Choosing a solar installer in Pakistan

1. Compare equal system size and backup

A total is only comparable when it covers the same system. Ask every installer to quote the same array size in kWp, the same inverter type and capacity, the same battery usable capacity in kWh, and the same backup circuits or loads.

• Array size: compare kWp, not the number of panels alone. Panel wattage and count can differ.
• Backup: compare usable battery kWh, not nominal kWh, and list the circuits or appliances the battery is meant to support.
• Inverter: compare type and capacity, and ask whether a battery can be added later.
• If one quote is smaller or has no battery, treat the totals as different products rather than a direct comparison.

Use the solar size calculator for a rough size from your monthly units. It is an estimate, not a design or a quote.

2. Ask for an itemized quote

A single lump sum hides what is included. Ask for each of these lines to say included, extra cost, or excluded in writing.

3. Check model numbers and written warranties

Record the exact brand and model for the panels, inverter, battery and mounting system. At delivery, compare the model and serial numbers with the quote and the warranty documents.

Ask for the warranty terms in writing: start date, duration, who honors the warranty, what is covered, what is excluded, and whether labor, transport or replacement is included. A manufacturer’s warranty is not the same as the installer’s workmanship warranty.

• Ask for a written workmanship warranty and the process for making a claim.
• Keep the model numbers, serial numbers, invoices and handover documents together.
• If a term is only spoken, ask for it in the quote or an attached annex.

4. Request a site survey and a written scope

A phone estimate is not a site survey. Ask for a visit before the final quote, and ask what the survey will cover.

• Roof condition, mounting points and any structural work the installer will or will not do.
• Shading, panel layout, cable route, inverter and battery location, ventilation and access.
• Earthing, isolation, surge protection, breaker positions and the connection point.
• Work that is excluded, and who is responsible for making good, waterproofing and removing waste.

Attach the written scope to the quote. If the survey changes the scope, ask for a revised written quote. A qualified installer should confirm the design; this checklist is not a technical review.

5. Check certificate status with the company and PPIB

Installers who connect rooftop systems to the grid must be certified under the AEDB (Certification) Regulations, 2021. The category limits the system size: C-1 covers any size, C-2 up to 500 kW and C-3 up to 250 kW. Ask for a copy of the current certificate and match the company name, category and certificate number.

ProChuno’s directory records the certificate number, category, the validity date printed on the PPIB list and the source list. The methodology page records the import date for those lists. That record is a snapshot, not live verification. The list ProChuno holds may be out of date, and a printed validity date can pass. Confirm the current certificate with the company and PPIB before you pay.

PPIB certified installer lists · AEDB (Certification) Regulations, 2021 · ProChuno methodology and source dates

6. Compare payment milestones and exclusions

Ask for a written payment schedule tied to milestones, not just dates. Do not pay the full amount before the system is commissioned and the handover documents are complete.

• Advance and equipment order.
• Delivery, with model and serial numbers checked against the quote.
• Mounting, wiring and protection progress.
• Commissioning, testing and handover.
• Final payment after the agreed documents and any utility paperwork are complete.

Ask what is excluded. Common exclusions include roof repair or waterproofing, scaffolding or lifting, extra cable, trenching, transport or travel, utility application fees, meters, taxes, batteries, monitoring and maintenance. An exclusion is not automatically a problem, but it changes the real cost and should be written down.

Do not sign a blank or incomplete payment schedule. Keep every version of the quote and note what changed.

7. Put the quotes side by side

Use the solar quote comparison worksheet to record two or three written quotes. It runs in your browser, and the page does not upload or save the figures. It shows cost per kWp and the gaps you have not recorded only when a quote has a positive total and system size.

8. What ProChuno is and is not

ProChuno is an independent directory built from PPIB’s published lists of installers certified under the AEDB (Certification) Regulations, 2021. A listing is a registry record, not a certification by ProChuno, a workmanship rating or an endorsement. ProChuno does not rank installers by quality and does not endorse a quote.

Directory counts, categories and validity labels come from ProChuno’s own import of those lists. The methodology page explains the sources, import dates, city and coverage rules, and how to report a correction. The installer directory holds the individual records.