How do I know if a solar installer is a registered PM Surya Ghar vendor?

Ask the installer for their vendor registration for DGVCL and check it when you apply on pmsuryaghar.gov.in, where you pick your vendor from the list for your discom. If the company is not on that list, your application cannot go through them and you will not get the central subsidy. A genuine vendor will show you this without hesitation.

What warranty should I get on rooftop solar?

Expect a performance warranty of around 25 years on the panels from the manufacturer, an inverter warranty of roughly 5 to 10 years depending on the brand and model, and a separate warranty from the installer on the structure and workmanship. Get every one of these in writing with the brand and model named. A verbal promise is worth nothing when a claim is needed years later.

Should I choose the cheapest solar quote?

Not without comparing line by line. A lower price often comes from thinner structure pipes, unbranded cables, missing surge protection or no lightning arrester. These savings are invisible on day one and expensive later. Put quotes side by side with panel brand, inverter model, structure material, cable brand and warranty listed. Choose the cheapest quote only if it matches the others on every line.

Do I have to pay the full amount before installation?

Payment terms vary by installer, so read them before you sign. Be careful with any company that demands the full amount upfront before the discom feasibility approval. At Active Solar House we take zero advance and you pay after approval. Whatever installer you choose, make sure the payment schedule is written into the quote.

Who files the PM Surya Ghar and net metering paperwork?

A good installer handles it. That means the portal application, DGVCL feasibility, the net meter application, the inspection and the commissioning upload that triggers your subsidy. Some installers leave the customer to do the portal steps alone, and applications stall. Ask in writing who files each step, and ask for the application number so you can track it yourself.

Best Solar Company in Bharuch, 10 Checks Before You Sign 2026

The best solar company in Bharuch for your roof is the one that passes a short list of checks before you sign. There are ten that matter. They cover subsidy eligibility, the hardware on your roof, the paperwork, warranties in writing, and how easily you can find the installer again in five years. Run every installer you are considering through the same list, including us.

Why these checks matter more than the price

A rooftop system sits in Bharuch sun, monsoon wind and, in places like Ankleshwar and Dahej, industrial dust and salt air for 25 years. Search for a solar installer in Bharuch, or type “solar dealer near me” from anywhere in the city, and you will find plenty of names. Most of what separates a good job from a bad one is not visible on handover day. Thin structure pipes, cheap cable and a missing surge device all look fine for the first year. The checks below are how you see those things before you pay.

The 10 checks

1. Registered PM Surya Ghar vendor for DGVCL

The central subsidy of up to ₹78,000 only flows if your installer is a registered vendor for your discom. On pmsuryaghar.gov.in you choose your vendor from a list. If the company is not there, the subsidy is not available through them. Our PM Surya Ghar subsidy guide for Bharuch walks through every step.

2. ALMM-listed domestic panels (DCR)

Subsidy needs panels that are on the government’s ALMM list and made with domestic cells. Ask for the exact panel model and check that it qualifies. An installer quoting imported or non-listed panels at a low price may be quoting a system that cannot get the subsidy at all.

3. A written quote with brands and model numbers

“Tier 1 panels” and “branded inverter” are not specifications. The quote should name the panel brand and wattage, the inverter brand and model, the number of panels, the DC array size in kWp and the inverter rating in kW. Without these, two quotes cannot be compared and you have nothing to hold the installer to.

4. Structure material and height

Ask what the structure is made of and how high it stands. Hot-dip galvanised steel or aluminium resists rust far better than painted mild steel. In Dahej, Vagra and Jambusar, near the Gulf of Khambhat, salt air makes this critical, and fasteners should be stainless. Height matters too. An elevated structure keeps the terrace usable, clears water tanks and makes cleaning easier. Ask how it is anchored against monsoon storms.

5. Earthing, lightning arrester, cables and surge protection

This is the safety check and the one most often cut. A proper system has separate earthing pits for the panel frames and the inverter, a lightning arrester on the roof, branded DC and AC cable sized for the run, and a DC surge protection device (SPD) in the junction box. We use Havells cables and BOS. Whatever the brand, it should be written on the quote.

6. Who files the paperwork

The PM Surya Ghar application, DGVCL feasibility, net meter application, inspection and commissioning upload all need to happen in order. Ask who does each step. If the answer is “you apply on the portal and we install,” expect delays. Our DGVCL net metering guide explains what the discom checks.

7. Warranty in writing

There are three warranties to collect. The panel maker gives a performance warranty of around 25 years. The inverter maker gives roughly 5 to 10 years, depending on brand and model. The installer should give a written warranty on the structure and workmanship. Ours is a 34-year written structure warranty. Ask for each on paper, with the model named.

8. A local shop you can walk into

An inverter fault in year six needs someone who picks up the phone and shows up. A company with a shop in Bharuch has something to lose if it disappears. An agent with only a mobile number and a brochure does not. Visit the office before you sign.

9. Own team or subcontractors

Many companies sell the job and hand it to whichever crew is free that week. The crew who drill your roof then have no stake in whether it leaks. Ask directly whether the installers are on the company’s payroll. Ask who comes for maintenance visits.

10. References in your area

Ask for two or three customers near you, ideally with systems at least a year old. Call them. Ask whether the subsidy arrived, whether the roof leaked, and whether the company answered when something went wrong. A local installer with real work should have references in your part of Bharuch or the nearby villages.

What to ask and what a good answer sounds like

Ask this	A good answer	A warning sign
Are you a registered PM Surya Ghar vendor for DGVCL?	Yes, you can see us on the portal vendor list	“We will arrange it” or no clear answer
Which panel model, and is it ALMM and DCR?	Named brand and model, confirmed DCR	“Tier 1 panels” with no model
Can I have the quote in writing with all brands?	Written quote listing panel, inverter, structure, cable	Price on WhatsApp with no line items
What is the structure made of, and how high?	Hot-dip galvanised or aluminium, height stated	“Standard structure”
How many earthing pits, and is there a lightning arrester and DC SPD?	Separate earthing, arrester and SPD listed	“Not needed for small systems”
Who files the subsidy and net meter paperwork?	We file every step and share the application number	“You apply online, we install”
What warranties do I get in writing?	Panel around 25-yr performance, inverter 5 to 10 yrs, installer structure warranty	Verbal promises only
Where is your office?	A shop address you can visit	Mobile number only
Do your own staff install?	Yes, own team	“Our partner team does it”
Can I speak to customers near me?	Names and areas offered	“Privacy, we cannot share”

Other red flags

Be careful with a price far below other quotes for the same size. Our model uses about ₹50,000 per kWp before subsidy as a quote-level average, and our solar panel price guide shows what that means for each size. A quote well below that usually means something on the list above is missing.

Be careful with anyone who promises the subsidy in a fixed number of days. The portal states roughly 30 days after commissioning, and it depends on the discom and the bank. Be careful with anyone who asks for the full payment before DGVCL has even approved feasibility. And be careful with a salesperson who cannot explain how net metering works on your bill.

Where Active Solar House stands on this list

We are one option in Bharuch, and you should check us against the same ten points. Here is how we answer them. We are a family-run shop at Mehfuz Complex, opp. Patel Welfare Hospital, running since 2003. We stock panels from UTL, Waaree and Adani, with Havells cables and BOS. We file the PM Surya Ghar and DGVCL net metering paperwork ourselves. We take zero advance and you pay after approval. Our own team installs, with no subcontractors. We give a 34-year written structure warranty, 5 years of free maintenance with quarterly checks, and a 100% refund if our installation causes roof leakage.

We have installed more than 500 rooftops, and 402 of them are plotted on the map on our home page, so you can look for jobs near you. We have installs in Zadeshwar, Kasak, Link Road, Ankleshwar and villages like Manubar, Dehgam and Amod, so ask us for customers near you. Rakesh Patel in Zadeshwar put it this way. “Installed in one day. They send generation reports on WhatsApp every month.” Yusuf Memon, a shop owner in Ankleshwar, told us other installers could not explain net metering, that we explained it in Gujarati, and that the system has run three years with zero issues.

If another installer answers the ten checks better for your roof, you should go with them. If you want to see what a complete proposal looks like, ours is free. Our residential solar page has the details, and you can read more about us.

Talk to us

Send your latest DGVCL bill and a photo of your roof on WhatsApp at 98241 95027 and we will send a written proposal with every brand and model named within 48 hours. You can check the numbers first on the calculator or visit the shop at Mehfuz Complex, Bharuch, Monday to Saturday, 09:30 to 20:00.