Questions check list?

1.8K Posts


Good evening all ….
I now have a few site visits in front of me and a couple of “desk top” quotes received to make sense of.
The problem is that I have worked out that buying a solar PV system seems to me a bit like the wild west, and even if you choose a CMS certified installer it might not be anywhere near sufficient or enough to protect you from being shafted. I think people starting out simply don’t know what they don’t know and therefore are somewhat disabled when it comes to working out what are the key questions to ask (that once you have learned what you do not know you wished you had known from the start and had asked when you started but didn’t!) that might prevent some of the possible mistakes that might otherwise emerge later. Everything buzzes in the head eg G99 G98 DNO Fees or Free, CMS certs, guarantees, etc etc etc
So is there anywhere on this forum where a simple basic questionnaire with perhaps even warnings and alerts that can help someone starting out who knows the square root of nothing and help us decide which installer to choose over and above simply looking at the price and bang per buck and asking people here whether the “price is right. In other words helping choose who should do it amongst a short list.
Hope this question doesn’t seem too daft. I have my first “site visit” tomorrow and realised I have no sett of common questions to ask to separates the wheat from the chaff.
Thanks.
J.
I now have a few site visits in front of me and a couple of “desk top” quotes received to make sense of.
The problem is that I have worked out that buying a solar PV system seems to me a bit like the wild west, and even if you choose a CMS certified installer it might not be anywhere near sufficient or enough to protect you from being shafted. I think people starting out simply don’t know what they don’t know and therefore are somewhat disabled when it comes to working out what are the key questions to ask (that once you have learned what you do not know you wished you had known from the start and had asked when you started but didn’t!) that might prevent some of the possible mistakes that might otherwise emerge later. Everything buzzes in the head eg G99 G98 DNO Fees or Free, CMS certs, guarantees, etc etc etc
So is there anywhere on this forum where a simple basic questionnaire with perhaps even warnings and alerts that can help someone starting out who knows the square root of nothing and help us decide which installer to choose over and above simply looking at the price and bang per buck and asking people here whether the “price is right. In other words helping choose who should do it amongst a short list.
Hope this question doesn’t seem too daft. I have my first “site visit” tomorrow and realised I have no sett of common questions to ask to separates the wheat from the chaff.
Thanks.
J.
0
Latest MSE News and Guides
Replies
2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 2.5kw inverter. 28MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
There's quite good general advice and information and it is updated regularly. They also have a list of local recommended installers.
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375 Longi) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 4.8kw Pylontech battery storage installed March 22
Octopus Flux electric and Tracker gas
I have a number of questions on my list that isn’t on theirs ….. eg How long have they been established; how many installations; (many companies seem to have flashy websites with what appears to be “stock” pictures!); how many people ie is it one man, his wife as company sec; is there a list of local testimonials; etc
https://media.product.which.co.uk/prod/files/file/gm-83a4ef88-ac57-4fdd-af29-cc381afeb2c6-solar-pv-checklist-pdf.pdf
Online reviews and testimonials, hard to know if they are genuine. For some reason I don't trust those sites with Trust in their names though.
I'm happy with and would recommend the company I used (hindsight, would have asked for bigger battery) They are a "man and wife" company who use one scaffolding company and 2 regular teams of installers/electricians. He kept us updated on what/when things would happen and rang several times to check everything was ok. Smaller companies often give a more personal service.
Solar PV 5.25kWp SW facing (14 x 375 Longi) Lux 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 4.8kw Pylontech battery storage installed March 22
Octopus Flux electric and Tracker gas
My installer appeared to be a one man band with two additional men as hired help. Very good service, very good value.