TL;DR: Before choosing a residential rooftop solar installer in India, run six checks: MNRE registration, an all-inclusive itemised quote, who files the subsidy and net metering, the four separate warranties (panels, inverter, battery, workmanship), whether after-sales maintenance is included, and a verifiable track record with named reviews. An installer that fails MNRE registration or refuses to itemise the quote should be ruled out.
Before choosing a residential rooftop solar installer in India, run this checklist: MNRE registration, all-inclusive itemised pricing, in-house subsidy and net metering handling, four separate warranties, and included after-sales maintenance.
The Checklist (Print This)
- MNRE-registered? Verify on pmsuryaghar.gov.in. Required for the subsidy.
- All-inclusive itemised quote? Panels, inverter, structure, cabling, earthing, DISCOM liaison - all listed, no “extras later.”
- Who files the subsidy and net metering? It should be them, in your name.
- All four warranties in writing? Panels, inverter, battery, workmanship.
- After-sales maintenance included? Cleaning and health checks, or billed separately?
- Verifiable track record? Named reviews, completed-install count, references in your area.
Why Each Item Matters
- MNRE registration. An installer that is not MNRE-registered cannot get you the PM Surya Ghar subsidy of up to ₹78,000, so they must be at least ₹78,000 cheaper just to break even against a registered one. In practice they rarely are.
- Itemised quote. The itemisation is how you compare two quotes honestly. A lump sum that excludes the mounting structure or DISCOM paperwork is not cheaper - it just moves the cost to later, or to you.
- Subsidy and net metering filing. If the answer is “you do it,” budget weeks of your own time and expect delays from incomplete paperwork.
- Four warranties. Panels, inverter, battery and workmanship are four separate warranties - ask for all four in writing. A single vague “warranty” line covers nothing specific.
- Maintenance. A rooftop array in India loses output to dust between cleans. If maintenance is not included, it is a recurring cost you have not priced.
- Track record. Named reviews that describe after-sales, not just the sale, are the best predictor of year-three experience.
See how a specific installer measures against this checklist in our Bangalore installer comparison and reviews.
Red Flags That Should End the Conversation
- Quote is not itemised, or “final price” keeps changing.
- Not MNRE-registered.
- No written performance or payback guarantee.
- Maintenance not offered, or vaguely “chargeable later.”
- Pressure to pay in full before any site survey.
- No verifiable named customer reviews anywhere.
Any one of these is reason to get a second quote. Two of them is reason to walk.
