Edinburgh Roof Guide
Edinburgh housing is mostly stone tenements and Georgian terraces in the centre, with interwar and post-war housing in the suburbs, with natural slate almost everywhere in the older stock, concrete tile in the suburbs. Here is what that means for solar.
Pitched Tile Roofs
Concrete and clay tile roofs are the most common solar substrate in Edinburgh. What the installer checks and where it gets complicated.
Slate Roofs
Natural slate is common across Edinburgh's older housing. It works well for solar, but it is less forgiving than tile.
Flat Roofs
Ballasted and tilted frames on flat roofs — how they work, and the two things that decide whether it is viable.
East-West Roofs
Splitting an array across east and west slopes — why it often beats waiting for a south-facing roof you do not have.
In-Roof / Integrated Systems
Flush-mounted solar that replaces the roof covering rather than sitting on it — and when it is the right call in Edinburgh.
Shaded Roofs
How shading really affects a solar array, what panel-level electronics can and cannot fix, and when to say no.
Listed & Conservation Area Homes
Planning, permitted development and discreet design for protected properties in Edinburgh.
Common questions
What if my roof needs work first?
Can you tell from the photos whether my roof works?
What does the quote cost?
Who actually does the work?
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