Your Solar Install Day, Explained
Most solar installs in Scotland take 1 to 2 days on site, and you do not need to move out or take time off work for either day. Scaffolding usually goes up first, then panels, inverter and battery are fitted and wired, and the system is switched on and tested before the crew leaves. The grid paperwork that lets you export power runs in the background: Viking files it, so it is not something you ever have to chase.
Key facts
- Most installs: 1 to 2 days on site, and there is no need to move out or clear the house
- DNO grid paperwork is filed by Viking throughout, not something you deal with directly
- MCS certification, warranty documents and app setup are handed over once the system is switched on
How long does a solar install actually take?
For a typical house, fitting the panels, inverter and any battery takes 1 to 2 days on site. A small, straightforward roof can sometimes be done in a single day. A larger system, a second battery, or a roof that needs extra care (slate, a steep pitch, more than one elevation) can push it toward 2 days.
Either way, you carry on living in the house as normal. There is no need to move out, take annual leave, or empty rooms. The work is on the roof and in the loft or garage where the inverter sits, not through the middle of your living space.
What happens on scaffolding day?
On most jobs, scaffolders arrive first, usually a day or so ahead of the install crew, and build access around the sections of roof being worked on. This is a separate, shorter visit: no panels or wiring happen yet, it is purely about giving the installers safe, secure access to the roof.
Once scaffolding is up and signed off, the install team moves in on the agreed day. From there the day runs in a fairly predictable order, whether the whole job fits into one day or spreads across two.
Install day, hour by hour
The crew typically arrives in the morning and starts by fitting the roof mounts, the brackets that the panels will sit on, working section by section across the scaffolded area. Once mounts are secure, panels go on and are wired together in strings.
Cabling is then run down from the roof to wherever the inverter and battery (if you are having one) are being sited, usually a garage, utility room or loft space. The inverter and battery are mounted and connected, and the electrical connections are tested before anything is turned on.
On a single-day job, switch-on happens in the afternoon. On a two-day job, day one usually finishes with the roof work complete and cabling run, and day two is inverter, battery and switch-on.
Switch-on
Switch-on is the point where the installer runs through the electrical checks, confirms the system is generating and, where fitted, that the battery is charging and discharging correctly. You will typically see this confirmed on the inverter display or companion app there and then, not days later.
What is the DNO paperwork, and why do I never see it?
Before any solar system can export power to the grid, the local electricity network operator, known as the DNO (Distribution Network Operator), has to be told the system exists and, depending on its size, may need to approve the connection first. This is standard for every grid-connected solar install in the UK, not something specific to your house.
Viking handles this application from start to finish: submitting the paperwork, providing the technical details the DNO asks for, and waiting on any approval where one is needed, all before or alongside the physical install. You never need to fill in a DNO form, chase a reference number, or explain the system to your network operator yourself. It happens in the background as part of the job.
What do I actually need to do?
Very little. Give the crew access to a kettle and a toilet, keep a parking space free near the property for the van and any scaffolding delivery, and make sure the loft, garage or utility room where the inverter is going is reachable. If you have pets, it helps to keep them away from the work areas and any open scaffolding for the day.
Beyond that, there is nothing to prepare. You do not need to clear rooms, take the day off, or be present for every hour of the install, though someone being reachable by phone is useful in case the crew has a quick question.
What happens after switch-on?
Once the system is live, you get an MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certificate confirming the install meets the national standard, which matters for any future funding, insurance or resale questions. You also get your warranty documents for the panels, inverter and battery, and help setting up the monitoring app so you can see generation and, where fitted, battery use from your phone.
This handover is usually done before the crew leaves site or within a day or two by email, so you are not left chasing paperwork after the job is finished.
What does good look like, versus corner-cutting?
A proper install includes scaffolding rather than ladder-only access on anything beyond the simplest roof, a DNO application filed and, where required, approved before switch-on, and full MCS certification with paperwork handed over, not promised "later". Corner-cutting tends to show up as vague answers on who is doing the grid paperwork, no mention of MCS certification, or a quote that looks cheap because scaffolding, certification or the DNO application have quietly been left out and turn up as extras afterwards.
If you are still comparing installers, our guide to choosing one covers the specific questions worth asking before you sign anything.
What this means for you
Install day itself is the visible part, and it is genuinely straightforward: 1 to 2 days, no need to reorganise your life around it, and a system that is tested and switched on before the crew leaves. The less visible part, the DNO paperwork and certification, is where a lot of the real work happens, and it is handled for you rather than something you have to manage.
If you want to see what a completed system actually generates once it is live, our real measured install data is a useful next stop before or after you book.
Curious what separates a proper install from a corner-cut one? Our checklist covers the questions worth asking any installer before you book, including Viking.
See what a proper installer should offerFrequently asked questions
Do I need to be home for the whole solar installation?
No. Someone reachable by phone is useful in case of a quick question, but you do not need to be present for every hour of the 1 to 2 days on site.
How long does scaffolding stay up during a solar install?
Scaffolding is usually up for the duration of the roof work and comes down shortly after the panels and mounts are complete and signed off, typically within a few days of the main install.
Do I need to apply to my electricity network operator myself before getting solar?
No. The DNO application is filed by Viking as part of the job, including any approval that is needed before the system can export power. You are not expected to contact the network operator yourself.
Can solar panels be installed in one day?
On a small, straightforward roof it is sometimes possible, but most installs, especially with a battery or a larger system, take 1 to 2 days on site.
What paperwork do I get after a solar installation?
An MCS certificate confirming the install meets the national standard, warranty documents for the panels, inverter and battery, and help setting up the monitoring app, usually handed over before the crew leaves or within a day or two.
What should I prepare before install day?
Almost nothing beyond kettle and toilet access for the crew, a clear parking space, and reachable loft, garage or utility room space for the inverter. There is no need to clear rooms or take annual leave.
Last verified: 20 July 2026. We re-check the facts on this page regularly; if a scheme or rate has changed since, the official source linked above is definitive.