Nine things to check in any solar quote

1. Is installation included?

Some quotes price the equipment only and add labour, mounting rails and cabling later. Ask for a single installed price that covers supply, mounting, wiring, installation and commissioning. Our prices include all of these.

2. Is the changeover switch in there?

A changeover switch safely isolates your system from the Kenya Power supply. It is a legal and safety requirement, and it is often missing from cheap quotes, only to appear as an extra on installation day.

3. Earthing and surge protection

A proper earth and surge protection protect your equipment, and you, from faults and lightning. They should be listed on the quote. If they are not, ask whether they are included and what they cost.

4. Is the battery capacity usable or nominal?

A battery's label shows its nominal capacity. Lead-acid gives you only about half of it for daily use; LiFePO₄ gives you nearly all of it. Ask for the chemistry, the voltage and amp-hours (for example 48V 100Ah), the usable kWh and the cycle rating. Our battery guide explains how to compare them.

5. What size is the inverter, and is it hybrid?

The inverter's kW rating sets how much you can run at once. Check it covers the appliances that run together at your busiest moment. A hybrid inverter manages the panels, the battery and the grid together, so you get backup in an outage and the grid tops up when the battery is low.

6. Panel make, wattage and count

The quote should name the panel brand and model, the wattage of each panel and how many there are. Multiply wattage by count to get the array size, then compare like with like. A "5 kW" system with four 610W panels is a 2.44 kW array; ask what the headline number refers to.

7. Warranties: what, how long, and who handles a claim

Panels usually carry two warranties: a product warranty against defects and a longer performance warranty on output. Batteries and inverters have their own. There should also be a workmanship warranty on the installation itself. Ask who you call when something fails. If the answer is "the manufacturer", you may be chasing a factory overseas.

Ours, in writing: panels 12 years product and 20 years performance, battery 5 years, inverter 2 years, workmanship 2 years. We hold the documents and handle claims for you.

8. Is there a performance guarantee?

A warranty covers a part that breaks. A performance guarantee covers a system that works but produces less than promised. Ask for the expected monthly output in writing and how it will be checked. We commission every system against a metered output figure written into your contract, and if it falls short we fix it at our expense.

9. VAT, transport and after-sales

• VAT: specified solar equipment is VAT-exempt in Kenya. If VAT appears on solar equipment, ask why.
• Transport: for sites outside Nairobi, ask for the transport and travel figure before you commit, not after. We give it at survey.
• After-sales: ask how fast faults are answered and attended, and whether that is in the contract. Ours: acknowledged within 24 hours, attended within 72.

Common questions