From quote to switch-on: the steps in order

The sequence

1. Survey and quote. The installer visits, measures and checks the roof, the electrics and shading, then sends a written quote with the kit, predicted output, warranties and payment stages.
2. Contract and cancellation period. You sign. If you signed at home, the 14-day cancellation period runs from here; the firm can start sooner only if you ask in writing.
3. Network operator. Small systems are notified to SP Energy Networks after connection. If the inverters could export more than 3.68 kW on a single phase, the installer applies first and waits for approval.
4. Scaffolding. Usually put up a day or two before the fitters arrive and left until the roof work is signed off.
5. Roof day. Brackets fixed through the roof covering to the rafters, rails and panels mounted, cables run inside to the inverter.
6. Electrical day. Inverter, isolators, generation meter and any battery fitted and connected to the consumer unit; the system is tested and commissioned.
7. Paperwork. MCS certificate, electrical installation certificate, network notification, datasheets, warranties and monitoring set up.
8. Export tariff. You apply to a supplier for the Smart Export Guarantee, with the MCS certificate and a meter that records exports.

The network operator

Southport's local electricity network belongs to SP Energy Networks, which runs the SP Manweb licence area. Every solar system connected in parallel with the grid must be reported to it. For most homes this is a formality handled by the installer: a system whose inverters can export no more than 3.68 kW on a single-phase supply is connected first and notified within 28 days, under the G98 procedure. Above that, the installer applies under G99 before connection and waits for an answer; the network operator may approve it as it is, approve it with an export limit set in the inverter, or ask for changes.

Most of the example roofs in our roof planner fall under the simpler route. The largest, a full villa slope, may not, and a battery added to a system also counts towards the total. Ask at the quote stage which route your system takes and how long the installer expects it to take.

Scaffolding in Southport streets

Scaffolding goes up first. On a terrace it may need to sit on the pavement, which needs a licence from the council that the scaffolding firm normally obtains. On a semi or villa it may need to stand on a shared drive or a neighbour's garden, which needs your neighbour's agreement. Settle this before the date is fixed, not on the morning. Bays, porches and conservatories along the front of many Southport houses mean the scaffold often has to bridge over them.

On the roof

The fitters lift slates or tiles at each bracket position, fix the bracket to a rafter, and refit or replace the covering around it. Rails go on the brackets and the panels clip to the rails. Cables come into the loft through a sealed entry and run down to the inverter. On a slate roof, ask to see how the slates around each bracket have been dressed; on any roof, ask for photographs of the fixings before the panels cover them.

Inside

The inverter usually goes in the loft, a garage or a utility room. The electrician fits isolators so the panels and the inverter can be switched off safely, a generation meter, and any battery, then connects to the consumer unit. Expect the power to be off for a few hours. Before leaving, the installer should test and commission the system, set up the monitoring app with you and show you where everything is.

What you should hold at the end

• The MCS certificate for the installation.
• An electrical installation certificate for the new circuit.
• The G98 notification sent to SP Energy Networks, or its G99 approval.
• Datasheets for the panels, inverter, mounting kit and any battery.
• Warranty documents, including the insurance-backed workmanship warranty.
• The inverter settings, including any export limit, and the monitoring log-in.

With the MCS certificate and a meter that records exports, normally a smart meter, you can apply to an electricity supplier for the Smart Export Guarantee. You do not have to use your import supplier; compare the rates on offer.

Read on

• Finding an installer
• Looking after panels
• Batteries
• Planning rules

Sources for this page

1. SP Energy Networks: connecting to the grid
2. SP Energy Networks to Ofgem (October 2020): SP Manweb serves Merseyside and North Wales
3. NESO: GB distribution network operator licence areas
4. MCS: MIS 3002 solar PV systems installation standard, version 6.0 (March 2026)
5. Ofgem: the Smart Export Guarantee explained
6. Citizens Advice: cancelling a service you have arranged
7. Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC)