Our process
How Solar Fx Works
Seven stages, in order, from the first conversation to a commissioned system with the paperwork in your hands. Each stage sets out what happens, what we need from you and what you get at the end of it.
- Survey before quotation
- Fixed written price
- Documented handover
Most of what goes wrong with a solar installation goes wrong before anyone climbs a ladder: a design drawn from aerial imagery and never checked, a price that moves once the scaffold is up, a roof penetration nobody looked at again. Our process is arranged to close those gaps. Nothing is quoted as a fixed price until the property has been surveyed, and nothing is installed that is not in the written specification you have seen.
Depending on the service and location, work may be completed by Solar Fx or an approved installation partner working to our specification. That specification is the same document either way, and so are our installation standards. Design, quotation, certification and aftercare stay with Solar Fx regardless of who is on the scaffold.
The seven stages
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Stage 01
Enquiry and initial consultation
What happens
You tell us the postcode, the property and roughly what you are trying to achieve — lower import, more self-consumption, an EV charger, a battery added to an existing array. We confirm the property is inside our working area, ask about your electricity usage and tariff, and talk through what is realistic on a roof of that type. If what you want is not sensible on your property, we say so at this stage rather than at survey.
What we need from you
Full postcode, property type, an idea of your annual or monthly electricity usage, and any constraints you already know about — a conservation area, a listed building, a recent re-roof, a planned extension.
What you get
A conversation with someone who has read the enquiry, an honest view on whether the property suits solar, and confirmation of whether we cover the area and roughly when we could survey.
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Stage 02
Remote design and indicative proposal
What happens
We model the roof from aerial imagery and mapping, set the orientation and pitch, sketch a panel layout against the obstructions we can see — chimneys, vents, rooflights, hips and valleys — and estimate annual generation. We size an inverter and, if you want storage, an indicative battery capacity against your usage pattern. This is a desk exercise and it is labelled as one.
What we need from you
A recent electricity bill or smart meter export if you have one, and confirmation of anything the imagery cannot show, such as a flue on the rear elevation or trees that have grown since the photograph.
What you get
An indicative proposal setting out a panel layout, an estimated annual generation figure, an indicative specification and an indicative price range. It is not a quotation and we do not ask you to sign anything against it.
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Stage 03
Site survey
What happens
Someone attends the property. The roof covering, structure and condition are inspected, rafter centres and rafter depth are established, and the loft is checked where there is access. We measure the array area properly, record shading, and inspect the consumer unit, main earthing and bonding, incoming supply and available spare ways. We work out where the inverter and any battery can go, how the DC and AC cabling will be routed, and what scaffolding the property needs.
What we need from you
Access to the loft or roof void where there is one, access to the consumer unit and meter, and around an hour to an hour and a half of your time. It helps if someone who knows the property is present.
What you get
A survey record covering roof structure and condition, electrical supply arrangements, shading, proposed equipment positions, cable routes, access and scaffolding requirements, and any remedial work the property needs before installation.
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Stage 04
Final design, specification and fixed quotation
What happens
The survey findings replace the desk assumptions. The panel layout is set against real measurements, the string design is checked against the inverter operating window, the mounting system and fixing pattern are specified against the actual rafter centres, and battery capacity is confirmed against your usage. Everything the property needs — scaffolding, a consumer unit change, additional earthing, a longer cable route, bird protection — is priced in.
What we need from you
Your decisions on the options put to you: panel choice, battery capacity, whether an EV charger is included, whether bird protection is added.
What you get
A written specification naming the equipment, the layout, the mounting method and the electrical arrangement, together with a fixed written quotation covering the whole scope. The applicable warranty terms are confirmed in that document before any work begins.
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Stage 05
Permissions, DNO notification and scheduling
What happens
We establish whether the installation falls under permitted development or needs a planning application, and flag listed building or conservation area consent where it applies. On the network side, systems within the G98 threshold are notified to the distribution network operator after commissioning; systems above it need a G99 application approved before installation. Scaffolding is booked, materials are ordered and an installation date is agreed around your availability and the scaffold lead time.
What we need from you
Confirmation to proceed, access arrangements, parking information, and details of any neighbour or management company permission needed for scaffolding.
What you get
A written schedule showing the scaffold date, the installation dates and the commissioning date, plus confirmation of which network application route applies to your system and who is submitting it.
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Stage 06
Installation
What happens
Scaffolding goes up first and is handed over as fit for use. Floors and furnishings on the working routes are protected. Tiles or slates are lifted, roof anchors are fixed into rafters, the mounting rails are set out and levelled, and the roof covering is reinstated and made weathertight around every penetration. Panels are mounted and clamped to the specified torque, DC cabling is routed and secured, and the inverter and any battery are mounted in the agreed positions. AC cabling, isolation and protective devices are installed and the system is connected at the consumer unit.
What we need from you
Access on the agreed dates, a clear working area around the consumer unit and the inverter position, and somewhere to park close to the property. Expect the electricity supply to be off for a short period while the final connection is made.
What you get
The system physically installed to the written specification, the roof reinstated, the working areas cleared each day, and any deviation from the design agreed with you before it is carried out rather than reported afterwards.
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Stage 07
Commissioning, handover, certification and export registration
What happens
The installation is tested and energised. DC and AC circuits are tested, insulation resistance, polarity, earth continuity and RCD operation are verified, string voltages and currents are checked against the design, and inverter protection settings are confirmed. Labelling is completed at the inverter, isolators, consumer unit and meter position. Monitoring is set up and registered to you. We then walk you through the system in person.
What we need from you
Around forty-five minutes at handover, a broadband connection for monitoring, and the account details you want the monitoring registered against.
What you get
A documentation pack, monitoring you can log into, a labelled and tested installation, and the certification you need to approach a Smart Export Guarantee supplier.
How long it takes
Many domestic installations are completed in one to three days once scaffolding is in place, although the actual duration depends on system size, roof type, access, electrical works and whether a battery is included.
The installation itself is usually the shortest part of the programme. Scaffold lead times, material availability, a G99 application where one is needed, and your own availability for survey and handover normally set the overall timescale. We give you dates in writing at stage five rather than a vague window, and tell you if any of them move.
What happens on site
The detail below sits inside stages six and seven. It is the part customers ask about most, so it is set out here in full rather than summarised.
Property protection
Floor protection is laid on every route used between the entrance, the loft hatch, the consumer unit and the inverter position. Furniture is moved away from working areas or covered. Loft insulation is protected where equipment or cabling passes through, and reinstated afterwards. Drives and paths under the scaffold are kept clear, and the working areas are swept at the end of each day rather than at the end of the job.
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is specified for the elevation being worked on, erected by the scaffold contractor and handed over with a written handover before anyone works from it. It is inspected before use and at the intervals required, and includes edge protection and a safe means of access. Where the scaffold has to stand on a neighbour's land, a shared drive or a public footway, the permissions or licences are arranged before the date is confirmed. More on this in our guide to scaffolding and access for solar.
Roof inspection and fixing method
The roof covering and structure are inspected again from the scaffold before the first tile is lifted. Roof anchors are fixed into rafters, never into battens, at centres set by the mounting system's structural tables for the loads at your site. Tiles are cut or dressed rather than forced, slates are refixed properly rather than nailed through, and every penetration is made weathertight in the manner the mounting manufacturer specifies. Cracked or perished tiles found during the works are reported to you before they are covered by an array. Our mounting systems page explains the options in more detail.
Cable routing
DC cabling is kept as short as the layout allows, routed in protective containment where it is exposed, supported at intervals so nothing hangs on a connector, and kept clear of sharp edges and hot surfaces. Roof entries are sealed. Inside the loft, cabling is clipped and run in containment rather than draped over joists, and DC and AC runs are kept separate and identified. External runs use UV-resistant cable and containment.
Inverter and battery siting
Positions are agreed with you at survey, not chosen on the day. Both need ventilation, the manufacturer's clearances, a surface that will carry the weight, and space for a future service visit or replacement. Inverters are kept out of direct sun and away from living space where noise would be noticed. Batteries are sited within their stated temperature range, away from escape routes where that is required, and mounted or floor-standing according to the product. A garage, plant room or utility area usually suits both better than a loft. See our pages on hybrid inverters and battery storage technology.
Testing and commissioning
Before energising, DC strings are checked for polarity, open-circuit voltage and insulation resistance, and the AC side is tested for earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and RCD operation. Once energised, string currents and inverter readings are compared against the design, protection settings are confirmed and the shutdown and isolation sequence is proved. Results are recorded on the certificate, not just observed.
Monitoring setup
The inverter is connected to your network, the monitoring portal account is created in your name, and the system details are entered so the figures mean something. We check that generation, consumption and, where fitted, battery charge and discharge are all reporting before we leave. Our page on monitoring systems covers what the data can and cannot tell you.
Customer walkthrough
In person, at handover: where every isolator is and what it does, how to shut the system down safely and bring it back up, what the inverter display and the app are telling you, how any battery charging schedule or tariff setting has been configured, what to expect on a bright day and a dull one, what needs a visit, and who to call. We would rather spend the time then than field the same question by telephone in February.
Your documentation pack
Handed over at stage seven. Keep it: a future buyer's surveyor, an export supplier and anyone making a warranty claim will all ask for parts of it.
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Electrical certification | Electrical installation certificate covering the new circuits, with the schedule of test results. |
| Handover pack | System specification as installed, panel layout drawing, string arrangement and equipment positions. |
| Manufacturer documentation | Datasheets, manuals and registered warranty documents for the panels, inverter, battery and mounting system. |
| Network paperwork | Confirmation of the G98 notification submitted after commissioning, or the approved G99 connection agreement. |
| Certification for export | The scheme certificate for the installation, which a Smart Export Guarantee supplier will normally ask to see. |
| Aftercare information | Monitoring login, what to check yourself, what needs a visit, and how to raise a fault or a warranty claim. |
Common questions
How long does a domestic installation take?
Many domestic installations are completed in one to three days once scaffolding is in place, although the actual duration depends on system size, roof type, access, electrical works and whether a battery is included.
Do I have to be at home for the whole installation?
No. We need access on the agreed dates and someone available at the start, at the point the supply is switched off for the final connection, and at handover. The rest of the time you can carry on as normal, although the scaffold and the working route through the property will be in use.
Is the quotation fixed, or does it change once work starts?
The quotation issued after survey is fixed for the scope it describes. The point of surveying properly is that the things that usually become variations — scaffolding, consumer unit work, additional earthing, awkward cable routes — are identified before you are asked to commit. If something genuinely unforeseen is found once the roof is open, we stop, explain it and agree the position with you in writing before continuing.
Who actually carries out the work?
Depending on the service and location, work may be completed by Solar Fx or an approved installation partner working to our specification. Whoever attends works to the same written specification and the same installation standards, and the design, the quotation and the aftercare route stay with us.
When can I start exporting to the grid?
Once the system is commissioned, the network notification is complete and you hold the certification for the installation, you can approach a Smart Export Guarantee licensee and apply for an export tariff. The supplier sets its own rate and terms, and will normally ask for your certificate and meter details.
Read next
The stages above in more depth, and the standards the work is measured against.
- What happens during a solar surveyStage three in detail: what is measured, what is inspected and why the loft matters.
- Our installation standardsThe technical standards every installation carried out through Solar Fx is held to.
- G98 and G99 DNO applicationsWhich network application route your system falls under, and when it has to be made.
- Warranties and guaranteesProduct, performance, inverter, battery and workmanship cover, and how a claim is made.
- Solar panel installationThe service itself: what is included, what is not, and what drives the price.
- Areas we coverThe towns and counties we work in, from our base near Reading.
Sources
- Distributed Generation Connection Guide: G98 for Single Premises — Energy Networks Association. Accessed 2026-08-23.
- Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — Ofgem. Accessed 2026-08-23.
- Solar panels — planning permission — Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-08-23.
Information reviewed on 2026-08-23.
Start at stage one
Tell us the postcode and the property and we will confirm coverage, talk through what suits the roof, and arrange a survey.