How to get a good quote

Quote stage is where the rubber meets the road. The aim is to come to installers as a prepared buyer — knowing what to ask, what good looks like, and what should make you walk away. Tick items as you complete them — your progress is saved locally to your browser.

What a good quote actually contains

A properly itemised quote will break out the cost of every major component separately: panels (brand, model, wattage, quantity), inverter (brand and model), battery if included (brand, usable capacity, chemistry), mounting hardware, installation labour, scaffolding, and any DNO (Distribution Network Operator) application fees. If a quote gives you one lump sum without line items, ask for the breakdown. A reluctance to provide it is a yellow flag.

The component choices tell you a lot about how an installer approaches the job. An installer quoting a 25-year performance-warranted TOPCon panel and another quoting a panel you cannot identify are making very different long-term commitments on your behalf. Ask each installer to name the panel, inverter, and battery manufacturer — then compare.

MCS certification — non-negotiable

MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certification is required for you to access the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and certain government grant schemes. Every installer who does domestic solar in the UK must be MCS certified. You can verify any installer's certification number at mcscertified.com — it takes thirty seconds and should be part of your process before signing anything.

Red flags worth knowing

The solar market has attracted high-pressure sales tactics. Specific patterns to watch for: “today-only” pricing that expires if you do not sign in the next 24 hours, savings projections based on unrealistically high energy price assumptions, quotes that arrive in person and cannot be sent by email, and unnamed or unverifiable panel manufacturers. None of these guarantee a bad installer, but all of them should slow you down. A reputable company will be comfortable with you taking a week to compare quotes and verify credentials.