Questions we are asked most

For a grid-tied system sized to daytime consumption, payback typically falls between three and seven years, depending on your tariff, how much of your generation you use on site, and whether storage is included. Adding a battery lengthens payback but buys outage protection and evening self-consumption. The sizing tool gives you an indicative figure from your own bill; the quotation refines it using measured load.

Tier-1 modules carry a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty guaranteeing roughly 85% of rated output at year 25. Inverters carry 5 to 10 years depending on model and extension. Lithium batteries are warranted for 10 years or a stated cycle count. Our workmanship warranty covers the installation itself. TODO: confirm the exact warranty terms of the products you stock.

Very little, but not none. Modules need cleaning where dust, salt or pollen accumulate — typically twice a year. Mounting torque, DC connections and earthing should be inspected annually, and inverters need their cooling paths kept clear. Remote monitoring catches most problems before a visit is needed, which is why every system we install reports into the platform.

Where net metering or a feed-in tariff is available, yes — surplus generation is exported and credited against your import. The rules, the credit rate and the approval process are set by your utility, and we handle the application as part of the installation. Where export is not permitted, we fit export limitation or size the system to self-consumption instead.

Only if you need power when the grid is down, or if your consumption is concentrated in the evening. A grid-tied system without storage is cheaper and pays back faster, but it stops producing during an outage for safety reasons. If your supply is unreliable or you run critical loads, storage stops being a luxury. The sizing tool asks about both so the recommendation reflects your situation.

A standard grid-tied inverter shuts down during an outage — this is a legal requirement that protects utility crews working on the line. A hybrid or off-grid inverter with a battery disconnects from the grid and keeps your chosen circuits running, switching over in milliseconds. You decide at design stage whether that covers essential loads only or the whole property.

Allow roughly 5 to 6 m² per kW of array once walkways and setbacks are included, so a 6 kWp system needs about 33 m² of usable, unshaded roof. Orientation matters more than most people expect: a south-facing pitch in the northern hemisphere gains materially over an east or west one. Where roof space is short, higher-efficiency modules or a ground mount are the alternatives.

A correctly installed system does not. Penetrations are flashed and sealed to the roof covering, loads are spread across rafters, and the array is engineered for local wind uplift. On tile and metal roofs we use hook or clamp systems that avoid new penetrations entirely where the structure allows. Roof condition is assessed during the survey, and we will say plainly if a roof needs work first.

A typical residential installation is completed in one to three days on site, once permits and grid approval are in hand. Commercial installations run from one week to several, depending on size and phasing. The longest part is usually paperwork, not work — utility approval timelines vary considerably, and we start that process as soon as the contract is signed.

Cost scales mainly with array size and storage capacity. The sizing tool shows an indicative range built from a per-watt figure appropriate to this market, and the quotation replaces it with real pricing once roof type, access, cable runs and switchgear are known. We quote fixed scope: the price you accept is the price you pay unless you ask for a change. TODO: confirm the per-watt figures used by the tool.

Yes, if it is designed for it. We routinely install battery-ready hybrid inverters and leave DC capacity and conduit for a later string, which makes expansion straightforward. Retrofitting storage to an older grid-tied system is also possible using an AC-coupled battery. Tell us at design stage what you might add and we will leave room for it.

It is a well-founded estimate, not a design. It calculates daily consumption from the appliances and running hours you enter, then sizes the array against local peak sun hours with a realistic performance ratio. What it cannot see is your roof geometry, shading through the day, switchgear condition and cable runs — which is why the technical intake and, where needed, a site survey come before any firm quotation.