Compare photovoltaic panel quotes from MCS-certified installers.
Tell us about your home and your details.
Our partners get in touch with you.
You choose the quote that suits you best.
Find the right solar setup for your home.
Comparemypanels.co.uk
Without Comparemypanels.co.uk
On our calculation, a 4 kWp system without a battery is worth around £523 to £603 a year on a south-facing roof and £435 to £495 on an east-facing roof, if you buy your electricity from the supplier that pays you 12p per kWh for exports. At an export rate open to anyone (about 4p), a south-facing roof is worth around £299 to £333. That's bill savings plus Smart Export Guarantee payments, for a household using 2,500 kWh a year at the October to December 2026 price cap.
See how we calculated
Through us you get quotes from several installers, so you can choose the one that suits you best.
Answers to the most common questions.
Most standard roof-mounted installations on a domestic property in England fall under permitted development and do not need a full planning application. Exceptions include listed buildings, properties in conservation areas, and some flat-roof installations. Your installer must identify whether a formal application or a prior-approval check is needed for your specific property before work begins.
Once your system is certified under MCS or an equivalent scheme and registered, you can apply to an electricity supplier for a SEG tariff. Suppliers with at least 150,000 domestic customers must offer one, but the rate is supplier-set and varies widely between providers, so comparing tariffs at this stage is worthwhile. The SEG is an ongoing export payment, not a one-off grant.
On our calculation, payback is about 11–16 years on a south-facing roof if you also buy your electricity from the supplier that pays 12p per kWh for exports, and about 20–28 years at an open export rate of about 4p; it takes longer if the roof is east-facing or sits in partial shade. Payback depends on system size, how much of the generated power your household consumes directly, and the SEG tariff you secure. An installer who sizes the system to your actual consumption, rather than the largest array that fits, will give you the most accurate projection.
Residential installation of photovoltaic panels is zero-rated for VAT to 31 March 2027 (HMRC VAT Notice 708/6), meaning 0% VAT applies to installations such as a typical 4.5 kWp system, which the Energy Saving Trust's 2026 figures put at around £7,600. After that date the rate rises to 5%, so if your installation is planned for after March 2027, confirm the applicable rate with your installer when you request quotes.
Expect two separate documents: a product warranty from the manufacturer, whose length varies by panel maker (most inverters carry at least five years, often extendable, according to the Energy Saving Trust), and a workmanship warranty from the installer covering the installation itself. Ask for both in writing before signing. A quote that does not specify warranty terms in writing is incomplete.
The Energy Saving Trust puts a typical 4.5 kWp home photovoltaic system at around £7,600 installed (2026), yet quotes for similar homes can differ widely, depending on roof size, orientation, and which installer you speak to.
The difference rarely comes down to panel quality alone. It comes down to how many quotes you request and how carefully you weigh them up. On our calculation, payback runs about 11–16 years on a south-facing roof if you also buy your electricity from the supplier that pays 12p per kWh for exports (about 20–28 years at an open export rate of about 4p), and longer if your roof faces east or sits in partial shade, so the quote you accept at the start shapes your returns for decades.
This page helps you understand what drives those numbers, what to check before you sign, and how to request quotes from qualified installers who will contact you with figures for your specific home.
Below is a comparison of what each type is like.
Panels fixed directly to your existing roof structure. The most common choice for UK homes with a pitched south- or south-west-facing roof and no serious shading.
Panels replace the roof covering itself. Tiles or slates generate power while blending into the building rather than sitting on top of it.
Panels sit on angled ballast frames on a flat roof. The angle and direction are chosen to get the best yield, not tied to how the building faces.
A solar array paired with a home battery. Surplus power made during the day is stored and used in the evening rather than sent to the grid.
Fill out one short form about your home and energy use, and MCS-certified installers in your area will contact you directly with quotes sized to your roof and consumption.
You compare the offers you receive, pricing, warranties, and system specs all visible, and you decide. There is no fee for the service and no obligation to proceed.
Request your quotes and put the choice in your hands.
A larger array generates more power and costs more upfront. Sizing should match your actual consumption: an oversized system exports more than you use, while an undersized one leaves bill savings on the table. Your installer will size the system from your annual usage figure.
A straightforward pitched roof with easy access costs less to install than a complex hip roof, a slate roof requiring specialist fixings, or a flat roof needing tilt frames and ballast. Labour time rises with complexity, and that flows directly into the quote you receive.
String inverters cost less; microinverters or optimisers add cost but can recover yield on partially shaded roofs. Adding battery storage is a separate line in the quote and carries its own warranty period. Panel warranty terms vary by manufacturer, and most inverters have a warranty of at least five years, which can often be extended, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Multi-storey homes, awkward roof angles, or sites near roads often require more scaffolding time and a more detailed survey. These costs are legitimate and should appear as named line items in any transparent quote; ask for a breakdown if they are bundled.
Installation of photovoltaic panels on a UK home currently attracts 0% VAT, zero-rated to 31 March 2027 (HMRC VAT Notice 708/6). On a typical 4.5 kWp system costing around £7,600 (Energy Saving Trust, 2026), that is a meaningful saving compared with the 5% rate that applies from 1 April 2027. Beyond that date, check with your installer what rate applies to your planned installation.
Item | Value |
|---|---|
Typical payback period | about 11–16 years south-facing and 13–19 east-facing if you buy your electricity from the supplier paying 12p for exports; about 20–28 years south-facing at an open rate of about 4p (our calculation) |
Typical panel/product warranty | panels: terms vary by manufacturer; inverters: at least 5 years, often extendable (Energy Saving Trust) |
VAT on residential solar installation | 0% (zero-rated to 31 Mar 2027) |
Typical installed system cost (domestic) | £7,600 approx. for a typical 4.5 kWp home system (Energy Saving Trust, 2026) |
Annual benefit incl. Smart Export Guarantee | £523–£603 a year south-facing and £435–£495 east-facing if you buy your electricity from the supplier paying 12p for exports; £299–£333 south-facing at an open rate of about 4p (our calculation, 4 kWp, no battery) |
Facts verified as of 2026-10-02.
Our calculation for a 4 kWp home system without a battery, using PVGIS for London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff and the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026. The 12p export rate needs you to buy your electricity from the supplier that pays it; 4.05p is the median rate open to anyone. Source: Our calculation (How we calculate)
Once you have chosen your installer and signed the contract, the MCS-certified installer submits any necessary planning or building-regulation notifications on your behalf. Most standard residential installations in England do not require a full planning application, but conservation areas and listed buildings are exceptions your installer must flag.
Scaffolding goes up, typically for one to two days, followed by the panel installation itself, which usually takes one day for a straightforward system. The inverter is wired in and the system connected to your consumer unit.
Your installer registers the system with the Distribution Network Operator (DNO), which is required before the system can export power. Once the DNO confirms, you can apply to an electricity supplier for a Smart Export Guarantee tariff, rates are supplier-set and vary, so comparing tariffs at that stage pays. From survey to switch-on, most domestic installations complete within four to eight weeks.
Prices and rates reviewed 2 October 2026
