What should a solar PV quotation include?
A clear solar PV quotation should set out the proposed system, equipment, installation work, total cost and payment terms. It should also explain warranties, expected performance, grid connection, scaffolding or electrical work, and any assumptions that could affect the final price.
A useful solar PV quotation should let you understand the complete installed cost, what the proposed system will do, and who is responsible for each step. It should be specific to your property rather than a brochure price based on an assumed roof.
Check that the quotation identifies the proposed equipment. It should state the panel manufacturer and model, the number of panels, the total panel capacity and the inverter specification. If the quotation includes a battery, it should separately show its usable storage capacity, power rating and control system. “Solar and battery package” is not enough information to compare one proposal with another.
Your roof may have more than one usable area, different pitches or sections affected by shade. The quotation should show which roof surfaces the installer has used and record important assumptions about orientation, shading and available space. A simple roof plan or marked-up photograph makes the proposal easier to check.
The output estimate needs its assumptions alongside it. A forecast should explain how the figure was calculated and whether it allows for shading, panel direction, roof pitch and normal system losses. It should not be presented as a guaranteed amount of electricity. Ask how much of the estimate is expected to be used in the home and how much may be exported, because those are different parts of the financial calculation.
Your household’s electricity use affects the useful size of the system. A quotation should explain how the proposed array relates to your daytime demand, planned EV charging and any battery storage. If the system is larger than your current use, the installer should explain the reason rather than assuming that every available roof area needs panels.
Look for a proper breakdown of the price. The total should make clear whether it includes the panels, inverter, mounting equipment, cabling, protection equipment, labour, scaffolding, access equipment, commissioning and disposal of packaging. It should also state the VAT treatment and any payment stages. A low headline figure can become less useful when essential work appears later as an addition.
Older homes can need work beyond the roof. If the consumer unit, earthing, cable route or main supply needs attention, the quotation should identify that requirement and price it separately or state that it is excluded. The same applies to roof repairs, structural work, asbestos concerns, tree removal, internal decoration and any making-good after cable installation.
Read the exclusions as carefully as the inclusions. The document should say who deals with scaffolding, roof access, bird protection, planning matters, building control and the distribution network operator. It should explain what happens if the survey finds a damaged roof, inadequate cable route or a supply that needs upgrading. You can then see which costs remain uncertain before accepting the work.
Grid connection arrangements should be described in practical terms. The quotation should state whether the installer will make any required application to the distribution network operator and whether the work depends on approval. It should also explain what happens if the network operator requires changes to the design or additional work.
Export income needs a separate explanation. The quotation should distinguish between exporting surplus electricity and receiving payment for it. It should explain the information you will receive after commissioning and identify any steps you must take with an energy supplier. MCS certification allows us to make a Boiler Upgrade Scheme application for eligible heat pump work and supports eligibility for the Smart Export Guarantee for relevant renewable installations; the quotation should still make clear that current scheme rules and supplier terms apply.
Your roof may be suitable for panels but not for every proposed layout. On a listed, solid-wall or barn-conversion property, planning restrictions, roof construction and cable routes can affect the design. A quotation should record any planning or conservation-area issue identified during the survey instead of treating permission as automatic. It should also state whether the installer has included structural checks where the roof construction makes them necessary.
Ask how the installation will affect the inside of the house. The quotation should show where the inverter, isolators, battery and consumer-unit connections will go. It should explain the cable route, expected access requirements and any drilling or decoration work. Battery equipment needs a suitable location with enough space and appropriate conditions, not simply an empty section of wall.
Warranty information should name the party responsible for each warranty and set out what is covered. Check the separate terms for panels, inverter, battery, mounting system and workmanship. The quotation should explain how you report a fault, who diagnoses it and whether labour, replacement equipment and call-out work are treated differently. Manufacturer warranty wording is not the same as a promise about the system’s annual output.
Commissioning details are part of the value of the quotation. It should say that the system will be tested, labelled and handed over with the relevant electrical and installation documents. You should receive instructions for the monitoring app, isolation switches and battery controls, along with information about safe shutdown and what to do if the system displays a fault.
Monitoring should show more than a panel on a wall. Ask whether the system can show generation, household use, battery charging and exported electricity separately. If the quotation assumes that monitoring depends on an internet connection, it should explain what information remains available if the connection fails.
Maintenance and future changes should be clear. Solar PV usually has no routine fuel delivery or boiler-style service, but the quotation should state what inspection or maintenance is recommended and what is not included. If you may add a battery, EV charger or further panels later, ask whether the proposed inverter, consumer unit and cable routes allow for that. A future addition may need a different design or network approval, so it should not be implied to be automatic.
Finally, check the quotation date, validity period and the process for approving changes. A written quotation should identify the survey findings, the agreed equipment and the total price before work starts. If a site condition changes the price, we should explain why and obtain your agreement before carrying out additional work.
We design solar PV around the roof, electrical installation and household demand we find during the survey. That gives you a quotation you can compare line by line, rather than a system whose cost and performance depend on assumptions left out of the paperwork.
If you expect the battery to keep appliances running during a power cut, the quotation must say exactly what that means. We state whether backup power is included, which circuits it supports, how the changeover works and whether the system needs additional equipment. A standard battery that stores solar energy may not supply the home during an outage.
The quotation should also explain any reserve setting that keeps charge available for backup rather than normal evening use. That lets you compare the proposed battery’s everyday operation with the resilience you actually want.
