Roof suitability means whether panels can be fixed safely to your roof, and whether the finished array will produce enough to be worth doing. The covering is only part of it. Condition, structure, shape and direction all count.
This guide runs through the common roof types in East Sussex and what each one means in practice. Direction and pitch are covered separately in panel orientation and north facing roofs, so this article does not repeat them.
Key Points
- Almost every pitched roof covering in this county can take solar.
- Condition matters more than material. A tired roof should be sorted first, because scaffolding twice costs more than scaffolding once.
- Flat roofs work, but the planning rules are different and the layout takes more space.
- Thatch is the one common covering we do not fit panels to.
- Dormers, hips and valleys reduce the usable area rather than rule the roof out.
- Permitted development sets a 0.2 metre limit on how far the equipment can stand out from the roof plane.
- On a pitched roof the equipment must not sit higher than the highest part of the roof, excluding a chimney.
- On a flat roof the equipment must not sit more than 0.6 metres above the highest part of the roof.
- Listed buildings are outside permitted development. Conservation areas have extra conditions.
| Roof type | Usually suitable | What we check | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitched concrete or clay tile | Yes | Condition, batten and rafter condition, tile type | The most common roof we work on |
| Natural or fibre cement slate | Yes | Condition, how brittle the slates are, access | Slate needs careful handling |
| Flat roof | Yes | Covering condition, ballast or fixing method, layout space | Different planning conditions apply |
| Profiled metal | Yes | Sheet profile, purlin spacing, fixing method | Common on barns and workshops |
| Thatch | No | Not applicable | We do not fit panels to thatch |
| Dormers and small faces | Often, in part | Usable area between features, shading | Fewer panels rather than none |
| Roof in poor condition | Not yet | Remaining life of the covering | Do the roof first |
Common Misconceptions
"Slate roofs cannot take solar." They can. Slate needs care and the right fixing method, but it is a normal job.
"A flat roof is no good for solar." A flat roof is fine. Panels are angled on frames, which uses more space per panel, and the planning conditions differ.
"My roof is too small." Eight panels is a real system. Our published Bexhill install proves the point.
"Dormers rule it out." They reduce the area. They rarely rule it out.
"The roof needs to be south facing or it is not worth it." Not true, and covered properly in panel orientation best practices.
"Panels will make my roof leak." Fixings go through the covering by design and are weathered as part of the work. A leak means something was done wrong, not that solar leaks.
Real-World Advice
Our published 8 panel installation in Bexhill on Sea is a 3.76 kWp array with a 5 kWh Anker battery. See the Bexhill on Sea case study. The installer's note calls it a small roof with a small battery, and says it still moves the daytime power into the evening.
That is the useful lesson. A roof that only takes eight panels is still a roof worth using. The design starts from what is actually there.
UK-Specific Considerations
Most roof mounted domestic solar in England is permitted development, so no planning application is needed. The conditions are set out in the General Permitted Development Order, Schedule 2 Part 14 Class A.
The order says equipment on a dwellinghouse roof must not protrude more than 0.2 metres beyond the plane of the roof slope. It must not be higher than the highest part of the roof, excluding any chimney. On a flat roof it must not stand more than 0.6 metres above the highest part of the roof. It also says the equipment must be sited, so far as practicable, to minimise its effect on the external appearance. It must be removed as soon as reasonably practicable when no longer needed. Flat roof installations on article 2(3) land need prior approval.
Listed buildings are excluded from Class A. In conservation areas and World Heritage Sites there are extra conditions, including on walls fronting a highway.
Which council you deal with depends on where you are. Eastbourne Borough Council, Wealden District Council, Rother District Council and Lewes District Council each cover part of our area. Parts of the Eastbourne and Seaford fringe also sit inside the South Downs National Park, which has its own planning authority.
Local building stock shapes the answer more than the rules do. Victorian terraces near the Eastbourne and St Leonards seafronts. Bungalows and dormer bungalows around Bexhill. Split roofs and chimney shading on the Hastings slopes. Agricultural buildings with large metal roofs around Hailsham, Hellingly and Herstmonceux.
When This Isn't Right For You
Thatch is not suitable and we do not fit panels to it.
A roof that is at the end of its life is not suitable yet. Fix the roof first.
A listed building is outside permitted development, so nothing should be ordered before consent is settled.
Where the roof genuinely cannot take an array, a ground mounted system may be the better answer if you have the land. See our ground mounted solar service.
Before You Spend Money
Find out how old the roof covering is and how much life it has left.
Ask whether the survey included the roof structure, not just the surface area.
Ask what fixing method is proposed for your covering, because tile, slate and metal are all different.
Ask how many panels actually fit once dormers, vents, aerials and chimneys are taken off the plan.
Ask whether your property is listed or in a conservation area. Your council will tell you.
If the roof needs replacing within a few years, get quotes for both jobs and decide the order before either starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can panels go on a slate roof?
A: Yes. It needs care and the correct fixings, and access matters, but slate is a normal roof for us.
Q: Do I need planning permission?
A: Usually not. Roof mounted domestic solar is normally permitted development, with conditions on projection and height. Listed buildings and some conservation area positions are the exceptions.
Q: How much can panels stick out?
A: On a dwellinghouse roof, no more than 0.2 metres beyond the plane of the roof. On a flat roof, no more than 0.6 metres above the highest part.
Q: My roof faces east and west. Is it worth it?
A: Often yes. Read panel orientation best practices for how much difference direction makes.
Q: Should I replace the roof first?
A: If the covering has only a few years left, yes. Doing both at once saves a second scaffold.
Summary
Nearly every pitched roof in East Sussex can take solar, including slate. Flat roofs work with a frame and slightly different planning conditions. Metal roofs are common on farm and workshop buildings and are straightforward. Thatch is the exception and we do not fit to it. Dormers and small faces cut the panel count rather than end the job. Condition is the real decider, so a roof near the end of its life should be dealt with first. The planning conditions are national, and the council you deal with depends on your address.