Summary of this article: Sharing your vision of building a home with solar panels to your design team from day one is always the best starting place for a successful, future-proof scheme. As well as making sure your home, in particular the roof, is designed and sized in such a way that allows your solar panels to operate at peak performance, including them from the start can help avoid future costs, complications or time-consuming changes should you decide to add them in the future.
Building a new home involves many decisions, not least how you will power everything contained within it. While it’s easy to default to mains grid electricity to do this, choosing a more sustainable approach is a common goal for most self-builders.
Solar panels are one of the best ways to add renewable energy to your home, helping you to gain energy independence, reduce your carbon footprint, and create a home that potentially powers itself.
But, as with most elements of your self build, planning ahead is the best way to ensure a successful end result. So when exactly should you introduce solar panels into your scheme?
Including them in your initial architect brief is the best place to start
In an ideal world, you’ll be clear in your mind when you first brief your architect that solar panels are part of your vision. While you won’t be expecting your architect to design, source and fit your solar panel system – you’re better off using experts such as the solar panel team at E.ON Next to do that – your architect will need to consider the fact you want solar panels when designing how your home both looks, and functions.
And, while it’s easy to assume it’s only the roof that gets impacted by your decision to include solar panels in your new build, it’s not the case. There are other elements that can be designed more effectively when everyone understands that solar panels will be part of the finished product.
Solar panels can impact the size of your home
Although you may have a provisional size in mind for your new home, if you want to use solar to power it, this may influence the final floorplan. If your goal is to generate enough solar power to power your entire home, this will require more solar panels, and almost certainly a battery system. Or, if your plans are to build a large home, this too will require more panels and therefore a bigger roof and potentially a bit more battery storage.
As an example, according to E.ON Next, while smaller homes may only have around 8sqm of roof space for solar panels, larger homes, or those looking to generate as much electricity as possible could make use of up to 18sqm.
If this isn’t possible, perhaps due to the size of your plot, then you may need to re-consider, and it’s far better to do this at the start, than further down the line. Involving your architect and solar installer from the start can ensure your house size, your roof and your project energy consumption are all in alignment.
Roof design and orientation will need to be finalised with solar panels in mind
Building a home that you know will have solar panels before your design is even on paper also puts you at an advantage of being able to position your roof to get maximum exposure to daylight. While you don’t need consistent sunshine, panels on south-facing roofs will naturally generate the most power, making it the best orientation.
Moving your home once it’s built will never be an option, so placing it in the right location early on can boost your goal of energy independence. Additional roof design considerations will also be executed more accurately when solar panels are a non-negotiable part of a home’s infrastructure.
From getting the pitch and style of your roof right, through to managing cabling routes and ensuring sufficient structural support is in place, designing without solar in mind could lead to extra work, costs and modifications should you decide to retrofit them at a later stage.
Early planning will also allow for provision of additional technology
Another reason for including solar panels early on is to ensure that necessary provision can be made to add in more layers of smart technology and electrification measures to your home.
Whether this is knowing that you also want a solar battery to allow you to store or sell back the energy you don’t use with E.ON Next’s Smart Export Guarantee, or you want to install an EV charger when you next buy a new car, early planning for these elements in conjunction with your solar panels will always bring the best outcome.
And finally, let’s not forget the cost benefits of having solar panels installed from the day you move into your new home. With potential of savings of up to £1,146 per year* on your electricity bills each year, being able to generate some, or all of your own power as soon as possible, is a must for any cost-conscious self-builder looking to reap the rewards of their investment.
*Figures are based on standard MCS calculations for a south-facing 12-panel solar array in central England, on a 35-degree tilt roof, with no shading, and annual electricity usage of 4,000 kWh. The tariff rate is 24.67p/kWh (Ofgem Energy price cap from 1 April 2026). Savings assume a 5.3 kWh battery (usable capacity 4.8 kWh) and Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments of 17.5p/kWh under E.ON Next Premium v3. Actual savings may vary. E.ON Next experts may suggest additional or alternative products, updating savings based on your specific situation. Geographical and eligibility restrictions apply.
