Solar and battery storage for new-build homes in Catwick
Richard Clubley Homes builds high-quality new homes across the East Riding. On their development in Catwick, they wanted every house to come with solar and battery storage built in from day one. That means lower bills for buyers and a stronger selling point for the homes. They brought us in to fit and certify the systems.
The challenge
New builds have their own challenges. The solar has to go in while the roof is being built, alongside the roofers’ schedule, and it has to look as good as the rest of the house. Buyers of high-end homes don’t want panels bolted on top of a brand-new roof. They want something that looks like it was meant to be there.
Richard Clubley Homes supplied the kit, and our job was to fit it and handle the MCS certification, so every plot was properly signed off and the buyers could use the paperwork. On Plot 1, the install fell under Permitted Development, and its size meant it connected under the simpler G98 process rather than needing a full DNO application.
What we installed
Each plot has a Fox ESS solar and battery system. On Plot 1, we fitted a 4.5 kW array of DMEGC all-black panels using a GSE in-roof mounting system in a half-portrait layout. The panels sit in the roof line in place of tiles, which gives the house a clean, built-in look. The Fox battery stores daytime generation so the household can use it in the evening.
Plot 2 also passed its MCS checks in September 2024.
Timeline
- 28 August 2024: Plot 1 commissioned
- September 2024: Plot 2 passed MCS
Results
The MCS certificate for Plot 1 puts expected generation at 4,000.5 kWh a year. Based on the original design, we estimate lifetime savings of around £36,233 and a payback of about 6 years 8 months. These are estimates and will depend on energy prices and how the household uses its power.
For the developer, that’s a real selling point. For the buyers, it’s a home that makes a good share of its own electricity from the day they move in, with a battery to make the most of it.
Building homes? Let’s talk solar
See our domestic solar page, find out more about battery storage, or read about solar panels in Hull and the East Riding.
Developers and housebuilders: contact us to discuss in-roof solar and MCS sign-off for your next site.
