Choosing the right solar installer is as important as choosing the right panels and inverter. A solar system is a 25-year asset. The company you choose determines whether the installation is done correctly, whether your net metering application gets filed properly, and whether your warranty claims get honoured. This guide gives you 10 questions to ask every installer before signing.

Question 1: Are you registered on the PM Surya Ghar national portal?

This is non-negotiable. Only installations done by PM Surya Ghar-registered vendors qualify for the central subsidy of up to Rs 78,000. Ask the installer for their portal registration number and verify it at pmsuryaghar.gov.in before proceeding.

An installer not registered on the portal may still do quality work, but you will receive no subsidy. There is no valid reason for a legitimate residential solar company to not be registered.

Question 2: How many systems have you commissioned in my city?

The question is specifically about commissioned systems where the net meter has been installed and the commissioning certificate has been issued not just installed systems. In your city specifically, not nationally.

A company that has commissioned 200 systems in your city has established relationships with your DISCOM’s solar division, knows the specific documentation requirements, and can navigate delays more effectively than a company new to your market.

Ask for a specific number. If the answer is vague, that tells you something.

Question 3: Can you share three references from recent local installations?

Ask for names and contact numbers of customers in your city whose systems have been commissioned in the last 12 months. Call two or three of them.

Ask those customers: how long did net meter installation take, did the installer handle the subsidy documentation correctly, was there any post-installation issue and how was it handled?

An installer who hesitates to provide references or provides references from a different city is a concern.

Question 4: What is the exact panel brand, model, and wattage in your quote?

Not “quality mono PERC panels” or “Tier 1 brand.” The specific brand name, product series name, and wattage per panel. Then look it up on the manufacturer’s website.

Verify that the exact model exists, that it carries the performance warranty stated, and that the manufacturer has a presence in India for warranty claims.

Question 5: What inverter brand and model are you proposing?

Same specificity required: brand name, model number, power rating. Confirm there is an authorised service centre in your state. Ask for the inverter’s operating temperature range it should comfortably cover your city’s peak summer temperature.

Question 6: What is included in the mounting structure?

Ask specifically: what material is the mounting structure (galvanised iron or aluminium), what is the wind load rating, and does the structure come with installation warranties against structural failure.

In coastal or high-humidity areas, ask whether the structure is rated for corrosion resistance in those conditions.

Question 7: Does your quote include GST, net meter charges, and civil work?

These three items are the most common sources of surprise charges after signing.

GST on solar installations applies at the current applicable rate. Net meter replacement by your DISCOM costs Rs 2,000 to Rs 8,000 depending on state. Civil work for mounting on specific roof types can add Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000.

A clear quote explicitly states that GST is included or shows it as a line item, and addresses net meter charges and civil work.

Question 8: What is your workmanship warranty and what does it cover?

The workmanship warranty covers defects in installation quality poor cable routing that causes failure, incorrect mounting that allows panel movement, waterproofing failures around mounts. This is separate from panel and inverter product warranties.

A minimum 1-year workmanship warranty is standard. Some quality installers offer 5 years. Ask what the process is for raising a workmanship claim and what response time they commit to.

Question 9: Do you provide an annual maintenance contract?

Panels need cleaning at minimum twice a year in most Indian environments (more frequently in dusty cities). The inverter needs a periodic check. A professional AMC covers this systematically.

Ask the annual cost of an AMC and what it includes: number of cleaning visits, inverter check, monitoring of generation data, response time for complaints. Compare this across installers.

Question 10: What is your net metering process and track record?

Ask specifically: do you file the net meter application as part of your scope, what documents you provide to the DISCOM, and what your average net meter installation timeline has been for recent installations in your DISCOM area.

An installer who has a track record of fast net meter completions in your DISCOM is reducing the most uncertain part of your solar journey.

Red flags that should stop you from signing

Pressure to pay a large advance immediately, before you have reviewed the bill of materials or verified credentials.

Inability or unwillingness to provide a written, itemised quote with specific panel and inverter details.

No registered vendor status on the PM Surya Ghar portal.

Quotes significantly below market rate (more than 20 percent below other comparable quotes) without clear explanation of what has been compromised.

Guarantees of specific rupee savings without seeing your electricity bills.

No local references or references exclusively from projects outside your city.

Summing up

Taking an hour to ask these 10 questions before signing a solar installation agreement can save you significant money, delays, and frustration over the next 25 years. The right installer is not necessarily the cheapest one, but the one who can demonstrate a track record of quality, registered installations in your specific city with your specific DISCOM.