Solar, battery and EV questions from Hampshire homeowners.

If a car is likely within a few years, yes. A charger adds a regular evening or overnight load, which changes the best panel count, inverter and battery size. Planning for it now means the system fits the household you will have, and the charger can be added later without rework.

Often, but not always. Done together, the equipment is specified as one system, the electrical work is planned once and one survey covers it all. If the budget says stage it, we can design it that way and make sure each later addition will connect cleanly.

Yes, on a time-of-use tariff a battery can charge overnight when electricity is cheap and supply the house when rates are higher. Whether it pays depends on the tariff and your usage, so we look at both before suggesting it.

A heat pump raises winter demand, which can justify a larger array and battery. Tell us at enquiry if one is planned, and the design allows for it.

It depends on your roof, your system and how your household uses electricity, so we do not quote a blanket percentage. The more of your own generation the house uses, the less it buys from your supplier, and a battery can raise that share. Your plan covers your actual home.

No. Alongside paying outright, qualifying customers can ask about monthly payments and no-upfront-cost routes, and selected short-term 0% offers may be available from time to time. Finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval, and the installation team acts as a credit broker, not a lender.

Asking about payment options is not a finance application and does not affect your credit file.

We review likely suitability and a member of the solar team may contact you to clarify the details. If the property looks suitable, a surveyor checks the roof, shading and electrics in person and you receive a written proposal with expected generation, warranties and payment routes. Asking commits you to nothing.

South-facing is ideal, but east and west roofs can work well too. We look at space, direction, pitch, shading and condition, and if a roof is not suitable we say so.

Yes, though output drops. Daylight is enough, direct sun is a bonus, and winter naturally produces less than summer. We judge a system on the whole year, not on any single day.

Thatch cannot carry panels directly, so a ground-mounted array or another roof on the plot is usually the answer. Flint-built homes are normally roofed in tile or slate, which is workable with matched fixings that we check at every survey.

Very little. An occasional check for moss or debris is generally enough, and manufacturer warranties typically run 25 years or more on performance.

It depends on your daily pattern. A home that uses most of its electricity after dark gains from storing the day's surplus, while one that uses most of it at midday gains less. The proposal tests it against your usage.

Usually. It can normally be installed alongside the existing array without changing the panels, once the inverter and set-up are confirmed as compatible.

Not by default. Backup needs a battery, inverter and wiring configured for it, so say so at the start if it matters to you.

Yes. With the right charger and inverter the car can take surplus solar first. See our EV charging page for more.

The EV Chargepoint Grant currently covers 75% of the cost up to £500, but it has been restricted to renters, flat owner-occupiers and leaseholders, and landlords installing for tenants since 2022 (the £500 cap itself is an April 2026 increase from £350). Homeowners in a standard house are no longer eligible.

A home charger needs a driveway or private space within reach of a cable, so street parking usually points to public or workplace charging instead.

Sometimes, but listed building consent is always needed, and the local conservation officer has the final say. We flag it at enquiry if your address looks like it may be affected.

Most home solar installations fall under permitted development and do not need planning permission. A conservation area, a listed building or a property inside the New Forest or South Downs National Park can add steps. See our Why Hampshire page for the detail.