Panels and mounting
Scope
Which panel make and model are included, and how many?
Exclusions
Are mounting components and roof fixings included?
Over time
What is the panel warranty, and who deals with a fault?
Bright Ray / Your home, considered
Solar costs and value: what to check before you compare
A solar quote is only as clear as the list behind it. This guide explains what you are paying for, what is easily left out, what a system costs to look after, and how to read any claim about value.
Read beyond the headline price
Cost categoryScopeExclusionsOver time
Inverter
Scope
Which inverter is included and where will it be mounted?
Exclusions
Is any extra wiring or enclosure for it priced separately?
Over time
How long is it expected to last and what would replacing it involve?
Installation labour
Scope
Does the price cover all labour from start to commissioning?
Exclusions
Are there any labour charges that apply if the work takes longer?
Over time
Who do I contact if a problem appears after the work?
Scaffolding and access
Scope
Is scaffolding or equivalent access equipment included?
Exclusions
Would extra access be charged if roof or site conditions differ?
Over time
Would a later repair need access again, and who pays?
Electrical work and connection
Scope
What electrical work and connection paperwork are included?
Exclusions
Is any fuse board or supply upgrade excluded?
Over time
What electrical checks do you recommend over time?
Monitoring
Scope
What monitoring is included, and what do I need at home to use it?
Exclusions
Are any apps, devices or subscriptions extra?
Over time
What happens to monitoring if the service changes or ends?
Battery storage (optional)
Scope
Is storage quoted separately so I can compare with and without?
Exclusions
Are battery-specific installation and wiring costs shown?
Over time
What is the expected battery life and what does replacement involve?
What is the estimate assuming?
Household electricity use
Which annual usage figure and daily pattern does the estimate assume?
Share of generation used at home
How much of the solar output is assumed to be used in the house?
Electricity prices over time
What price, and what change to it, is assumed in the calculation?
Output and shading
How was generation worked out for my roof direction, angle and shade?
Upkeep and replacement costs
Does the estimate include inspection, an inverter replacement and any other upkeep?
What am I paying for?
A home solar project is more than panels. Most quotes combine equipment, labour and the work needed to connect the system safely, and a clear quote names each part.
This guide gives no prices. Costs depend on your roof, your home and the equipment chosen, so ask for a written breakdown for your own property.
Panels and mounting
The panels themselves and the frame that fixes them to the roof. Ask for the make and model, and the number of panels.
Which panels are included, and how many?
Inverter
Converts the panels' direct current to the alternating current your home uses. Its type and position affect cost and upkeep.
Which inverter is included and where will it be fitted?
Installation labour
The time of the people carrying out the work, including roof work and cable routes through the house.
Does the price include all labour and how long is the work expected to take?
Scaffolding and access
Safe roof access often needs scaffolding or equivalent. It may be priced separately or built into the total.
Is access equipment included in the quote?
Electrical work and connection
Connection to your consumer unit, isolators, cabling and any notification to your network operator.
Who arranges the grid connection paperwork?
Monitoring
An app or display showing generation and use. Some are included; some need a separate device or subscription.
Is monitoring included, and is there any ongoing charge?
Optional battery storage
A battery adds equipment and installation work and is usually priced as an extra to the core system.
Is storage priced separately so I can compare with and without?
What might be left out?
Two quotes can look far apart simply because one leaves things out. The cost ledger above marks the lines worth confirming, so you can compare like with like.
None of these are necessarily extras you will pay for. They are items to ask about, so that nothing surprises you after you agree.
Roof repairs or reinforcement
Work to tiles, battens or timbers found necessary once the roof is inspected is often outside a basic quote.
What happens if the roof needs work before panels go on?
Consumer unit upgrades
An older fuse board may need replacing to connect a system. Check whether that is allowed for in the price.
Is any change to my fuse board included or excluded?
Scaffolding
Sometimes listed as a separate line, sometimes assumed. Confirm which.
Is scaffolding in the total or added later?
Cable routes and making good
Longer cable runs, drilling and redecoration after the work can add to the project.
Who makes good any disturbed surfaces inside and out?
Taxes and fees
Check whether the total shown includes VAT where it applies and any fees for notifications or certificates.
Does the total include all taxes and fees?
Remove-and-refit costs
If a system has to be taken down for later roof work, refitting is normally a separate job.
Would panels have to be removed for roof work later, and who would charge for it?
What about running and replacing?
Solar panels have no moving parts, but a system is not cost-free after installation. Plan for occasional checks and for parts that wear out sooner than the panels.
Ask any provider what you are expected to arrange yourself and what, if anything, they offer. Do not assume aftercare is included.
Inspection
Periodic visual and electrical checks help spot loose fixings, damaged cables or faults early.
How often should the system be inspected, and by whom?
Cleaning
Rain clears much of the dirt, but bird droppings and shade from growth may need attention.
Will panels need cleaning where my home is?
Inverter replacement
Inverters commonly wear out before panels do, so it is sensible to ask when replacement may be needed and what it might involve.
What is the expected inverter life and its warranty?
Insurance
Tell your home insurer about any system. Cover, and any change to your premium, is a matter for them.
Does my home insurer need to be told about the system?
Monitoring and software
Check whether apps, data connections or portals have any charge now or later, and what happens if they are withdrawn.
Will monitoring keep working without a paid plan?
How is 'value' calculated?
Any claim about savings or payback rests on assumptions: how much electricity you use, how much of the generation you use at home, what electricity costs, and how long equipment lasts. Change one and the answer changes.
That is why two estimates for the same house can differ. Neither is wrong; they assume different things. Ask for the assumptions behind any figure in writing, and treat a number with none attached with caution.
Your own use
The figure should reflect your actual records and daily pattern, not a typical home.
Which usage figures does this estimate assume?
Electricity prices
Future prices are unknown. See which price the estimate uses and whether it assumes it will rise, fall or stay the same.
What electricity price and change over time are assumed?
Generation and shading
Output depends on roof direction, angle, shade and weather. An estimate should say how it was reached for your roof.
How was expected generation worked out for my roof?
Equipment life and replacements
A longer-term figure should allow for parts that may need replacing, such as an inverter.
Does the estimate include replacement costs?
Start with one email
Ask for the assumptions in writing
Email us the cost or value question you want clearer, along with any quote you are reading. We will reply to what you send.
