Emit Solar | Home Solar Panels | Easy Ownership
Choosing a solar installer is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make for your home. Here’s what every homeowner needs to ask before signing anything.
Solar panels are not a purchase – they’re a partnership. The company you choose today will still need to answer your calls five, ten, even fifteen years from now. And yet most homeowners spend more time comparing panel wattage than they do vetting the company installing them.
That’s a mistake that can be very costly. A system that underperforms, sits unmaintained, or was installed by a company that has since shut its doors is worse than no system at all.
Here’s the framework to use to evaluate every solar installer before you decide.
The first thing to establish is simple: how long have they been around, and how many roofs have they done? These aren’t rude questions – they’re essential ones. A company that’s only been around for 3 years offering a 10-year warranty is essentially promising something it has no track record of delivering.
Size matters too, but not in the way you might expect. A large team means dedicated after-sales technicians. It means the company won’t fold when one of its founders leaves. It means there’s an actual organisation – not just a sales rep coordinating a network of subcontractors standing behind your system.
⚠️ Watch out: Don’t put any weight on multi-year warranties from companies that have only been in business a few years. A warranty is only as valuable as the company’s ability to honour it – and companies that haven’t survived a business cycle yet simply can’t prove that.
Ask specifically: “Can you arrange a reference or share verified customer testimonials?” A confident, established company will have no hesitation. A company that hedges this question is telling you something important.
In Malaysia, solar installation is a regulated activity. Any company operating without the correct licences is not just cutting corners – they’re operating illegally, and the risks fall on you as the homeowner. There are three key certifications to verify before a single panel goes on your roof.
Registered PV Provider
Required to register your system with the national grid under the Solar ATAP programme. Without this, your system cannot be connected.
Electrical Contractor Licence
Issued by Suruhanjaya Tenaga – legally required to carry out electrical wiring on your property. No licence, no legal installation.
Construction Industry Registration
The Construction Industry Development Board registers contractors for legitimate building work. Required for any structural roof work.
Ask to see physical copies of all three. A legitimate, professional company will present them without hesitation. If a company can’t or won’t show you their licences, walk away – no matter how attractive the quote.
Work on your roof carries real risk – to your property, your belongings, and to the workers themselves. Insurance isn’t optional; it’s what separates professional companies from those who are gambling with your home.
Construction All Risk
Covers damage to your property and the system during the installation process itself. If a panel cracks your roof tile, or equipment is damaged on site, this policy protects everyone.
Comprehensive All Risk
Broader coverage extending beyond the installation date – covering liability and post-installation incidents. Not every company carries this, but the best ones do.
Good question to ask
“If something on my roof gets damaged during installation, whose policy pays for it – yours or mine?” A company with proper coverage will answer immediately. One without it will change the subject.
This is one of the most overlooked questions – and one of the most important. Many solar companies are essentially sales operations that subcontract all the actual installation and maintenance work. That might seem fine on day one, but what happens when you need support in year six?
Malaysian electricity regulations require that certain work is performed by a Competent Person (CP) registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga. This isn’t a bureaucratic formality – it’s there because poorly wired DC systems are a serious fire and safety hazard.
Ask If They Employ Full-time CPs
In-house certified staff means consistent quality, accountability, and someone who legally takes responsibility for the electrical work.
Find Out Who Actually Does the Maintenance
If they subcontract service calls, you may find yourself waiting weeks for a technician who doesn’t know your system.
Ask to See the CP Registration
Just like licences, this is a document a professional company will have on hand and be proud to show you.
“The real test of a solar company isn’t the day they install your system – it’s the day something goes wrong.”
The quality of a solar company is revealed not during the sales pitch, but in the months and years after installation. Here are the four behaviours that separate truly trustworthy companies from the rest.
They Conduct a Post-Installation Check as Standard
A professional company includes a follow-up inspection in their standard operating procedure – not as a paid extra. This is where they verify string performance, torque settings, waterproofing, and system commissioning data.
They Monitor Your System’s Performance
Proactive monitoring means they detect underperformance before you do – before a faulty panel costs you months of lost generation. Ask: “How will I know if my system is underperforming?” The answer should not be “check your electricity bill.”
When You Call, They Show Up
Ask past customers a simple question: when something went wrong, did the company come to investigate – or did they spend the first call suggesting it was the weather, the grid, or the inverter brand’s problem? Companies that deflect are companies that don’t want the liability.
They Have Formal Support Contracts with Their Vendors
The best installers maintain active relationships with their inverter and panel manufacturers. When a product fault occurs, they can escalate directly – rather than leaving you to navigate warranty claims with a foreign brand alone. Many smaller companies simply don’t have these agreements in place.
What to listen for
“Who specifically will be my point of contact if something goes wrong after installation?” A good company names a department or a person. A poor one says “just call our hotline” – which in practice means nobody owns the problem.
How many years have you been operating, and can you arrange a reference or share verified customer testimonials?
Can I see your SEDA, ST, and CIDB certifications today?
Do you carry Construction All Risk insurance? Can I see the policy document?
Do you have full-time, in-house Competent Persons (CPs) registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga?
Is a post-installation inspection included as standard in your SOP?
How do you monitor system performance, and how will you alert me if something drops?
If I call you about an issue, what’s your typical response time for a site visit?
Do you have a formal support or dealer agreement with the inverter and panel brands you install?
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