What is a Solar Panel Site Survey? - Leeds 2026

Ready to join Leeds' solar transformation? Before any panels touch your roof, there's a step that separates successful installations from problem projects: the site survey. Whether you're in a Victorian terrace in Headingley or a modern semi in Roundhay, this on-site assessment maps out exactly what your property needs for solar to work properly. It's where theory meets reality, and where potential issues get spotted before they become expensive problems.

Quick take: A site survey means having solar professionals visit your Leeds property to check if it's solar-ready. They'll measure your roof space, test for structural strength, map out shading patterns throughout the day, inspect your electrical setup, and work out the safest way to install panels. The whole process takes 2-3 hours and covers building regulations too. What you get is a custom solar plan built around your actual home, not generic estimates that might fall apart halfway through installation.

What a Solar Site Survey Is and Why It Matters

Here's what happens during a solar installation project: qualified solar professionals come to your Leeds property and gather the real data needed to design your system properly. They're checking roof condition, measuring usable space, tracking how shadows move across your roof, and looking at your electrical setup. It's hands-on work that online calculators can't replicate.

Why bother with all this? Because a proper site survey is what stops installations going wrong. Those solar estimate tools you find online can't tell you about the neighbouring terrace blocking afternoon sun in Headingley, or the old oak casting shadows across your Roundhay roof each morning. They work off averages and assumptions. A site survey works off your actual property.

The information collected shapes everything that follows. Maybe your roof needs high-efficiency panels because space is tight. Maybe you've got brilliant south-facing exposure that can handle a bigger system. Perhaps your consumer unit needs upgrading before any solar work begins. For Loiners living in century-old terraces or Edwardian semis, these details matter. The survey catches structural concerns and electrical limitations before they derail your project.

Pre-Survey Checks

Before anyone shows up at your door, installers get their homework done. They'll want to see your recent electricity bills to understand your energy use. If you're planning an electric vehicle purchase or thinking about adding battery storage down the line, now's the time to mention it. These plans affect system sizing.

The team pulls up satellite images using Google Earth and similar tools. They're checking your roof's size, which way it faces, and spotting obvious obstacles like chimneys or skylights. For homes in Chapel Allerton or Horsforth, this virtual scan often picks up nearby trees or taller buildings that could cause shading issues.

There's also groundwork on permitting requirements and Leeds City Council regulations. If you're in a conservation area or your property has listed status, the rules change. Practical stuff gets considered too. Got a narrow alleyway beside your City Centre terrace? Or a steep driveway up to your North Leeds home? Installers need to know how they'll actually get equipment and scaffolding on site.

Roof Assessments of Structure, Orientation, and Shading

When the surveyor arrives, the real work begins. They're checking three main things about your roof: whether it's strong enough, which direction it faces, and what's blocking sunlight.

Structural Integrity

Your roof needs to carry solar panels for the next 25 years without problems. The surveyor looks at what your roof's made from (tiles, slates, metal), how old it is, and whether there's any damage. Water stains, rotten wood, or sagging sections are warning signs. They might head into your loft to check the rafters from below.

Leeds has plenty of Victorian and Edwardian homes with original slate roofs. These often need extra attention to confirm they can handle the weight. Back-to-back houses in South Leeds sometimes have unique roof structures that require careful assessment. If your roof's dodgy, you'll hear about it now rather than after panels are ordered. Some cases need a structural engineer to sign off on the work.

Orientation and Tilt

Which way your roof points makes a big difference to solar output. South-facing roofs get maximum sun. East or west-facing roofs produce less but still work fine. The surveyor records each section's direction and measures the angle. For properties across East Leeds or West Leeds, this helps work out where panels should go for best results.

Shading Analysis

Shadows are solar's enemy. The surveyor maps out everything that blocks sun: trees, chimneys, dormers, neighbouring buildings. Tools like a Solar Pathfinder track how shadows move throughout the day and across seasons. In Leeds' terraced streets, the house next door often throws afternoon shade that cuts into production.

Tree trimming might solve some shading issues. Or the installer might suggest microinverters that stop one shaded panel dragging down the whole system. Either way, the surveyor measures everything precisely to work out panel layout.

Electrical Survey: Consumer Unit, Earthing, Cabling Routes, and Safety

Solar panels need to connect safely into your home's electrical system. The site survey checks whether your current setup can handle it or needs upgrading.

First up is your consumer unit (the fuse box). The surveyor checks its rating, typically 100A, 150A, or 200A. Older Leeds homes often have 100A units that struggle with larger solar systems. If you're planning battery storage, a 200A upgrade usually makes sense.

Next, they work out cable routing. Where will the inverter sit? What's the best path from your roof to the main panel? Loft routes are cleanest, but sometimes external cabling works better. The surveyor maps this out based on your property's layout.

Earthing gets checked thoroughly. Your home's grounding system must meet current safety standards. Sometimes an additional grounding rod is needed to comply with electrical codes. The survey notes whether grounding electrodes are accessible and up to code.

This electrical inspection doubles as a safety check. Surveyors spot dodgy wiring, outdated panels, or overloaded circuits. Many Victorian and Edwardian properties across Leeds have consumer units that desperately need replacing. Better to find out now than during installation.

System Design Decisions

Once the site survey's complete, all that data gets turned into your actual solar system design. This is where measurements and observations become a working plan.

Panel layout gets worked out from roof dimensions and obstacle positions. The designer fits in as many panels as possible on the best sun-facing areas whilst following setback rules. Shading analysis determines which roof sections to avoid. Leeds homes often require creative layouts around chimneys, dormers, and the party walls between terraced properties.

Inverter choice matters more than most people realise. Standard string inverters are fine for unshaded roofs. But if the survey found partial shading, microinverters or power optimisers make more sense. These let each panel work independently rather than the whole system suffering when one panel's in shadow. The survey also identifies the best spot for inverter installation, somewhere sheltered and ventilated with good access to both roof and consumer unit.

Battery storage is becoming popular across Leeds. If you want batteries added now or later, the site survey confirms whether your electrical setup can handle it and where the battery unit would go. Consumer unit capacity often determines whether batteries are plug-and-play or need electrical upgrades first.

Scaffolding and On-Site Risk Assessment

Getting solar panels onto your roof safely requires proper planning. The site survey works out access requirements, scaffolding needs, and potential hazards.

Any reputable installer uses scaffolding for rooftop work. During the survey, they examine your property to determine where scaffolding can be erected. Ground conditions matter. So do obstacles like garden walls, driveways, or neighbouring properties. They'll make sure there's space to safely hoist panels up using ladders or rope systems.

The surveyor identifies risks specific to your property. Old roof tiles that crack easily. Asbestos cement sheets that need specialist handling. Skylights that open. Ground-level hazards that could trip workers. For older Leeds terraces and back-to-back houses with tight alleyways and limited access, these assessments prevent accidents before they happen.

A staging area gets marked out too, usually your driveway or side yard. This is where panels and equipment sit during installation. By the time work starts, there's a complete safety plan covering every stage of the job.

Planning and Building Regulations

Solar installations in Leeds need to follow specific rules. Most domestic systems qualify as Permitted Development, but there are exceptions worth knowing about.

Planning Permission

Here's the good news for most Loiners: you probably don't need formal planning permission. Solar panels typically fall under Permitted Development rights if they meet certain criteria. Panels can't stick out more than 200mm from a pitched roof or sit higher than the roof's highest point. On flat roofs, panels can't exceed 0.6m above the roofline.

Things change if your property's listed or sits in a conservation area. Leeds has several conservation zones, including parts of Headingley and the City Centre. Listed buildings nearly always need Listed Building Consent before solar work begins. Check with Leeds City Council if you're unsure about your property's status.

Building Regulations

Safety and structural standards fall under building regulations. Three main areas get covered: your roof's ability to carry panel weight, electrical safety compliance, and weatherproofing integrity. Certified installers handle building regulations as part of the job. After installation, you'll receive electrical certificates proving everything meets safety standards. For more details about our approach, visit our main page or contact us directly.

Final Thoughts on What a Quality Site Survey Includes

A proper site survey sets your solar project up for success. It's thorough, accurate, and built around communication with you.

Good surveys capture everything that matters. Roof measurements, tilt angles, shading patterns, electrical specs, energy use. All of it gets documented properly. This attention to detail prevents surprises and keeps installation day running smoothly.

Your surveyor should explain what they're finding as they go or in a follow-up discussion. If there are concerns, you'll hear about them. You should ask questions too. Planning a loft conversion next year? Don't want panels visible from the street? Mention it now whilst plans can be adjusted.

The real test of a quality site survey comes on installation day. Everything should fit exactly as planned. Equipment works as expected. There are no unexpected hold-ups or last-minute changes. When installers show up knowing exactly what they're doing, that's the result of a site survey done right. Learn more about us or check out our maintenance and repair services to keep your system running well.

Solar Panel Site Survey FAQs

How long does a solar site survey typically take?

For most Leeds properties, expect 2-3 hours on site. Simple bungalows might be done faster, whilst larger homes with complex roof layouts take longer. After the visit, installers spend additional time back at the office working through the data to create your system design.

Do I need to be present during the site survey?

Yes, you should be there. Surveyors need access to your roof, loft, consumer unit, and meter. They might also check your garage or utility room as potential locations for inverters or batteries. Being present means you can answer questions about your property and discuss equipment preferences whilst they're on site.

What if my roof isn't suitable for solar?

Survey findings sometimes reveal challenges: roof repairs needed, heavy shading, undersized electrical systems. Installers will talk through your options. This might mean fixing the roof first, trimming problematic trees, using microinverters to work around shading, or even putting panels on a garage or outbuilding instead. Complete unsuitability is rare for Leeds homes.

What happens after the site survey?

You'll receive a finalised system design showing where panels will sit, which inverter type they're recommending, battery options if wanted, projected energy production, savings estimates, and total costs. Review everything carefully to make sure it matches what you're after. Once you approve the design, installation gets scheduled. For more about our process, visit our blog for detailed guides.