Is your roof suitable for solar panels?
Panels generate most on roofs facing roughly south, south-east or south-west, but east- and west-facing roofs can still work, particularly if you use more electricity in the morning or evening. North-facing roofs usually produce much less. Shade from trees, chimneys, dormers or neighbouring buildings matters, because one shaded panel can hold back others on the same string unless optimisers or microinverters are used. A good survey also checks the roof covering, battens and rafters, and whether the structure can carry the extra weight. If the roof will need replacing in the next few years, it's usually sensible to do that first.
Do you need planning permission for roof panels?
On a house in England, roof-mounted panels are usually permitted development. On a pitched roof they mustn't project more than 200 mm from the roof slope or sit above the highest part of the roof, excluding the chimney, and they should be placed to limit the effect on the building's appearance where practicable. In conservation areas and World Heritage Sites, panels mustn't go on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure fronting a highway. Buildings within the grounds of a listed building aren't covered, and a listed building also needs listed building consent. The rules were updated in August 2026, so check the Planning Portal or ask your council.
MCS, Building Regulations and the grid connection
Use an installer certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). An MCS certificate, or one from a recognised equivalent scheme, is normally needed before an electricity supplier will pay you for exported power through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Building Regulations apply to the roof structure and the electrical work, and installers registered with a competent person scheme can certify that work. Your installer should also deal with UK Power Networks, the network operator for Kent: smaller systems are usually notified after commissioning, while larger ones need approval before they connect.
Jobs we can find a solar and battery installer for
- Panel layouts for pitched and flat roofs
- Roof structure and shading checks
- String inverters, optimisers and microinverters
- Generation meters and monitoring apps
- Bird mesh and neat cable runs
- MCS certificates and handover paperwork
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Other services
Solar panels with battery storage · Adding a battery to existing solar panels · EV charger installation · Commercial, farm and outbuilding solar · Solar repairs, inverter replacement and maintenance