What happens at a solar roof survey?

A solar roof survey helps turn an early estimate into a proposal for your home.

The survey should check the roof, shading, electrical arrangements and how you use electricity. It also helps identify work or specialist checks needed before the design can be confirmed.

It is also the point where you should learn what is included, what is uncertain and what needs to be checked before a final decision.

For a useful discussion, have a recent electricity bill and any known plans for a battery, EV charger or heat pump available.

The roof check

The roof is the starting point.

A survey should consider orientation, roof sections, usable space, pitch, shading, roof condition, access and possible obstacles such as chimneys, vents, valleys, dormers, roof windows or nearby trees.

The aim is not simply to fit the maximum number of panels. The aim is to design a system that makes sense for the property.

A good survey should also consider how panels will look on the roof and whether the layout creates any obvious installation or maintenance issues.

The energy check

A good solar system should be shaped around electricity use.

Bills, day/night usage, working from home habits, EV plans, heat pump plans and evening demand can all affect the recommendation.

This is especially important when battery storage is being considered. The battery should match the generation and usage pattern, not appear as a generic extra.

The grant check

If you may apply for an SEAI Solar Electricity Grant, ask how the proposal allows for the grant requirements.

SEAI’s Solar Electricity Grant has eligibility rules. SEAI currently states that the home must have an MPRN, must have been built and occupied before 2021, and must not previously have received solar PV funding at that MPRN. SEAI also states that grant approval must be in place before works proceed.

A survey or quote is not grant approval. Confirm who will handle the application and what must happen before work starts.

The installation conversation

A proper survey should also cover the physical installation.

That includes inverter location, battery location if relevant, cable routes, containment, access, safety considerations, monitoring and handover documents.

These details affect how tidy, understandable and maintainable the system feels after installation.

The product conversation

A survey should also help narrow the product options.

You may need a straightforward solar PV system, a hybrid inverter, battery storage, EV charging, backup options or a phased plan for future upgrades. The recommendation should follow the property and usage pattern rather than push one default package.

What to ask for after the survey

Ask for the proposed panel count, system size, modelled generation and its assumptions, product options, grant assumptions, battery or EV charging options, key installation details, the next quotation steps, and a written note of anything still to be confirmed.

You should also know what is an estimate and what is confirmed.

Roof survey checklist

Before you decide

A solar roof survey should make the project clearer, not more confusing.

It should help you compare system size, grant position, product choices, installation quality and practical next steps before making a decision.

Explore a home solar estimate without contact details, or use the calculator to request a free roof survey. There is no obligation to proceed with an installation.