How the match works
Some enquiry forms pass your details to several installers at once. We work differently: we talk to you first, then put your site in front of one installer who suits it.
| Step | What happens | Who you hear from |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Short form | You tell us the site type, whether you own or lease, your rough electricity spend and your timescale | Nobody yet |
| 2. Our call | We call to understand the building, the roof, how you use power and who decides | Us |
| 3. The match | If the site looks suitable, we choose one installer who passes our checks, covers your area and takes on jobs of your size | Us, to confirm |
| 4. The survey | The installer surveys the site, in person or by video, free of charge | That one installer |
| 5. The proposal | You get a system design, cost, savings and payback to take to your board | That one installer |
If the site is clearly not suitable, for example a roof with only a year or two of life left and no plan to replace it, we say so on the call. The full sequence is on how a survey works, and how we are paid is set out on how we work.
The checks every installer passes
We match you with one of 130+ MCS certified installers across the UK, and only those who pass our checks.
| Check | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Reviews | What customers say about their work |
| Accreditations | The certifications and memberships that apply to the work they do |
| Trading history | How long the business has traded and its record at Companies House |
| Stable directorships | Who runs the company, and whether that has been settled |
| MCS | That the installer is MCS certified for solar PV |
| Area and job size | That they cover your area and take on projects of your size |
If an installer doesn't meet these, we don't match them. Area and job size matter as much as the rest: a firm that mostly fits 10 kWp systems is not the right choice for a 300 kWp warehouse roof, and a large contractor may not want a 20 kWp job on a village hall.
Why one installer, not a list of callers
- Your phone stays quiet. Your details go to one installer only, so you are not called by several companies at once.
- The survey gets done properly. An installer who knows they are the only one on the job has a reason to spend time on your roof, your meter data and your grid connection.
- You can still compare. Nothing stops you getting other quotes. Our guide to choosing an installer explains how to compare them like for like.
- No obligation. The survey is free, and you decide whether to go ahead. Any contract is between you and the installer.
What the installer does at the survey
The survey covers the four things that decide whether solar works on your site, set out in full on what the survey includes:
- Your energy use. Bills and, ideally, half-hourly data, so the system is sized to what you use in daylight. See energy data analysis.
- The roof. Covering, age, condition, fragile rooflights, shading and access. See roof survey for solar.
- The structure. Whether the frame can carry the extra load, and whether an engineer's report is needed. See structural survey for solar.
- The grid connection. Your supply, the main switchboard and which route the network operator will use. See G98 vs G99 and G100 export limitation.
You then get a proposal with a system size, a cost, the generation and savings expected and a payback figure. To get a feel for the numbers first, try the commercial solar calculator.
How to check any installer yourself
You do not have to take anyone's word for it, including ours. Four public checks take a few minutes.
| Check | Where | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| MCS certification | MCS Find an Installer | The company is listed for solar PV. MCS's solar installation standard covers systems up to 50 kWp; for larger systems, ask which standards they design to |
| Company record | Companies House Find and update company information | Status Active, accounts and confirmation statement filed on time, and the directors listed under People with their appointment dates |
| Consumer code, where relevant | Renewable Energy Consumer Code | RECC sets standards for selling small-scale generation to domestic consumers, so a business contract usually sits outside it. If your site includes a home, such as a farmhouse or a flat above a shop, ask whether the installer is a member |
| Evidence for your project | Ask the installer | Insurance, similar sites they have completed, their approach to fire safety and insurers' guidance, and their experience of G99 applications with your network operator |
Companies House says itself that it does not check the accuracy of the information filed, so treat the record as a starting point.
Commercial solar installers near you
We match sites across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our area pages set out the local network operator, planning points and funding: Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Nottingham, Southampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Cardiff and Belfast, or see all regions.
When you are ready, book a free survey and we will call you to talk the site through.
Frequently asked questions
How do you choose which commercial solar installer surveys my site?
We match you with one of 130+ MCS certified installers across the UK, and only those who pass our checks: reviews, accreditations, trading history, stable directorships, MCS, area and job size. Within that, we pick an installer who covers your area and takes on projects the size of yours. If an installer doesn't meet these, we don't match them.
Will several installers call me?
No. If your site looks suitable after our call, your details go to one installer only. That installer arranges the survey with you. You are free to get other quotes yourself, but we do not pass your details round a list of companies.
Do commercial solar installers need to be MCS certified?
MCS's solar installation standard covers systems up to 50 kWp, and some schemes, such as Smart Export Guarantee payments for smaller systems, ask for an MCS certificate. Every installer we match is MCS certified. For larger systems, ask the installer which design and installation standards they work to and what certification the system will have.
How can I check a commercial solar installer myself?
Search the company on MCS's Find an Installer tool, look up its record at Companies House (status, filing history and directors), ask for insurance and examples of similar sites, and ask how they handle the grid application with your network operator. If part of your site is a home, ask whether they belong to a consumer code such as RECC.
Does the installer charge for the survey?
No. The survey is free for your business and there is no obligation to go ahead. If you decide to proceed, the price of the installation is agreed directly between you and the installer.
Related pages
- How we workWho runs the site, how we are paid, how we choose your installer and what happens to your details.
How a survey worksEach step from enquiry to costed proposal, what to prepare and what you receive.- Choosing an installerCertification by system size, insurance, warranties, design documents, yield assumptions, questions to ask and red flags, with a table for comparing quotes like for like.
- What the survey includesThe full list of what is checked: energy use, roof, structure, grid, costs and finance.
- Commercial solar calculatorEstimate commercial solar savings and payback, with the generation, price and cost assumptions shown and sourced, and the limits of a simple estimate explained.
RegionsWhat differs by region and nation, and pages for major cities.