How to Compare Solar Quotes in Doncaster: A 10-Point Checklist

Getting three quotes for solar is good advice. Comparing them is the hard part. One installer includes scaffolding, another leaves it off. One names the exact panels and inverter, another just says "4kW system". The cheapest quote on paper is sometimes the most expensive once the missing pieces get added on later.

We're AMP Pro Electrical, an owner-run firm based in Armthorpe, and homeowners regularly show us competing quotes and ask what we make of them. This is the checklist we'd use on any quote — including ours. If you want the background on systems and pricing first, our solar panels Doncaster page covers typical costs across the DN postcodes.

Two benchmark figures to hold in your head: a 4kW system fully installed typically costs £6,500–£8,500, and a solar-plus-battery package £11,000–£14,000, both at 0% VAT until 31 March 2027. A quote well outside those ranges deserves a question — not necessarily a rejection.

The 10-point checklist

1. Is the kit named, make and model? "4kW solar system" tells you almost nothing. The quote should list the panel manufacturer and model, the inverter, and the battery if there is one. Without that you can't compare warranties, look up independent reviews, or confirm on install day that you got what you paid for.

2. Is scaffolding in the price? Scaffolding is a real cost on almost every domestic job, and it's the most common "extra" that appears after you've signed. The quote should state that scaffolding is included — in writing. Our solar panel installation page walks through what actually happens on install day, scaffold up to scaffold down.

3. Who handles the DNO paperwork? Northern Powergrid is the network operator across Doncaster. A system up to 16A (3.68kW) per phase is notified under G98 after installation; anything bigger needs G99 approval before work starts. Ask each installer plainly: who submits this, and when? We handle both as part of the job. An installer who can't answer clearly is a warning sign.

4. Will you get an MCS certificate? No MCS certificate, no Smart Export Guarantee — SEG suppliers generally won't pay you for exported units without one. Confirm the installer is MCS-certified and that your certificate is part of the job, not an optional extra.

5. How does the warranty actually split? There are usually four separate warranties: panel product, panel performance, inverter, and workmanship. Get the years for each, and — more importantly — ask who you ring if something fails in year six. If the answer is "the manufacturer", ask who handles the claim and who pays for the labour to swap the part.

6. Has 0% VAT been applied? Domestic solar and battery installations are zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027 (the rate reverts to 5% from 1 April 2027). The quote should say so explicitly. If VAT isn't mentioned at all, ask — you shouldn't be paying it, and a quote that's vague here may be vague elsewhere.

7. Is the price fixed in writing? An estimate from a satellite photo isn't a price. A proper quote follows a survey — roof condition, consumer unit, cable runs, scaffold access — and is then fixed in writing. That's how we work: free survey first, then a figure that doesn't move unless you change the job.

8. Is the payback estimate honest? In South Yorkshire a 4kW array typically generates 3,300–3,700kWh a year, and a realistic payback is 7–9 years. Be wary of quotes that get to four or five years by assuming you use every unit you generate — on a solar-only system, self-consumption is typically around 35%, with the rest exported. Export pays far less than a used unit saves: Octopus Outgoing currently pays 12p/kWh (cut from 15p in March 2026), while a unit used at home avoids roughly 26p of import — about a two-to-one difference. The assumptions matter more than the headline number, so ask to see them.

9. Is the battery sized to you — or upsold? A battery lifts self-consumption from around 35% to roughly 75–90%, which is where much of the value sits — but only if it's sized against your actual evening and overnight usage. A 5–10kWh battery typically costs £3,500–£7,500 fitted; we install Tesla Powerwall, Fox ESS, EcoFlow and Sigenergy. A quote that defaults everyone to the biggest unit, with no reference to your usage, is selling hardware rather than solving your bill. Our battery storage page explains how we size them.

10. Is the aftercare a named person? Who monitors the system, and who do you call when the app shows a fault on a Sunday? With us it's Paul Carrick — the owner, and the electrician who signs off the work. We're NICEIC and NAPIT registered, so the electrical work is inspected and certified, not just "done".

What a good quote looks like

A good quote names the kit, includes the scaffold, sorts the DNO paperwork, comes with an MCS certificate, spells out each warranty, applies 0% VAT, is fixed in writing after a survey, uses honest generation and self-consumption assumptions, sizes any battery to your usage, and tells you who picks up the phone afterwards.

If a quote you're holding falls short on a few of these, we're happy to give a straight second opinion, no obligation. We work within about 30 miles of Armthorpe, so most of Doncaster is a short drive away. Call 0333 577 5464 or use the contact form on this page and we'll book a free survey.