10 Things When Choosing a Solar for Your Business

 10 Key Things to Look for When Choosing a Solar Installer for Your Business

Practical tips to ensure your solar investment performs, lasts, and delivers real value

Installing solar on a commercial building is a smart move - lowering energy bills, cutting carbon, and boosting energy resilience. But getting it right takes more than just picking the cheapest quote.

The quality of your installer can be the difference between a reliable, long-term asset and a system that underdelivers from day one.

Here are 10 key things to look for when selecting a commercial solar installer.

 

1. A Business-Led, Not Sales-Led Approach
Avoid companies that jump straight into pricing before understanding your business and site. A good installer will take the time to ask about your site, how you use energy, and what you want the system to achieve. This ensures the solution is built around your goals and not a pre-packaged system.

 

2. Realistic Payback and Savings Estimates
Be cautious of proposals showing high savings without explaining how they’re calculated. Responsible installers will walk you through:

  • What the estimates are based on (like local sunlight and usage)

  • What assumptions they’ve made

  • What factors might affect actual savings over time

It’s better to be realistic upfront than disappointed later.

 

3. Experience in Commercial Settings
Commercial sites are more complex than homes. Your installer should have experience working on buildings like warehouses, schools, manufacturing sites, or offices - where electrical layouts, access, and safety planning can be more involved.

Commercial solar isn’t something most domestic installers can simply “add on” - look for teams who do this as their core business.

 

4. A Proven Track Record in Energy Systems
Some solar providers are relatively new or operate as one-person setups. There’s nothing wrong with that but for larger commercial systems, look for a business with several years’ experience delivering energy projects.

This experience brings not just better installs, but better handling of paperwork, permissions, and planning.

 

5. Honest, Transparent Advice
The right installer won’t tell you only what you want to hear. They’ll be open about:

  • Whether your roof is suitable

  • Any limitations (like shading, access, or electrical constraints)

  • Potential costs or delays, such as local grid approvals or landlord signoff

You should leave early conversations feeling informed and not pressured.

 

6. A Focus on Long-Term Design Quality
A solar system is a 20–25 year asset. That means the design should prioritise long-term performance, including:

  • Durable, maintainable cabling

  • Secure mounting without damaging the roof

  • Proper documentation for future servicing

  • Easy access to monitoring and support tools

Good installers think about what happens long after they’ve left site.

 

7. Fully Qualified Installation Teams
Ask who will actually carry out the work. Some companies subcontract to the lowest bidder - often with little oversight.

Choose an installer who uses qualified electricians and experienced commercial installers who are used to working in busy, live environments. This helps avoid safety risks, quality issues, and compliance problems down the line.

 

8. Clarity on What’s Included
Not all quotes are equal. Make sure you understand what’s included:

  • Is scaffolding part of the price?

  • Are monitoring systems set up and handed over?

  • Will they handle permissions or approvals?

  • Are there any hidden extras? Some of these may be such things as access to client portals, specific metering, ties to existing electrical infrastructure, hidden DNO upgrade costs.

The more detailed and transparent the proposal, the smoother the process will be. Check the additions/ exclusions in the quote to understand how installers compare.

 

9. Familiarity with Approval and Compliance Processes
Commercial solar installations often require approval from your electricity network, landlord, or local council. Some may also need input from insurers or planning departments.

A good installer will know these steps inside out and help guide you through them rather than leaving you to figure it out once delays occur.

 

10. Aftercare, Monitoring, and Support
Your relationship with a solar installer shouldn’t end on the day of commissioning. Look for businesses that:

  • Offer ongoing support if something goes wrong

  • Provide access to monitoring tools so you can see how your system is performing

  • Are easy to get hold of if you have questions in the future

Aftercare is often overlooked but it’s where long-term value is really protected.

 

Final Thoughts

A commercial solar system is a long-term investment and not just a box-ticking exercise. Choosing the right installer means you’re far more likely to get a system that performs well, adds value to your business, and avoids unnecessary stress.

Look for experience, transparency, and a focus on quality and you’ll be in good hands.