Is my solar panel quote too expensive?

Compare the same system and work before comparing prices. Check the panels, inverter, battery, installation work, warranties and savings assumptions. If two quotes include different things, their totals are hard to compare. There is no single right price for every home.

Compare the whole proposal, not just the total

1. Compare the system size and design. Check the number and size of the panels, the inverter and any battery. Ask how much electricity the installer expects the system to make in a year and what they know about your roof, such as its direction and shade.
2. Compare what the installation includes. Check for scaffolding, electrical and roof work, bird protection and any extra charges. Ask the installer to put exclusions and possible extra costs in writing.
3. Check the equipment and cover. Ask for the make and model of each main item. Check what each warranty covers, how long it lasts and who you would contact if something goes wrong.
4. Ask how the savings were estimated. Check the assumed electricity use, prices and payment for exported electricity. These payments depend on your supplier and tariff, so a forecast rate is not guaranteed.
5. Compare the full amount you will pay. Put the cash price beside any finance option. Include the deposit, interest, fees and total repayable, not just the monthly payment.

MCS guidance for MCS-certified installers says quotes should explain the work, costs and terms. This can help you decide what to ask; it does not prove that a particular price is fair or that Fairbeam has checked an installer.

When should you ask for a revision?

Ask for an explanation if equipment is not named, prices differ a lot, work is left out, or savings rely on a payment rate you have not confirmed. Get any changes and the full price in writing. These are questions to clear up, not proof that anything is wrong.

A second written quote can help. Try to compare a similar system, battery choice, equipment, installation work and warranties. A cheaper quote may leave out work; a higher price is not automatically better.

Check the battery separately

If your quote includes a battery, compare its extra cost and likely bill benefit with the same panels without one. A battery can store some spare solar power for later, but it loses some energy and may reduce paid exports. Your usage, tariff and the battery itself all matter.

Compare the battery’s added value and check the whole quote’s payback assumptions. Both tools use examples; their results are not a prediction for your home.

What Fairbeam can and cannot tell you

Fairbeam can organise details from your quote and highlight questions to ask. It cannot inspect your roof, check the installer’s design or guarantee savings. Check your solar quote for free before you decide.

Sources and further guidance

• MCS Guidance for Contracts and Quotations (2026): clarity of scope, costs and terms for MCS-certified installers.
• Energy Saving Trust: Rooftop solar panel installation: installation steps, generation and export considerations.
• Competition and Markets Authority: consumer guide to buying green heating and insulation products: consumer checks before, during and after a purchase.
• Ofgem: Smart Export Guarantee for generators: eligibility and supplier-specific payment terms in Great Britain.

Sources checked 20 October 2026. Prices, tariffs and consumer circumstances vary. Northern Ireland has different export arrangements; confirm the relevant local terms.