Wymondham Roofers carries out solar panel installation in Taverham, covering all the roof-level mounting, sealing and weatherproofing so your panels are fixed securely and your roof stays watertight.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Installing solar panels is not just an electrical job. Every panel array sits on a mounting system that goes through your roof covering, and getting that work right determines whether your roof stays watertight for the life of the system. We handle the roof-level side of solar installations in Taverham and the surrounding area, working alongside a MCS-accredited electrician so the whole job is properly co-ordinated from start to finish.
The process on a pitched tiled roof involves fixing aluminium mounting rails to the rafters through the tile covering, sealing every penetration point and relaying tiles neatly around the brackets. On a flat roof, a ballasted or fixed frame is built up from the deck, with careful attention to waterproofing continuity. The electrical work connects to those rails and brackets once the roof work is done and approved.
A well-sized solar array on a south or south-west facing roof in Norfolk can cover a meaningful proportion of a household's daytime electricity use. Typical UK figures suggest a 4 kWp system generates around 3,400 to 3,800 kWh per year, though actual output depends on your roof orientation, shading and the angle of pitch. That generation directly offsets what you would otherwise buy from the grid at current rates.
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) allows you to earn a payment for each unit of electricity you export. Rates are set by individual energy suppliers, not by the government, so it is worth comparing offers before you install. Battery storage lets you hold on to surplus generation and use it in the evening, which improves self-consumption significantly. Battery capacity typically runs from 5 kWh to 15 kWh for domestic use.
The financial case for solar depends on how much electricity you use, when you use it, and what you pay for it. A system that suits a household with high daytime use is not the same as one sized for a household that is mainly out during the day. Getting that sizing right matters more than chasing the cheapest quote.
Before any solar installation goes ahead, there is a question that comes first: is the existing roof in good enough condition to have a panel array mounted on it, or does it need repair or partial replacement beforehand? This is one of the most practical decisions in the whole process, and it is one that most solar companies are not well placed to answer because they are not roofing specialists.
Fitting solar panels on a roof that has underlying problems is not just poor practice, it creates a much more expensive problem later. If tiles need replacing, felt needs renewing or flashings need re-doing within the next few years, you will have to lift and refit the panel array to do that work. Lifting and refitting adds cost and means scaffolding goes up twice. Dealing with the roof first, before the panels go on, is nearly always the more economical route.
Repair makes sense when the roof structure is sound, the tile or slate covering is mostly in good condition, and the problems are localised. A few slipped or cracked tiles, a section of open flashing around a chimney or skylight, or a small area of deteriorated felt underlayer can often be dealt with without a full re-roof. The cost of targeted repairs is relatively low, and once done, the roof will be in good condition for the solar array to go on.
Signs that repair is likely to be sufficient include:
A targeted repair ahead of installation adds a relatively modest amount to the project cost and avoids a much larger disruption later. If you are planning solar, it is worth factoring this possibility into your budget from the outset rather than assuming the roof is fine without checking.
There are circumstances where carrying out repairs and then mounting solar on top of them does not make economic or practical sense. If the roof is already showing widespread problems, or if the covering is near the end of its service life, fitting a panel array on top of it is borrowing trouble.
Replacement is worth serious consideration when:
Replacing the roof covering before installation is not a setback; it is good planning. A new covering gives the panel array a stable, weathertight base that will not need attention during the operational life of the system. It also gives a better starting point for the mounting fixings, because the roofer fitting the array can position brackets and hooks as the new tiles go on, which is neater and more precise than working around an existing covering.
A proper inspection from roof level, not a ground-level walk-round or a satellite image check, tells you what you are actually working with. From the roof you can check individual tile condition, look at the state of the felt where it is visible, check ridge and verge bedding, and look at flashings closely. From inside the loft you can check rafters and battens for any sign of past or current water ingress, and confirm the rafter positions and spacing that the mounting brackets will need to line up with.
Most solar companies do not carry out this level of inspection before quoting. A roofing specialist does it as standard because the quality of the roof affects how the installation is planned and what it costs. An inspection that reveals a section of failed felt or a few cracked tiles is much better news at the planning stage than at the moment a scaffolding crew turns up to start work.
Flat-roofed extensions and garages may also be suitable for solar. The repair-or-replace question applies equally here. Flat roof coverings have a finite lifespan: felt systems typically last 10 to 20 years depending on the specification, while EPDM rubber membranes generally last longer.
If a flat roof membrane is already blistering, split at seams or showing ponding water that is not draining, fitting a panel frame on top of it is not sensible. The frame fixings penetrate the membrane, and a membrane that is already failing will not hold those penetrations watertight for long. Replacing the membrane first, or at the same time as the installation, gives a sound base and means any warranty on the new membrane is not compromised by later work.
If the flat roof is in good condition, a ballasted frame (weighted with concrete paving blocks) avoids penetrating the membrane altogether, which is the preferred approach where the structure can take the extra load. A roof survey confirms whether ballasting is viable on your particular flat roof.
For a standard three to four-bedroom home, a 4 kWp solar array typically costs in the region of £6,000 to £9,000 fully installed. A larger 6 kWp system for bigger roofs runs roughly £8,000 to £12,000. Adding battery storage generally adds £2,500 to £5,000 depending on capacity and brand. Roof repairs before installation vary too widely to give a single figure, but targeted repair work ahead of a solar job is typically in the hundreds rather than thousands for localised issues.
A full re-roof before installation adds more to the project cost, but spread over the lifespan of the solar system (panels are typically rated to produce useful output for 25 years or more), having a sound roof underneath them from day one represents good value. The alternative, lifting and refitting a panel array in 5 to 10 years to deal with a roof that was already struggling, will cost more overall.
The electrical side of solar installation must be carried out by an MCS-accredited electrician. MCS accreditation is required for SEG registration and grid connection. We do not carry out electrical work ourselves, but we co-ordinate with your chosen MCS electrician so the roof work and electrical work are sequenced properly.
We work across Taverham and the nearby towns and villages including Hellesdon, Drayton, Bowthorpe, Cringleford and Wymondham. If you are considering solar panels and want to know whether your roof needs any attention before the installation goes ahead, call us to arrange a roof-level inspection. We will give you a straight answer about the roof condition and what, if anything, needs doing first.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
