Solar and battery as part of a renovation

If you're already pulling a property apart for an extension, loft conversion or full refurbishment, it's the right time to think about solar, battery and EV charging. The walls are open, the consumer unit may be getting upgraded anyway, and the build team is already on site coordinating trades.

We're set up to work on exactly this kind of project. Ashley spent 2016 in the Channel Islands working on high-end mansions and apartments, providing electrical services for loft conversions, kitchens and extensions, as well as domestic and commercial properties. After returning to Manchester, he established Renegade Electrical in 2018, and Renegade Solar grew out of that.

That background means we understand renovations - we've been the electrical contractor on plenty of them.

When during a renovation to think about solar and battery

The earlier the better. The decisions that affect a solar/battery install often need to be made well before second fix:

• Cable routes for panels, inverter and battery
• Consumer unit position and capacity - does it need uprating?
• Battery location - where is it going, and will the building work allow that route?
• EV charger feed - run the cable while walls are open
• Roof access and structure - if scaffolding is up for roofing or rendering, we can work alongside

Worth noting: we've seen other installers recommend unsuitable or even dangerous setups - like batteries in lofts, which contradicts NAPIT safety guidelines. When salespeople spec jobs instead of electricians, corners get cut. With us, the person who surveys your property understands the technical requirements and won't recommend something inappropriate just to make a sale.

Loft conversions

Loft conversions are a particularly good moment to look at solar. The roof is being touched, scaffolding is up, and structural changes are being signed off anyway. We can:

• Install solar panels while the scaffold is already in place
• Plan cable routes through the new build-up before plasterboard goes on
• Coordinate with your roofer (we work with local roofers and scaffolders on every project)

A loft conversion also typically increases the home's electrical demand - more lighting, possibly a bathroom, often a workspace. Solar offsets some of that without changing your bills.

Extensions and rear builds

Extensions create new roof space - flat roof on a single-storey, pitched on a two-storey. Flat roofs give us flexibility that pitched roofs don't - we can mount panels pointing south regardless of the building's orientation, which is particularly useful when the extension itself faces the wrong way.

If the existing house is the wrong orientation for solar but a new extension provides a south-facing flat roof, that's often where the panels go.

Full refurbishments and self-builds

A full refurb or self-build is the cleanest scenario. Everything is fresh, the consumer unit is new, and you can plan the system as part of the design rather than retrofitting around what's already there.

Ashley personally oversees every installation - design, supply, install, commissioning and aftercare - so you've got one direct contact across the project. We work with quality DMEGC and Trina Vertex panels, and Solax or AlphaESS batteries, with battery sizes from 6kWh up depending on usage.

Working alongside other trades

We work with local roofers and scaffolders on every project, which means we can typically slot in around the rest of the build without you having to chase additional contractors. We coordinate timing to suit your build programme.

Real customer experience

"Since then Ashley has fitted solar panels and a battery, a doorbell, new light sockets, outdoor lighting & power, a bathroom extractor fan, removed old ariels, and probably more stuff I can't remember."

That's a customer in M25 who started with one job and kept coming back across a series of works on the property - one trade, one phone number, one electrician who knows the property.

Why work with us

• MCS-certified installer (NAP-66870)
• TrustMark Registered
• NAPIT Registered (66870)
• Octopus Energy Trusted Partner
• 20+ years' experience as an electrician, including high-end residential, kitchens, extensions and loft conversions
• 5-year minimum warranty on all equipment, panels warranted up to 30 years
• 2 years routine maintenance included on every installation

Coverage

Based in Prestwich, we serve renovation, extension and self-build projects across Greater Manchester and the wider North West.

Contact us today to discuss adding solar, battery or EV charging to your renovation.