guide.

Ask how your deposit is safe, too. RECC members must insure deposits, stage payments and workmanship warranties, because an installer can stop trading.

Install day

Most home installs follow the same steps, while details vary by roof. The team sets up scaffolding, fixes the mounting rails to the roof, and lays the panels. They then run cables to the inverter and connect it to your consumer unit. Finally, they commission the system and show you how it works.

Electrical safety rules still apply on the day. In England, Part P of the Building Regulations covers electrical work in homes, including photovoltaic panels on roofs. A registered competent person, a third-party certifier or a building control body must certify the work. Ask your installer which route it uses.

Grid connection: G98 and G99

Your local network operator needs to know about your system. Under MIS 3002, installations up to and including 16 A per phase follow G98. Those above it follow G99. The 16 A figure is the total output of all generators, so a battery adds to it.

Under MIS 3002, the MCS contractor tells the network operator for you. For G98, one network operator says it wants to know within 28 days of commissioning. Rules differ for larger systems, so ask your installer which route applies. Our guide to G98 and G99 explains both.

MCS certificate and SEG

After commissioning, ask for your MCS certificate and keep it safe. You will need it to prove that your installation has MCS certification when you claim export payments.

To get paid under the Smart Export Guarantee, you apply directly to a supplier that offers a SEG tariff. GOV.UK says you must show that MCS certifies both your installation and your installer. You also need a meter that gives half-hourly export readings, which is usually a smart meter. Rates vary because suppliers set their own terms, so compare them using our Smart Export Guarantee explainer.

Aftercare

Ask what happens after the install. Find out who to call if the system stops, how long each warranty lasts, and whether the price includes monitoring. A warranty is only as good as the company behind it, which is why deposit and warranty insurance matter.

Also ask about batteries now rather than later. If you may add storage, the inverter and layout can make that easier. Our solar battery storage service page covers that choice.

Where we help

Our guides cover solar in major cities and towns across Great Britain, since local yield and planning rules differ. Browse the town guides for solar panels to see local yield and planning facts. Examples include solar panels in London, solar panels in Birmingham, solar panels in Manchester and solar panels in Bristol.

Next step

If you are ready to compare real prices, you can request quotes through our form. You stay in control. We make no promise about savings, and a quote does not oblige you to buy. Use our questions to ask an installer to test every quote you get.