5.0 on Google
Solar panels Retford Solar PV and battery installation from our Retford office
SolarSave is a family-run, MCS certified solar panel installer based at Retford Enterprise Centre on Randall Way. We design and fit solar PV systems and battery storage for homeowners in Retford, Ordsall and the villages around the town, and for local businesses. If you're thinking about solar for a Retford home, this page covers what it costs, the local planning and grant position, how an installation works and who you'll deal with, so you know what to expect before a free consultation.
0% depositNothing to pay when you sign
SolarSave Ltd
Randall Way
Retford DN22 7GR
- Phone
- 0333 577 6576
- James@solarsaveltd.co.uk
- Open
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
or call 0333 577 6576Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Solar panels in Retford, from a Retford company
Retford is where we're based. When you ask for a quote in the town, a home visit is a short drive across Retford, and the people handling your paperwork work a few minutes from your home. Being local matters after the installation too. A solar PV system should generate your own electricity for 25 years or more, so when you've a question about your system or your export payments years from now, you call the same small team in the same office.
Who you'll deal with
From your first enquiry to long after switch-on, you deal with the same few people.
James
James, our founder and sales director, has worked in solar since 2010 and puts your proposal together himself. He'll go through your electricity use and answer every question, with no hard sell.
Stephanie
Stephanie, our office manager, in solar since 2013, runs the paperwork from the Retford office, including the notice to the electricity network and your handover pack.
Our installation team
On installation day, our installation team of scaffolders, roofers and electricians fits the system.
What we install in Retford
- Solar panel installation: solar PV systems designed around your roof and the way your household uses electricity.
- Battery storage, with new panels or on its own, including adding a battery to panels you already have.
- Commercial solar for business premises such as shops, offices and workshops, and solar on farm barns and sheds around the town.
For a business, solar PV pays best where most of the power is used in the daytime. We design each commercial project around when your business uses electricity, and work out the return before you commit.
Find us at Retford Enterprise Centre
Our office is at Retford Enterprise Centre, Randall Way, Retford DN22 7GR. We do consultations by phone or at your home, so you don't need to come to us, and the office answers the phone Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. To contact us, call 0333 577 6576 or use the form at the bottom of this page.
You'll find SolarSave Ltd on Google Maps, where our Google reviews are. Customers rate us 5.0 out of 5 from 6 reviews on Google, and 4.8 out of 5 from 36 reviews on Trustpilot.
- out of 5 from 6 reviews on Google
- 5.0
- out of 5 from 36 reviews on Trustpilot
- 4.8
or call 0333 577 6576Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Where we install around Retford
We install solar panels on both sides of the River Idle, in East and West Retford and Ordsall, and in the Bassetlaw villages around the town, including:
North, towards Bawtry: Sutton cum Lound, Lound, Barnby Moor, Ranskill, Torworth and Mattersey
North-east, towards Gainsborough: Clarborough and Welham, Hayton, North and South Wheatley, Gringley on the Hill, Misterton and Walkeringham
East, towards the Trent: Sturton le Steeple, North and South Leverton, Treswell and Rampton
South and south-east, towards Tuxford: Eaton, Gamston, Grove, Headon, Elkesley, East Markham and Tuxford
West and north-west, towards Worksop: Babworth, Ranby and Blyth
Retford is in the north of Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands. Further out, we cover Worksop, about 8 miles west, Gainsborough and Newark, and the rest of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. If your village isn't listed, ring the office and ask.
or call 0333 577 6576Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Retford homes and solar PV
Most homes around Retford are houses with a roof of their own. In the 2021 Census, 35.1% of households in Bassetlaw lived in a detached house and 41.4% in a semi, both well above the England figures of 22.9% and 31.5%. The Census reports these for the whole district, which takes in Worksop and the villages as well as Retford.
That matters because your roof sets the size of your solar system, and how many solar PV panels it can take. As a rough guide from the Energy Saving Trust, a semi-detached house takes about eight panels and a detached house 12 to 16, against about four on a mid-terrace. The typical home system is about 4.5 kWp, or roughly 12 panels.
Detached houses
Semis
- About 4mid-terrace
- About 8semi-detached house
- 12 to 16detached house
Which way your roof faces
A south-facing roof generates the most. East and west-facing roofs produce about 15 to 20% less, according to the Energy Saving Trust, and a north-facing roof isn't recommended. If your house has one slope facing east and the other west, panels on both spread the generation across the day, with more in the morning and late afternoon.
Shade, chimneys and the roof itself
Shade from trees, chimneys or neighbouring buildings cuts output, and in winter the low sun makes shadows longer. Chimneys, dormers, vents and roof windows also limit where panels can go. When we design your system we check where shade falls through the year and whether optimisers would help, and that shapes the system design. MCS installation standards require the roof structure to be checked before panels go on, and if your roof covering needs replacing soon, it's better to do that first.
What solar panels cost in Retford
Solar is a long-term investment. For most households the upfront cost is the biggest hurdle, and the Energy Saving Trust estimates a home solar panel system takes about 9 to 12 years to pay back, and puts the average 4.5 kWp system, without a battery, at around £7,600. Our solar and battery systems start from £7,500 fully installed (10 panels, a Fox ESS battery and scaffolding to one side), or from £4,995 for solar panels on their own. Your price depends on:
- How many panels your roof takes, and the panels and inverter that suit it.
- Access for the scaffolding, and how complicated the roof is.
- Whether you add a battery, now or later.
- Any electrical work your fuse board needs first.
Solar panels and batteries fitted to homes are zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, after which the rate is due to go back to 5%. You get the full price in writing after a free consultation, with no hidden fees and no pressure to sign. If you're comparing quotes, the Renewable Energy Consumer Code advises paying a deposit of no more than 25% when you sign. We take no deposit at all.
Solar panel prices in detail, with guide costs by system size.- the average 4.5 kWp solar panel system, no battery, by the Energy Saving Trust's figure
- £7,600
- for a home system to pay back, the Energy Saving Trust estimates
- 9 to 12 years
- on solar panels and batteries for homes until 31 March 2027
- 0% VAT
Energy bills, export payments and payback
Solar panels save money on your energy bills because every unit of electricity you use from your own roof is one you don't buy, so the higher your energy costs, the more each unit is worth. Quoting Energy Saving Trust figures, MoneySavingExpert puts the saving on electricity bills from a 4.5 kWp system at around £190 to £330 a year at price cap rates, before export payments.
Whatever you don't use at the time goes to the grid, and the Smart Export Guarantee pays you for it. Basic tariffs open to anyone pay about 1p to 6p a unit, while suppliers' better tariffs for their own customers pay around 12p to 15p. To qualify, the system must be certified through MCS or an equivalent scheme, which for home solar normally means MCS, and you'll need a smart meter that records exports.
Because export pays less than buying from the grid, the more of your own solar power you use, the better the sums. That's self-consumption: running the washing machine or dishwasher in the day helps, and a battery helps most. Heat pumps and electric cars both raise electricity use, so if you're planning either, tell us at your consultation, because a bigger solar system may be worthwhile.
Saving on electricity bills from a 4.5 kWp system, MoneySavingExpert£190 to £330 a year, before export payments
What the Smart Export Guarantee pays, a unit
Basic tariffs, open to anyone
1p to 6p
Better tariffs, for a supplier's own customers
12p to 15p
Payback and carbon
The Energy Saving Trust's payback estimates include export payments, and Manchester, the nearest of its example locations, comes out at 10 to 11 years. The Trust expects panels to last 25 years or more, so the investment keeps paying after that. Switching part of your electricity to solar energy, a renewable energy source on your own roof, also cuts your carbon footprint: the Trust estimates a typical home system saves around one tonne of carbon emissions a year.
- payback in Manchester, the nearest example
- 10 to 11 years
- how long the Trust expects panels to last
- 25 years or more
- of carbon a typical home system saves a year, around
- 1 tonne
Solar energy through the year
Solar power works all year, but not evenly. Panels generate direct current from daylight, including on cloudy days, and an inverter turns it into the alternating current your home uses. Output drops in winter, when days are short and the sun is low, and most of a year's generation comes between spring and early autumn. Are solar panels worth it? has the full numbers, and our winter guide explains the seasons.
Solar battery storage systems in Retford
A solar battery stores the electricity your panels generate during the day so you can use it in the evening, instead of exporting it for a few pence. With battery storage your self-consumption goes up: you use more of your own electricity, rely less on the grid and cut your energy bills further. You can also charge the battery overnight on a cheaper tariff.
The Energy Saving Trust puts a home solar battery at £1,500 to £10,000, depending on size, and expects one to last about 10 to 12 years. The safety standard for home batteries, PAS 63100, prefers them outdoors and rules out lofts, bedrooms and escape routes such as landings, stairs and corridors, so a garage, utility room or outside wall is usual. We agree the spot with you before anything is fitted.
We install solar battery storage with new panels, and we add batteries to existing solar systems in Retford, including systems other companies fitted. If you're not ready for one yet, start with panels and add battery storage later. We've fitted EcoFlow battery systems for our customers, and we size a battery to your evening electricity use rather than selling the biggest one going.
One thing a standard battery won't do is keep the lights on in a power cut. For safety, the system switches off when the grid goes down, and backup needs extra equipment.
- for a home solar battery, depending on size
- £1,500 to £10,000
- how long one lasts
- 10 to 12 years
Where a battery goes, under PAS 63100
Preferred: outdoors. Usual:
- A garage
- A utility room
- An outside wall
Ruled out:
- Lofts
- Bedrooms
- Landings
- Stairs
- Corridors
Solar panel installation in Retford: how it works
From first enquiry to switch-on, a solar panel installation usually takes two to three weeks. Bigger systems that need network approval can take longer. Here's the installation process, step by step.
A friendly call and initial consultation.
By phone or at your home, tell us how you use electricity and what you want from solar. There's no obligation, and if solar clearly won't suit your home, we'll tell you.
Your written quote.
Good system design starts with how your household actually uses electricity. You get the design, the full price and the warranties in writing, and we talk you through it. Take your time and compare quotes.
A technical survey.
Once you've signed, an independent technical surveyor checks the roof, the fuse board and where the panels and cables will go. It's included in your price.
Network approval, if needed.
Larger systems, above 3.68 kW of inverter output on an ordinary single-phase supply, need National Grid Electricity Distribution's approval before they're fitted. We apply for it, and it can take from a couple of days to 90.
Paperwork and booking.
Our Retford office orders the equipment and books a date that suits you.
Installation day.
The scaffold goes up, the panels go on, and our approved electricians do the electrical work, wiring in and commissioning the system. Most homes are done in a day.
Telling the network.
National Grid Electricity Distribution runs the electricity network in Retford, as part of its East Midlands area. Most home systems connect on a "fit and notify" basis, and we tell the network within 7 working days of switch-on (the rules allow 28).
Handover.
We email your handover pack within 7 working days. Your MCS certificate follows, and MCS says installers normally issue it within 10 days of commissioning. You need it to apply for Smart Export Guarantee payments.
What happens on installation day, step by step.
Planning permission for solar panels in Retford
- Permitted development
Most Retford homeowners don't need planning permission for solar panels on the roof, because they count as permitted development. The panels must stand no more than 20 cm out from a pitched roof and sit no higher than the ridge.
- Conservation areas
Bassetlaw District Council handles planning in Retford. It has designated 33 conservation areas since 1967, and three are in the town: Retford, Retford South, and Retford Station and West Fields. In a conservation area, panels can't go on a wall, balcony or roof enclosure facing the road, and a listed building always needs listed building consent.
- Retford
- Retford South
- Retford Station and West Fields
- Article 4 directions
Councils can also remove permitted development rights with an Article 4 direction. When we checked in October 2026, Bassetlaw's page listed two for conservation areas: Mr Straw's in Worksop, and White Hart House in Gringley on the Hill. Neither is in Retford, but rules change, so we check your address before designing anything.
Councils are changing. The government has decided to replace Nottinghamshire's councils with two new ones from 1 April 2028, subject to Parliament. Until then, Bassetlaw District Council handles planning in Retford.
Planning permission for solar panels: the national rules in full.
Solar panel grants in Retford
Bassetlaw District Council runs the government's Warm Homes: Local Grant here, funded through the Midlands Net Zero Hub. When we checked in October 2026, its page listed solar PV among the measures, with insulation done first, for lower-income households in homes rated EPC D to G. Nottingham Energy Partnership handles applications for the council, which warns of a long waiting list.
EPC D to G
The rules on who qualifies are set nationally: you own your home or rent it privately, it has an EPC energy efficiency rating of D to G, and your household has an income of £36,000 or less, gets a means-tested benefit, or lives in one of the most deprived postcodes.
Not eligible? The 0% VAT rate and export payments are the main help with the cost for most households. Solar panel grants explained
Choosing local installers in Retford
Whoever you choose, a few checks protect you:
MCS certification for the installer and the installation. MCS is the UK quality mark for small-scale renewable energy, and MCS certification is required for the government's Warm Homes grants. Smart Export Guarantee payments need MCS or an equivalent scheme.
Membership of a consumer code such as RECC, the Renewable Energy Consumer Code, which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Electrical installations done under a competent person scheme such as NAPIT, so they meet the Building Regulations.
A written quote with the full price, and a check of the roof in person before anything is fitted.
Reviews from real customers, on independent sites.
MCS stands for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. We're an MCS certified installer, and RECC and NAPIT members. Get more than one quote: we're happy to be one of them.
Solar panel maintenance
Solar PV needs minimal maintenance. Panels have no moving parts, and the Energy Saving Trust says rain keeps UK panels tilted at 15 degrees or more clean, so most pitched roofs rarely need cleaning. Check them every 12 to 18 months, and keep trees trimmed so they don't shade the panels.
The main cost to plan for is the inverter, which the Energy Saving Trust says usually needs replacing after around 12 years. MoneySavingExpert puts a replacement at around £800. Our panels come with a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty. How long do solar panels last?
- Check the panels every 12 to 18 months
- The inverter usually needs replacing after around 12 years
- 25-year product warranty on our panels
- 30-year performance warranty
What our customers say
Rated 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot
Stephanie coordinated the install and follow ups superbly from head office, ensuring all documents from quotation to handover pack were present and correct.
Rated 5 out of 5 on Google
Our panels were installed less than a week after placing order, and were up and running by the following morning.
Rated 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot and Google
From the initial enquiry through to completion, the whole process took only around three weeks…
Rated 5 out of 5 on Trustpilot
James was available practically 24/7 to answer any questions before, during and after installation.
Questions people ask
Where is SolarSave based?
Our office is at Retford Enterprise Centre, Randall Way, Retford DN22 7GR. Contact us on 0333 577 6576, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Do you install solar panels in the villages around Retford?
Yes. We cover the Bassetlaw villages around the town, from Misterton in the north to Tuxford in the south, and from Ranby across to Sturton le Steeple. If you're not sure about yours, ring the office.
How much do solar panels cost in Retford?
Our solar and battery systems start from £7,500 fully installed (10 panels, a Fox ESS battery and scaffolding to one side), or from £4,995 for solar panels on their own. The Energy Saving Trust puts an average 4.5 kWp home system, without a battery, at around £7,600. You get your price in writing after a free consultation.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Retford?
Usually not for a house. Listed buildings need consent, and in Retford's three conservation areas panels can't go on a wall facing the road. Bassetlaw District Council handles planning, and we check your address before we quote.
Is there a solar panel grant in Retford?
Possibly, if your household is on a lower income. Bassetlaw District Council's Warm Homes: Local Grant lists solar PV among its measures for eligible homes rated EPC D to G, though insulation comes first and there's a long waiting list. Nottingham Energy Partnership takes applications.
Can you add a solar battery to panels I already have?
Usually, yes, even if another company fitted them. We ask about your current setup before we quote.
Do solar panels need cleaning or maintenance?
Very little. The Energy Saving Trust says rain keeps UK panels tilted at 15 degrees or more clean. Check them every 12 to 18 months and clean them only if there's visible dirt, from the ground or by a professional, never by climbing on the roof. The main maintenance cost is replacing the inverter, usually after around 12 years.
How do I find a certified installer near Retford?
The MCS website has a Find an Installer search by technology and location, and RECC publishes a list of its members. Check both, then ask each installer for a written quote. We're MCS certified and RECC members, based in Retford.
Do solar panels add value to a house?
Not reliably. Which? found most estate agents said solar panels don't typically increase a home's value, though they can make it easier to sell. Keep your MCS certificate and paperwork for the buyer.
Who connects solar panels to the grid in Retford?
National Grid Electricity Distribution runs the electricity network in Retford. We notify it, or get its approval first for larger systems, as part of the installation.
Which company is best for solar panel installation?
Look for an installer that's MCS certified, belongs to a consumer code such as RECC, gives you the full price in writing and checks your roof in person before anything is fitted. Check independent reviews, and compare at least two quotes.
Why are some people removing their solar panels?
Usually because the roof needs work, or a system was badly sized or sold with promises it couldn't keep. We haven't found official figures on how often it happens. Our guide to the disadvantages of solar panels covers it.
Sources
Figures and rules on this page were checked on 11 October 2026. Schemes, tariffs and prices change, so check the latest before you decide.
- ONS: Census 2021, accommodation type (TS044), 2021 census
- Energy Saving Trust: Solar panels, costs, savings and benefits, updated 1 October 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: Solar power fact check, updated 13 August 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: Rooftop solar panel installation, updated 1 October 2026
- MoneySavingExpert: Solar panels, are they worth it?, updated 28 September 2026
- Which?: Smart Export Guarantee rates, the best and worst tariffs, 24 April 2026
- Octopus Energy: Outgoing export tariffs, checked 11 October 2026
- Ofgem: Smart Export Guarantee, checked 11 October 2026
- HMRC: VAT on energy-saving materials and heating equipment (Notice 708/6), zero rate runs to 31 March 2027
- RECC: Advice for consumers, checked 11 October 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: Battery storage, updated 6 October 2026
- BSI: PAS 63100:2024, fire protection of home battery systems, March 2024
- MCS: MIS 3002 Solar PV installation standard, issue 1.0, January 2025
- National Grid Electricity Distribution: Micro generation (G98), checked 11 October 2026
- Energy Networks Association: G98 single premises summary guide, checked 11 October 2026
- MCS: Notifying DNOs, updated 14 July 2026
- MCS: Certificate queries, updated 20 May 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: General Permitted Development Order 2015, Schedule 2, Part 14, up to date to 9 October 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: S.I. 2026/896, solar permitted development changes, in force 27 August 2026
- Bassetlaw District Council: Conservation areas in Bassetlaw, a guide for householders, updated 8 December 2025
- Bassetlaw District Council: Article 4(1) directions for conservation areas, updated 1 June 2026
- Capsticks: Local government reorganisation decisions, July 2026, July 2026
- Bassetlaw District Council: Warm Homes: Local Grant, updated 6 February 2026
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant, successful local authorities, updated 2 July 2026
- GOV.UK: Warm Homes: Local Grant policy guidance, July 2026
- GOV.UK: Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant, checked 11 October 2026
- MCS: About us, updated 3 August 2026
- GOV.UK: Competent person schemes, updated 17 September 2026
- MCS: Find an installer, checked 11 October 2026
- RECC: Find a Code member, checked 11 October 2026
- Which?: Do solar panels add value to your home?, 13 April 2026
- Energy Saving Trust: How to clean and maintain solar panels, updated 1 October 2026
Get your free quote in Retford
Tell us a little about your home and we'll call to arrange a free consultation, by phone or at your home. It's a short trip from our office.
Prefer to talk? Call 0333 577 6576, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- Step 1
- Step 2
Get My Free Solar Quote
Get a quote and we'll help calculate how much you could save.
Google
reviews5.0
Rated 5 out of 5
by our customers on Google
We'll only use your details for your quote. Privacy policy