Is this roof
ready for solar?

STEP ONE / KNOW THE LOAD

Start with a year of electricity use.

Collect at least twelve months of bills if you can. Note total kWh, monthly changes, the utility's fixed charges, and any time-of-use schedule. A large winter heating load or summer air-conditioning peak can be hidden by an annual average. If you expect an electric vehicle, heat pump, or major renovation, write that down as a future scenario rather than quietly treating it as current consumption.

Efficiency improvements may be cheaper than generating the electricity that an inefficient appliance wastes. Check insulation, timers, standby loads, and appliance condition before sizing an array. Reducing avoidable use can also make a future backup battery smaller.

STEP TWO / LOOK UP

Record shade, roof shape, and condition.

Observe the roof at different times of day and through the seasons. Chimneys, nearby trees, dormers, and neighboring buildings can shade different sections differently. A phone photo is useful documentation, but it is not a shade analysis. Ask an installer how shading affects the proposed layout and modeled production.

Check the roof's approximate age and condition. Replacing an old roof after modules are installed can add labor for removal and reinstallation. The roof's material, slope, orientation, structural capacity, access, wind exposure, and fire setbacks all matter. Do not climb onto an unsafe roof to collect measurements; a professional site assessment is the right next step.

STEP THREE / COMPARE THE MODEL

Ask every quote the same questions.

• What array capacity, inverter configuration, and estimated annual kWh are included?
• What assumptions are made for shade, temperature, degradation, downtime, and wiring losses?
• How does monthly generation compare with my monthly use, and how are exports credited locally?
• Which warranties cover panels, inverters, workmanship, and roof penetrations, and who handles claims?
• What monitoring is provided, and what happens if a component fails?

Compare the complete installed price, payment terms, expected production, and contract conditions—not just the monthly payment or a headline payback year. Incentives and export compensation can change by location and over time, so verify them with the relevant utility or public authority rather than copying an old online estimate.

STEP FOUR / LOCAL DETAILS

Permissions are part of the design.

Connection approval, building permits, electrical rules, heritage or homeowners' restrictions, and utility export limits vary by place. A grid-connected array also needs a safe, approved interconnection and appropriate disconnects. Ask who is responsible for each application, the inspection process, and the expected commissioning steps.