Poringland Roofers installs solar PV panels in Wymondham, covering every roofing element from mounting systems and weatherproofing through to a clean, leak-free finish.
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Solar PV installation is not simply a case of bolting panels to tiles. The roof structure underneath has to be sound enough to carry the extra load, the mounting system has to be fixed correctly to the rafters, and every penetration through the roof covering has to be weatherproofed properly. Get any of those wrong and you will have leaks, movement or panels that shift in high wind.
Our role covers the roofing side of the job: structural assessment, tile or slate work where access is needed, the mounting rail system, and the flashing and weatherproofing around all fixings. Solar installations usually involve certified electricians who handle the inverter, cabling and grid connection, so the whole installation is completed by the right people for each part of the work.
Before any panels go up, the roof needs a proper survey. A pitched roof should ideally face broadly south, though south-east and south-west aspects still produce good output. The pitch angle matters too: roofs between roughly 30 and 45 degrees perform well in the UK, though panels can be mounted on frames to adjust the angle if needed on shallower slopes.
Age and condition are just as important as orientation. A roof that needs re-covering in the next few years is worth sorting out before installation, because removing and re-fitting panels to do later remedial work adds cost and inconvenience. Common problems to check include: cracked or slipped tiles, failing mortar on ridge and hip sections, deteriorating felt underlayer, and any soft spots in the timber structure below. We look at all of these as part of our roof assessment before recommending a system.
The market for solar panels has matured considerably, and the options available to homeowners in Wymondham and the surrounding area are wide. Understanding the main types helps you ask better questions of any installer and avoid being steered towards a system that suits the supplier more than it suits your roof.
Monocrystalline panels are cut from a single silicon crystal. They are the most efficient type available for domestic roofs, typically producing more power per square metre than other options. If your usable roof area is limited, monocrystalline panels will generally extract the most from it.
The trade-off is cost: monocrystalline panels are usually the most expensive per panel. They also show a greater power drop in high temperatures, though in the UK that is rarely a significant real-world issue. For most pitched roofs with limited south-facing space, they are the sensible choice.
Polycrystalline panels are made from multiple silicon fragments melted together. They are cheaper to manufacture and therefore cheaper to buy, but they are less efficient per square metre. If you have a large, unshaded south-facing roof and cost is the primary concern, polycrystalline can offer reasonable value. They are less common now than they were five years ago, as monocrystalline prices have fallen substantially.
Thin-film technology is rarely used on domestic roofs in the UK. It is less efficient than crystalline silicon and tends to degrade faster. It has applications in commercial flat-roof installations where weight is a constraint, but for a standard Wymondham home it is not normally the right choice. Any installer suggesting thin-film for a domestic pitched roof is worth questioning carefully.
All-black monocrystalline panels use black frames and black backsheets rather than the silver frame and white backsheet of standard panels. They look noticeably neater on a dark slate or tile roof. The efficiency difference compared to standard monocrystalline is marginal. They cost a little more. If appearance matters to you, especially on a property visible from the street or on a roof with character tiles, the premium is often worth paying.
Standard solar systems run the panels in strings: all panels feed into one inverter. If one panel is shaded, the output of the whole string can drop. Power optimisers fitted to individual panels reduce this effect significantly, at additional cost. Microinverters, which convert DC to AC at each individual panel, go further still. They are the best solution for roofs with complex shapes, chimneys casting shade, or multiple orientations, but they cost more to install and more to replace if a unit fails.
For a simple, unshaded south-facing pitched roof, a good quality string inverter with no optimisers is usually the most cost-effective setup. For anything more complicated, optimisers or microinverters are worth considering seriously.
A solar battery stores electricity generated during the day for use in the evening. Without storage, any surplus generation is exported to the grid (you can be paid for this via the Smart Export Guarantee). With storage, you use more of your own generation and reduce your reliance on grid electricity in the evening peak.
Battery storage adds substantially to the upfront cost, typically £3,500 to £6,000 for a domestic lithium-ion battery unit depending on capacity. The payback period is longer than panels alone. Whether storage makes financial sense depends on your household usage pattern: if you are out during the day and home in the evening, a battery makes considerably more difference than if someone is home during daylight hours using power as it is generated.
Batteries can also be added later if you install panels now and add storage when prices fall further or your circumstances change. The inverter you choose now affects how easily a battery can be added, so it is worth raising this question at the survey stage.
The mounting system is one of the most important parts of the installation from a roofing perspective, and one of the least discussed in consumer guides. Cheap, poorly fitted mounting systems are responsible for a significant number of solar-related leaks.
For pitched roofs with interlocking concrete tiles, hook-based mounting systems that slot under tile edges are straightforward and cause minimal disruption to the roof covering. For natural slate, the approach is different: individual slates are lifted, hooks are fixed to the rafter, and the slates are carefully re-laid around them. This is skilled work and should not be rushed.
Every fixing point that penetrates the roof needs a proper lead or purpose-made flashing. This is not optional. We seal every penetration before the panels are mounted, not after. If water finds its way into a roof void behind solar panels, it can cause damage for months before it becomes visible internally.
A standard domestic installation in the UK uses between 6 and 16 panels depending on roof size and household demand. Common system sizes are 3.5 kWp to 6 kWp for a typical three or four-bedroom home.
These are typical UK ranges based on current market pricing and are not specific quotes. Actual costs vary with roof complexity, the panel brand specified, inverter type, scaffolding requirements, and whether any roofing remedial work is needed beforehand. Always ask for a written itemised quote so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
VAT on residential solar panel installation is currently zero-rated in the UK, which represents a meaningful saving compared to the previous five percent rate. Confirm this applies to your specific installation when getting quotes.
A 4 kWp system on a well-oriented south-facing pitched roof in Norfolk will typically generate between 3,400 and 3,800 kWh of electricity per year. Output varies with shading, pitch angle, panel degradation over time, and actual weather in any given year. Panels do degrade slowly: most monocrystalline panels lose around 0.5 percent of output per year, so after 20 years output is typically around 90 percent of the original figure.
The financial benefit depends on how much of that electricity you use directly (saving you buying it at retail price) versus exporting (paid at a lower Smart Export Guarantee rate). Self-consumption rates for homes where someone is present during the day tend to be higher. A battery improves self-consumption significantly.
Solar panels can be installed on flat roofs using ballasted or mechanically fixed frame systems that tilt the panels to an optimal angle. EPDM rubber and quality felt flat roofs can accommodate solar frames, but the roof condition and drainage must be assessed carefully first. Penetrations through a flat roof membrane are higher-risk for leaks than on a pitched roof, so the weatherproofing detail is especially important. We assess flat roofs as part of our survey and will advise honestly if remedial work is needed before installation can proceed.
The solar market includes a wide range of installers, from large national firms to smaller local teams. Before agreeing to any installation, it is worth asking the following:
Most domestic solar panel installations in England fall under permitted development rights and do not need planning permission, provided the installation does not project more than 200mm beyond the roof slope and the panels do not sit above the highest part of the roof (excluding chimneys). Listed buildings and properties in conservation areas have stricter rules and may need consent. If your Wymondham property is in a designated area, check with the local planning authority before proceeding.
Building regulations notification is required in England for solar panel installations. In practice this is handled through the electrician's registration with a competent persons scheme, which certifies the electrical work and notifies the local authority automatically. Make sure your installer confirms this process before work starts.
We start with a roof survey to assess structural condition, identify any remedial work needed, and confirm the roof is suitable for the system being proposed. From Wymondham we can cover installations across the area and coordinate with neighbouring towns, as well as Norwich and the surrounding villages.
Once the survey is complete and you are happy to proceed, we arrange scaffolding, carry out any necessary roof preparation, fit the mounting system and weatherproofing, and hand over to the electrical team for inverter installation, cabling, and commissioning. A good installer does not leave until the roof is fully weathertight and the installation is signed off.
Call us to arrange a roof assessment for your Wymondham property. We will give you a straight assessment of what your roof can take and what system would suit it, before any sales conversation begins.
Common roofing-related problems after solar installation include leaks at fixing points, cracked tiles from inadequate care during the installation process, and rails that have worked loose because fixings missed the rafter. A second common issue is panels installed on a roof that needed attention before installation: the roof deteriorates underneath, the panels make access harder, and remedial costs rise. Getting the roofing side right from the start avoids all of these.
If you have had panels installed by another company and are concerned about the condition of the roof underneath, we can survey the existing installation and advise on what, if anything, needs attention.
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