Before You Go Solar: The Checklist Every Business Should Use

If you’re a business owner thinking about solar PV, the next few months are arguably the best time to get a system designed and installed. You want panels commissioned and generating before the summer peak in daylight and on-site electricity demand. But solar is also one of those investments where how you buy matters just as much as what you buy.

Below is a practical, technical checklist of what you should be asking for in a solar quotation, and what you should be thinking about internally, to make sure you end up with a safe, transparent, and high-performing system.

1. Start with the roof: structural loading really matters

Before panels ever arrive on site, you need confidence that your roof can safely take the additional load.

• Ask for a roof loading / structural survey.

• Ideally, this is carried out by an independent structural engineer, not the installer themselves.

• At a minimum, ensure the solar contractor formally accepts the results of the survey and designs the system to comply with it.

This isn’t box-ticking. Cutting corners here risks future liability, insurance issues, and in the worst case, structural failure.

2. Demand clarity on the main equipment (and price it separately)

A good quotation should clearly list the core components, not hide them inside a single headline number.

Ask for:

• Solar panels

  • Manufacturer

  • Model number

  • Rated power (Wp)

  • Warranty terms (product and performance)

• Inverters

  • Manufacturer and model

  • Central vs string vs micro-inverters

  • Warranty length and extension options

Ideally, the main equipment costs should be priced separately from installation costs. This makes it far easier to compare quotes and spot where corners might be cut.

3. Insist on a transparent cost breakdown

To properly compare “apples with apples”, installation costs should be split into logical components:

• Panel installation (mounting systems, fixing, labour)

• Electrical works (DC cabling, AC cabling, containment, inverter installation)

• Commissioning and testing

• Access costs (scaffolding, lifts, edge protection, temporary works)

This level of transparency protects you in two ways:

1. It discourages contractors from saving money by downgrading equipment quality.

2. It ensures safety equipment and access provisions are not compromised to make a quote look cheaper.

If scaffolding is required, it should be explicit. Solar should never be installed “on the cheap” at the expense of worker safety.

4. Understand the connection to your existing electrical system

Your quote should include:

• Connection works to your existing LV distribution board

• Any required upgrades (switchgear, protection, metering)

And crucially:

• Grid connection costs

• Any requirements under G99 / G100 for export limitation or protection systems

This is where projects often overrun on time and cost if it hasn’t been properly scoped upfront.

5. What happens to surplus generation?

Solar doesn’t just generate electricity—it creates choices.

You should ask:

• Can surplus electricity be exported to the grid?

• Is export limited, and if so, to what percentage of installed capacity?

• How is export controlled (hardware vs software limitation)?

• Can the business earn revenue, and through which route (export tariff, PPA, supplier agreement)?

Equally important: understand how much solar you can realistically self-consume, as this is usually where the strongest financial case lies.

6. Experience matters: interrogate the contractor’s track record

Once pricing is clear, the next differentiator is capability.

Ask for:

• At least three reference projects of similar size, roof type, and business use.

• A named contact for each reference—not just a glossy case study.

If you’re making a significant investment, visit at least one reference site. A day spent doing this is a day very well spent.

For each reference project, ask:

• Total project cost

• Installed capacity (kWp) – the sum of all panel ratings

• Modelled annual output (kWh)

• Explanation of modelling assumptions:

  • Location

  • Roof angle and orientation

  • Shading

• Actual annual output since installation

This last point is critical.

Some variance between modelled and actual output is normal—weather changes year to year. But if actual output is consistently lower across multiple projects and years, that’s a red flag. Over time, good modelling and real-world averages should broadly align.

7. Maintenance, cleaning, and failures: plan for the long term

Solar is low maintenance—but it is not zero maintenance.

Ensure the contractor provides:

• A maintenance agreement or plan

• Guidance on panel cleaning (frequency, access, cost)

• A repair and replacement strategy for failed panels or inverters

Over a 25+ year lifespan, some components will fail. Knowing how that is handled upfront avoids nasty surprises later.

Final thought

Solar PV is one of the few investments that can deliver:

• Lower operating costs

• Reduced carbon emissions

• Greater energy resilience

…but only if it’s designed, installed, and contracted properly.

Follow the steps above and you greatly increase the chance that, a few months from now, you’ll be watching your meter slow down—while your roof quietly produces free electricity for decades to come.

While You Are Here…

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