Define the outcome before choosing equipment
State whether you need fault repair, a new circuit, backup for selected loads, lower grid use, solar generation, battery storage, maintenance or an assessment. List essential and optional appliances, current supply and existing generator, inverter, solar or battery equipment. Do not select components from an advertisement before a competent person understands the system.
Collect recent electricity information and equipment labels only where safely accessible; never open a panel or touch wiring for a quote. Explain operating patterns, outage priorities and likely future loads. A provider should turn those needs into a documented design basis and explain limitations rather than promise that one package suits every Lalitpur property.
Verify who designs, installs and signs off
Ask for the legal business identity and the names and roles of the designer, installation lead and person responsible for inspection or testing. Request relevant training, authorization and registration, then verify through the issuing body. The Nepal Engineering Council register is relevant when registered engineering responsibility applies; it is not a directory of every technician.
Have the provider explain which current approvals, standards or utility requirements apply to your proposed system and confirm through the relevant authority. Distinguish manufacturer training from professional registration and general business paperwork. For subcontracted roofing, structural or electrical tasks, identify who controls safety, quality, insurance and warranty across the complete project.
Require an on-site survey and design basis
A solar proposal should reflect the actual roof or mounting area, shade, orientation, access, structure, cable route, equipment location, ventilation, weather exposure, earthing and existing electrical condition as assessed by qualified people. Ask which items were inspected and which remain assumptions. Remote photographs alone may not reveal every constraint.
Request an understandable explanation of expected operation under different seasons, loads and outages without accepting a guaranteed energy or saving claim. Ask what the system will and will not power, how the battery is expected to be used and which conditions reduce performance. Keep calculation inputs with the proposal so competing designs can be compared fairly.
Compare components, protections and full cost
The written proposal should identify panel, inverter, battery and key protection specifications; quantities; mounting; cabling; monitoring; labor; transport; access equipment; civil work; testing; training; taxes where applicable; and exclusions. Ask whether alterations to the existing installation are required and who restores walls, roofs or finishes afterward.
Compare warranty issuer, duration stated by the supplier, claim process, labor treatment and local support for each major component. Do not accept undisclosed substitutes. Separate product, workmanship and performance claims, because they may come from different parties. Payment milestones should follow design approval, documented delivery, installation, testing and handover—not sales pressure alone.
Control roof, battery and electrical safety
Ask for a site safety plan covering work at height, weather, lifting, occupants, isolation, multiple energy sources and protection of the roof. Confirm who assesses structural suitability and waterproofing. Keep children and other occupants away from the work area. Do not climb onto a roof or handle electrical equipment to inspect the installer yourself.
Batteries and inverters need a provider-selected location appropriate to the product and site, with access controlled and manufacturer requirements followed. Ask about labeling, shutdown information and incident response. Solar and storage can remain energized in ways householders may not expect, so future electricians and emergency responders need clear documentation of all energy sources.
Insist on testing, demonstration and records
Before final payment, require the qualified responsible person to inspect and test the completed work for the agreed scope, resolve documented defects and demonstrate normal operation, monitoring and safe shutdown information. Do not regard visible generation on an app as the only acceptance test. Record baseline readings or reports provided at commissioning.
Collect the final design, component identifiers, manuals, warranties, test records, settings backup where appropriate, invoice, maintenance schedule and emergency contacts. Ask who handles monitoring alerts and warranty visits. This guide supports comparison; only appropriately qualified people inspecting the actual property can determine a safe, compliant and suitable Lalitpur installation.
