Poringland Roofers installs solar PV panels on pitched and flat roofs in Thorpe St Andrew, handling every roofing element from mounting systems to weatherproofing so your roof stays sound from day one.
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Solar PV installation is not just an electrical job. Panels sit on your roof for decades, which means the structural and weatherproofing work has to be done properly before the electrician connects a single cable. That means assessing the roof covering, checking the battens and rafters can carry the extra load, fitting the correct mounting rails and brackets, and sealing every penetration so rainwater cannot track down into the roof void.
We handle the roofing side of this work across Thorpe St Andrew and the wider Norwich area, including Poringland, Wymondham, Mulbarton, Cringleford, Hellesdon, Drayton, Taverham, Long Stratton, Loddon and Old Buckenham. Working alongside certified electricians means the whole process can run from roof survey through to switch-on without the customer having to juggle separate trades.
Many homes in and around Thorpe St Andrew have a pitched roof. Pitched roofs generally suit solar panels well because the slope naturally sheds water away from the mounting points. The key is choosing the right bracket system for your tile profile and making sure any hooks or bolts pass through the tile correctly rather than cracking it.
Flat roofs are less common on main house structures but appear on extensions, garages and outbuildings. On a flat roof, panels are usually mounted on ballasted frames angled to catch the sun, which avoids penetrating the waterproof membrane entirely. Where penetrations are unavoidable, the membrane must be cut, sealed and dressed properly around each fixing. EPDM rubber and modern felt flat roofs both allow for this, but the method differs between systems.
A standard domestic solar PV system on a pitched roof in the UK typically costs between £5,000 and £9,000 for a 3.5 kWp to 6 kWp system, including panels, inverter, mounting hardware, roofing labour and electrical connection. Larger systems or more complex roofs push the price up. A 10 kWp system might run to £12,000 or more once all elements are included.
Battery storage is a separate cost. A good-quality home battery unit adds roughly £2,500 to £5,000 to the overall price depending on capacity. It lets you store surplus generation during the day and use it in the evening rather than exporting it to the grid for a much smaller return.
Ground-mounted systems cost more to install than roof-mounted arrays because of the groundworks and additional cabling involved, but they offer more flexibility over orientation and tilt. For properties with enough garden or land, a ground-mounted array in a good south-facing position can outperform a roof installation where the roof pitch or orientation is less than ideal. We can advise on this during a roof and site assessment.
This is the section most customers wish they had read before they signed a contract. The solar market includes excellent installers and some very poor ones. The questions below will help you separate them before you commit to anything.
Many solar companies are primarily electrical businesses. They understand inverters and panels perfectly well but may not have experienced roofers carrying out the penetrations, flashings and tile work. Ask specifically: who will be doing the work on the roof covering itself, and what roofing experience do they have? A company that uses a roofer as a sub-contractor is not necessarily a problem, but you should know who that roofer is and be able to check their work separately.
Poor roof penetration work is one of the most common causes of problems with solar installations. Cracked tiles, incorrectly seated hooks and missing or inadequate flashings around cable entry points can allow water ingress that goes unnoticed for months or even years. By the time a leak becomes visible inside the house, the damage to battens, felt and insulation can be significant.
No reputable installer should give you a firm price based solely on satellite imagery or an online form. A physical roof assessment allows the installer to check the condition of your existing roof covering, verify the rafter spacing and structural condition, identify any existing defects that need addressing before panels go on, and confirm the actual orientation and shading of the roof. Ask whether the survey includes a check of the loft space to assess rafter depth and any existing insulation that might affect ventilation.
If a company quotes you without visiting the property, treat that as a reason to ask more questions. An accurate quote requires seeing the roof.
If your roof already has a cracked tile, a loose ridge, or a failing lead flashing around a chimney, those problems need to be resolved before panels are installed on top of them. Ask the installer what their process is if they find defects during the survey. Do they include minor repairs in the price, or is that a separate contract? Will they flag any concerns in writing?
A roof with panels on it is harder to work on than one without. Any repair needed under or around the array after installation will cost more and take longer than the same job done first. Getting the roof into good condition before installation is straightforward common sense.
There are several recognised mounting rail and bracket systems on the market. The quality and suitability varies. Ask the installer which system they use and why they have chosen it for your roof type. A good installer will be able to explain why that system suits your tile profile, roof pitch and local conditions. If they cannot explain it clearly, or if they seem to be using whatever is cheapest, that is worth noting.
For interlocking concrete tiles, the bracket hooks through the tile above and clips to the batten. The tile below remains undamaged. For plain clay tiles or slates, different systems use in-roof mounts or purpose-made hooks. Each method has a correct installation procedure, and shortcuts show up later as movement, noise or water ingress.
The electrical connection of a solar PV system must be carried out by a qualified electrician registered with a competent persons scheme such as NICEIC or NAPIT. This is not optional: the installation must be notified to building control, and the certification that results is what proves to a future buyer or insurer that the system was installed correctly.
Ask for written confirmation of who the electrical contractor is, which scheme they are registered with, and what documentation you will receive on completion. You should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) and, where the system exports to the grid, the relevant DNO notification paperwork. If a company is vague about this, ask again in writing.
Ask specifically what the roof will look like when the crew leaves. Will all tile cuts be sealed? Will lead or aluminium flashing be fitted where cables exit the roof? Will any removed tiles be re-bedded or replaced rather than simply pushed back? Will the scaffold or access equipment be removed cleanly?
It is entirely reasonable to ask for a short snag inspection period after installation. Walk around the property with the installer before they leave and check that you are satisfied with how the roof has been left. If something looks wrong to you, say so then rather than weeks later.
Three quotes is a sensible minimum for a job of this size. When comparing them, make sure you are looking at the same system size (in kWp), the same panel brand and specification, the same inverter type, and the same scope of roofing work. A quote that is significantly cheaper than the others may be using cheaper components, skipping steps on the roofing side, or relying on the fact that most customers do not check the detail.
Ask each company to itemise the quote: panels, inverter, mounting system, roofing labour, electrical labour, scaffolding, and any additional items such as battery storage or optimisers. A clear itemised quote lets you compare properly and also gives you a record if anything is missing from the finished installation.
Be cautious of generation estimates that seem very high. A 4 kWp south-facing system at a good pitch in the UK might generate around 3,400 to 3,800 kWh per year under reasonable conditions. An east-west split system or one with shading will generate less. Ask the installer what assumptions they are making about orientation, pitch, shading and your own consumption pattern when they calculate a payback period.
Payback periods for a typical domestic system, without battery storage, are currently in the range of 8 to 12 years depending on system size, electricity tariff, self-consumption rate and any export payments. With battery storage, payback tends to be longer because the upfront cost is higher. Longer is not necessarily wrong, but you should understand the assumptions behind whatever figure you are given.
Solar panels have very low maintenance requirements, but they are not zero. Panels accumulate dust, moss and bird droppings over time, particularly if the pitch is shallow. A visual inspection every year or two is sensible. Panels can usually be cleaned with water and a soft brush from a telescopic pole without needing to go on the roof.
The inverter is the component most likely to need replacement over the lifetime of a system. A good-quality string inverter typically lasts 10 to 15 years. Microinverters and DC optimisers are warranted for longer by their manufacturers, though individual performance should still be monitored. Ask the installer how you will know if a panel or inverter develops a fault, and what monitoring is included.
A company that has been working in Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich or the surrounding area including Wymondham, Cringleford, Hellesdon or Taverham should be able to point you to recent customers who are willing to speak to you. Online reviews are useful but a direct conversation with a past customer about how the job was managed, how any problems were handled and how the roof has been since is more valuable.
Ask specifically for references from jobs of a similar type to yours, whether that is a pitched tiled roof, a flat roof extension or a ground-mounted installation. A company with genuine local experience will have these references without difficulty.
A typical domestic installation takes one to two days depending on system size and roof complexity. Day one usually covers scaffold erection (if not already in place), removal and storage of tiles at the mounting positions, bracket and rail installation, tile replacement and any necessary flashings or sealing. Panels are then clipped to the rails and cabled. The electrical connection, inverter fitting and final testing are usually completed on day two.
You should expect the roof to be secure and weathertight at the end of each working day, not left open overnight. If the installer plans to leave the roof partially open, ask how it will be made safe and weatherproof until they return.
If you are considering solar panels for your home in Thorpe St Andrew, the first step is a proper roof assessment to check the structure, covering and orientation. Ask for a roof survey that tells you honestly what the roof needs before any panels go on it.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
