Roof Inspections Before Solar Panel Installation
Once panels go on, your roof becomes far harder and more expensive to repair. City Building and Roofing Ltd inspect roofs across London and Surrey before solar installation, so tiles, flashings and coverings are put right while access is still simple.
Fully insuredInsurance backed guaranteesHighly rated by customersEmergency roof repairs
View our Google ReviewsQuick Answer
A pre-solar roof inspection checks the condition of a roof before solar panels are installed, because repairs cost far more once an array covers the roof. City Building and Roofing Ltd inspect the coverings, battens where visible, flashings and gutters, report any defects and complete repairs before the panels go on. We are roofing contractors — panel installation and all electrical work remain with your solar installer.
Why inspect the roof before solar?
Solar panels are typically expected to sit on a roof for twenty-five years or more. If the covering beneath them has ten years of life left, the arithmetic is grim: panels off, repairs done, panels back on — with scaffolding, an electrician's involvement and installer coordination added to what would once have been a simple roofing job.
A pre-solar inspection is the cheap insurance against that outcome. We assess whether the roof is in a condition to carry an array for the long term, identify defects worth fixing first — slipped tiles, tired flashings, ageing mortar — and complete those repairs while the roof is still open and accessible.
To be clear about roles: we are roofing contractors. We inspect and repair the roof itself. Panel mounting, electrical work and system certification are matters for your MCS or otherwise qualified solar installer — we make no claims in that territory and are happy to coordinate with them.
Book an inspection before solar if…
- Your roof is more than 20–30 years old, or its age and history are unknown
- You can see slipped tiles, patch repairs, moss build-up or crumbling mortar from the ground
- The solar installer has asked you to confirm the roof's condition before fitting
- The property is older — Victorian, Edwardian or interwar — with original coverings
- You simply want the reassurance of a roofer's opinion before a 25-year commitment
What the inspection covers
Roof coverings
Tiles or slates across the slopes that will carry panels — slippage, cracking, delamination and remaining serviceable life.
Fixings and battens
Visible evidence of batten and fixing condition, and any areas where coverings are loose or previously disturbed.
Flashings and details
Chimney flashings, abutments and valleys on or near the array area, which become awkward to reach once panels are fitted.
Gutters and drainage
Rainwater goods serving the array slopes, so drainage problems are fixed while access is easy.
Repair recommendations
A clear, prioritised list of what should be done before panels go on — and what genuinely can wait.
Pre-solar repairs
The repairs themselves, completed by our own City & Guilds trained tradesmen before your installer's programme.
How It Works
Enquiry
Tell us about the property, the roof's age if known, and your solar installer's timescale.
Inspection
Visual assessment of the array slopes and their details, from ladder or drone where appropriate and conditions allow.
Findings
Photographs and plain-English recommendations, prioritised into before-solar essentials and routine items.
Repairs before panels
An itemised quotation for any pre-solar repairs, scheduled ahead of the installation date.
Coordination
Where helpful, we liaise with your solar installer on timing so the roof is ready when they arrive.
Where our role stops
- We are roofing contractors — we do not install panels, carry out electrical work or certify solar systems
- Structural load calculations for the array, where required, are the domain of your installer or a structural engineer
- The inspection is visual; concealed defects beneath coverings cannot be seen and are reported as far as evidence allows
- Whether a roof is 'good enough' for solar is ultimately a judgement — we give you an honest professional opinion and the evidence behind it
We would rather tell you the honest position than win work on promises we cannot keep.
London & Surrey Coverage
We carry out pre-solar roof inspections across London and Surrey — semi-detached and detached homes in Kingston, Richmond, Twickenham, Weybridge, Walton-on-Thames and Esher where domestic solar is most common, and terraces and larger properties across west London preparing for panel installation.
Request availability and quotation
Find City Building and Roofing Ltd on Google
Customers across London and Surrey can find City Building and Roofing Ltd on Google to read reviews, view recent work and contact the team directly. We recommend calling the correct local number for your area — Surrey enquiries on 01932 950 995 and London enquiries on 020 7118 0095.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a roof inspection before solar panels?
Because panels typically stay up for twenty-five years or more, and repairing a roof underneath an array costs several times what the same repair costs beforehand — panels must come off, an electrician gets involved and scaffolding goes up twice. An inspection first means the roof is fit for the array's lifetime, or repaired cheaply while it still can be.
Will my solar installer not check the roof anyway?
Good installers look at the roof, but their expertise is the solar system, not the covering beneath it — and their survey is often from the ground. A roofer's inspection looks at the roof the way a roofer does: coverings, fixings, flashings and details, with an honest view of its remaining life under a 25-year array.
Do you install solar panels yourselves?
No. We are roofing contractors: we inspect and repair the roof, and we stop where the solar system starts. Panel mounting, electrical work and certification belong with your solar installer. We are happy to coordinate timings with them so the roof is ready when their team arrives.
What if the roof isn't good enough for solar?
Then far better to know now. Depending on what we find, the answer may be targeted repairs before installation, re-covering the array slope, or in some cases a new roof first — with panels going onto a covering that will outlast them. We set out the options and costs honestly and you decide.
How old is too old for a roof to take solar panels?
There is no single cut-off — a well-maintained 40-year-old tiled roof can be sounder than a neglected 15-year-old one. What matters is the covering's condition and remaining life relative to the array's lifespan. That is exactly what the inspection assesses, with photographs and a plain-English verdict.
Can you do the repairs before the installation date?
That is the point of the service. Tell us your installer's programme when you enquire and we schedule the inspection and any repairs ahead of it. Most pre-solar repairs — refixing tiles, renewing flashings, repointing — are quick jobs once identified.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote. We serve all of London and Surrey with professional roofing and building services.
Free quotes · No obligation · Fast response