A quotation made without seeing the site is a guess. A site survey turns the guess into a design. It takes a few hours and saves problems later, which is why a serious installer insists on it.
Key takeaways
- The survey covers the roof or land, shade, the structure, the electrical supply and the loads.
- Measurements and photographs become the design, the layout and the quotation.
- The survey should also record safety, access and approval needs.
- You should receive a written summary, not just a verbal opinion.
1. The roof or land
We measure the usable area and the direction and slope, and note obstacles such as tanks, stair covers, parapets, vents and air conditioners. We look at the roof surface, its drainage and its waterproofing, and at how the panels could be fixed. See roof space needed for solar.
2. Shade
Nearby buildings, trees, poles and equipment can shade the panels. We check the shade at different times of the day and in winter, when the sun is low. A shade analysis helps place the panels where the sun is best.
3. The structure
For a roof, we check the type and condition, and whether a structural opinion is needed; see rooftop structural check for solar. For ground mounts, we look at the soil, drainage and access.
4. The electrical supply
We look at the main board, the meter, the breakers, the cable sizes, the earthing and the space for the inverter. We note the supply type (single-phase or three-phase), the sanctioned load and the distance from the roof to the board; see single-phase vs three-phase.
5. The loads and the bills
We study your bills and, for larger sites, the load profile, and ask which loads must run during an outage. See load profile and solar design.
6. Safety, access and approvals
We check how to reach the roof safely, where to store material, and any building rules or owner permissions. We also note what the electricity company needs for net metering; read net metering in Pakistan.
7. What you receive
A good survey ends in a design and a quotation that uses the real measurements: the layout, the equipment list, the single-line diagram and the production estimate. If a survey is skipped, expect surprises.
Next step
Book a survey through the quotation form or the contact page, or read how we install on the installation page.
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