# Solar Surveys Ltd > Independent structural engineering for commercial solar PV pre-construction. United Kingdom and Europe. Eurocode-verified, MCS-aligned where in scope, lender and DNO accepted. Solar Surveys Ltd is a structural engineering practice built exclusively for the commercial solar PV sector. We deliver on-site structural surveys, drone roof condition assessments, desktop structural roof loading reports, solar design and CAD packages, electrical surveys with G99/G98 DNO support, and planning permission support. Every report is signed by a qualified structural engineer with £5M Professional Indemnity. Drone operations carry £25M public liability cover with BDF and BMFA accredited pilots. The 48-hour delivery benchmark holds at portfolio scale. UK and Europe coverage from a regional hub network. ## Services - [Structural Survey](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys): On-site structural engineering surveys for commercial solar PV. Eurocode-verified to BS EN 1991-1-3 (snow), BS EN 1991-1-4 (wind, with UK National Annex), BS EN 1990 (load combinations), BRE Digest 489 (PV-specific wind coefficients). - [Drone Roof Survey](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/drone-surveys): BDF + BMFA accredited drone pilots, £25M public liability. High-resolution aerial roof condition assessment with engineer-reviewed defect schedule. - [Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/desktop-reports): Remote Eurocode-verified structural feasibility report. No site visit required. 48-hour delivery. Volume capacity 2,000+ reports per month. - [Drone Technical Survey](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/drone-technical-surveys): Engineer-reviewed aerial inspections of roofs, facades, steelwork and industrial assets. - [Solar PV Design](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-design): CAD roof layouts, system specification, shading analysis, yield modelling. - [Electrical Survey + G99 Application](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/electrical-surveys): MPAN analysis, export capacity assessment, G99 / G98 DNO application support, connection management. - [Planning Permission](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/planning-permission): Permitted development assessment, GPDO Schedule 2 Part 14 evaluation, CAD drawings, full planning application support. - [MCS Compliance](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/mcs-compliance): Structural reports satisfying MIS 3002:2025 V6.0 Section 5.9 for MCS-licensed installers (sub-50kWp DC). ## Order and Assessment Tools - [Order a Desktop Report Online](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/order): Self-serve ordering for Desktop Structural Roof Loading Reports. Card or invoice payment, residential and commercial, multi-roof, engineer-signed delivery to the 48-hour benchmark. - [Free Structural Pre-Check](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/pre-check): Free indicative screening tool. Enter a few roof details for a Green, Amber or Red read on whether a roof looks ready for solar PV, before commissioning a full report. ## SEO Hub Pages (Service Entry Points) - [Structural Engineer UK](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-engineer-uk): UK structural engineer for commercial solar PV. 12-city geographic coverage hub. - [Roof Survey](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/roof-survey): Roof survey hub for UK commercial property. Compares desktop, drone, and on-site survey types. - [Commercial Roof Inspection](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/commercial-roof-inspection): Drone-led commercial roof inspection with qualified engineer review. ## City Coverage (12 UK cities, all with 24-hour mobilisation target) - [Structural Engineer Manchester](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-manchester) - [Structural Engineer Birmingham](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-birmingham) - [Structural Engineer Leeds](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-leeds) - [Structural Engineer Bristol](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-bristol) - [Structural Engineer London](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-london) - [Structural Engineer Glasgow](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-glasgow) - [Structural Engineer Edinburgh](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-edinburgh) - [Structural Engineer Sheffield](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-sheffield) - [Structural Engineer Nottingham](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-nottingham) - [Structural Engineer Leicester](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-leicester) - [Structural Engineer Cardiff](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-cardiff) - [Structural Engineer Liverpool](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/structural-surveys-liverpool) ## Sector Solar PV Pages - [Solar PV for Logistics Warehouses](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/commercial-solar-logistics-warehouses): Trapezoidal metal sheet on portal frame, big-roof portfolios, fixing pull-out under SPRA S15-19, parapet drift. - [Solar PV for Retail Estate](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/commercial-solar-retail-estate): Retail parks, big-box, supermarkets. Single-ply membrane, standing seam, customer-facing access protocols. - [Solar PV for Manufacturing and Industrial](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/commercial-solar-manufacturing-industrial): Multi-bay portal frame, services bridges, sawtooth heritage roofs, asbestos cement assessments. - [Solar PV for Public Sector](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/commercial-solar-public-sector): Schools, hospitals, council estate. PFI/LIFT structures, public procurement compliant reports. - [Solar PV for Data Centres](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/commercial-solar-data-centres): Hyperscale and colocation. Mission-critical roof access, structural reserve under existing HVAC and cooling plant. ## Roof Typology Solar PV Pages - [Solar PV on Asbestos Cement Roofs](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-pv-asbestos-cement-roofs): CAR 2012 compliance, over-roof system design, fixing-penetration constraints, ballast assessment. - [Solar PV on Trapezoidal Metal Roofs](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-pv-trapezoidal-metal-roofs): SPRA S15-19 pull-out testing, BRE Digest 489 wind uplift, lap-seam corrosion, ridge fixing capacity. - [Solar PV on Standing Seam Roofs](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-pv-standing-seam-roofs): Clamp-fix mounting, manufacturer load tables, MIS 3002 V6.0 Clause 5.9.13(h) for ballasted variants. - [Solar PV on Built-Up Felt Roofs](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-pv-built-up-felt-roofs): Ballasted PV assessment, substrate condition under ballast, drainage redirection, deck integrity. - [Solar PV on Single Ply Membrane Roofs](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-pv-single-ply-membrane-roofs): TPO, EPDM, PVC. Manufacturer warranty preservation, parapet drift, Clause 5.9.13(h). - [Solar PV on Clay Tile Roofs](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-pv-clay-tile-roofs): Rafter capacity to BS EN 1995-1-1, in-roof vs on-roof, batten loading, type-approval housebuilder model. ## Who We Serve - [Asset Managers](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/for-asset-managers): Portfolio-scale solar PV structural surveys for asset managers, REITs and commercial property funds. - [PPA Providers](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/for-ppa-providers): Lender-accepted structural surveys for PPA Technical Advisor packs. - [EPC Contractors](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/for-epcs): Pre-construction structural diligence and design packages for EPC firms. - [Solar Installers](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/for-solar-installers): MIS 3002 V6.0 aligned structural reports for MCS-licensed installers. - [Housing Developers](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/for-housing-developers): Type approval framework structural sign-off for residential PV portfolios. ## Compliance Framework - **MIS 3002:2025 V6.0** (issued 18 March 2026, mandatory from 18 June 2026) for sub-50kWp DC installations within MCS scope. - **BS EN 1991-1-4** with UK National Annex (wind loads). - **BS EN 1991-1-3** with UK National Annex (snow loads). - **BS EN 1990** (load combinations). - **BRE Digest 489** (2014, PV-specific wind pressure coefficients). - **Building Regulations Approved Document A** (England and Wales), Section 1 Structure (Scotland), Technical Booklet D (Northern Ireland). - **MCS 012 / MCS 032** for mounting and pre-sale standards. - **SPRA S15-19** pull-out test methodology for penetrating fixings on metal sheet roofs. - **BS 6399-2:1997** was withdrawn in 2010 and is no longer a valid reference standard. ## Resources - [Resources Hub](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/resources): All engineering reports, compliance guides and operational tools in one place. - [2026 Commercial Solar Structural Risk Report](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/risk-report-2026): Free download. Anonymised analysis of 575 UK commercial rooftops surveyed for solar PV; 35% needed engineering work before installation could proceed. - [Solar Panel Roof Load in kg/m2](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-panel-roof-load): Verified added dead load figures for commercial solar PV (15 to 25 kg/m2 rail-mounted, 30 to 60 kg/m2 ballasted, around 25 kg per panel) and why weight alone never decides roof adequacy. - [Desktop Roof Survey Form](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/desktop-survey-form): Free four-sheet intake form with the measurements, dimensions and photographs an engineer needs for a Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report. - [MIS 3002 V6.0 Compliance Guide](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/mis-3002-v6-guide): Plain-English guide to the MCS standard, mandatory from 18 June 2026. - [MCS Structural Evidence Guide](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/mcs-structural-evidence): What goes in the MCS certification file: the structural evidence MIS 3002 V6.0 expects, the three forms it can take roof by roof, and the five questions a defensible file answers. - [Drone vs Walkover Survey Brief](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/drone-vs-walkover-guide): When to deploy drone roof condition assessment versus a walkover survey. - [Installer Pre-Brief Checklist](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/installer-brief-checklist): The documents installers send before a structural survey fee proposal. - [Roof Substrate Decision Tree](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/roof-substrate-decision-tree): Mounting method, survey approach and key risk for every UK commercial roof substrate. - [Desktop Report Sample](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/desktop-reports-preview): Sample Eurocode-verified Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report. - [Pricing](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/pricing): Service pricing structure, no VAT added, volume discount framework. - [Case Studies](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/case-studies): Anonymised UK commercial solar PV survey outcomes. - [Engineering Blog](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/blog): 70 technical posts on structural surveying, drone inspection, MIS 3002 V6.0, BRE Digest 489, Eurocode 1, sector and roof typology guides. - [Glossary](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/glossary): 72 engineering and regulatory terms with definitions. - [About Solar Surveys Ltd](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/about) - [Contact](https://solarsurveys.co.uk/contact) ## Key Questions (engineering answers) - **Do I need a structural engineer for solar panels?** MIS 3002 V6.0 (mandatory from 18 June 2026) requires a suitably competent person to confirm the existing roof can carry the array, the mounting system, and the wind and snow loads acting on it. The standard does not name who that person must be. On a commercial roof, that competent person should be a qualified structural engineer, which is what a Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report provides. See https://solarsurveys.co.uk/mcs-compliance and https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-panel-roof-load. - **How much do solar panels weigh per square metre?** A rail-mounted commercial array adds about 15 to 25 kg/m2 (0.15 to 0.25 kN/m2) of dead load over the array footprint; a ballasted flat-roof system about 30 to 60 kg/m2, rising to 75 to 100 kg/m2 at higher tilt or exposure. A single commercial panel is around 25 kg. Dead load is one of three inputs, combined with snow and wind under BS EN 1990, so weight alone never confirms a roof can take an array. See https://solarsurveys.co.uk/solar-panel-roof-load. - **How much does a Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report cost?** From GBP 130 per report for residential and new-build, and GBP 150 per report for commercial, with no VAT added, issued within the 48-hour benchmark from confirmed scope. Order at https://solarsurveys.co.uk/order. - **What is MIS 3002 V6.0?** The MCS installation standard that makes a documented structural assessment part of solar PV certification for sub-50kWp DC installations, mandatory from 18 June 2026. See https://solarsurveys.co.uk/mis-3002-v6-guide. - **What information is needed for a desktop solar survey?** The site address and postcode, roof type and the dimensions that apply, the panel make and model, the mounting and fixing specification, and for ballasted flat roofs the ballast design. The free form at https://solarsurveys.co.uk/desktop-survey-form sets out every field. - **What structural evidence does MCS require for solar PV?** MIS 3002 V6.0 (mandatory from 18 June 2026) requires the roof structure to be checked by a suitably competent person before installation, with the outcome evidenced in the installation record; a qualified structural engineer must be consulted for unusual roofs and for all flat-roof ballasted systems. The evidence can take three forms: a recorded competent-person check, an engineer-signed Desktop Structural Roof Loading Report, or an on-site structural survey. See https://solarsurveys.co.uk/mcs-structural-evidence. ## Key Facts - **Structural PI**: £5M (per claim, lender-accepted format) - **Drone Public Liability**: £25M - **Drone accreditation**: BDF (British Drone Flyers) + BMFA (British Model Flying Association) - **Report delivery**: 48-hour benchmark on every product, every batch size - **Mobilisation target**: 24 hours on on-site work - **Compliance anchor**: MIS 3002:2025 V6.0 Section 5.9 (sub-50kWp DC) + Eurocode 1 + Building Regulations (all sizes) - **Coverage**: United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), Republic of Ireland, Europe - **Head office**: 24 Potterhill Road, Glasgow, G53 5RR - **Telephone**: +44 141 628 9009 - **Email**: contact@solarsurveys.co.uk - **LinkedIn**: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solar-surveys-ltd ## What Makes Solar Surveys Different 1. **Specialist focus**: structural engineering practice built exclusively for commercial solar PV. Not a general practice with a solar checklist. 2. **Standards currency**: every report explicitly references the current Eurocode 1 framework with UK National Annex and BRE Digest 489 PV-specific coefficients. BS 6399-2:1997 (withdrawn 2010) is never cited as current. 3. **Engineer signature**: every report signed by a named qualified structural engineer. Never firm-level signature alone. 4. **Volume capacity**: portfolio programmes of 50 to 200 sites delivered to the same 48-hour benchmark per site. 5. **Combined service**: structural survey + drone roof condition assessment delivered as a single instruction with one signed report. ## Editorial Standard All public-facing content is engineering-grade. No marketing fluff. Anonymous-authoritative format on testimonials and case references (NDA disclosure on every grid). No client, project or partner names published. SLA language uses "target", "benchmark", "aim". The 48-hour delivery commitment is a benchmark, not a contractual guarantee.