Are solar roof tiles worth it?

They can be when the roof is being replaced anyway, or when appearance matters enough that a bolt-on array is not acceptable. Per kilowatt they generally cost more than standard panels, so compare quotes for both on the same roof before deciding.

What is the difference between in-roof panels and solar tiles?

In-roof systems use standard-sized panels set into the roof in place of tiles, with flashing around them. Solar tiles and slates are smaller units that sit among, or replace, the conventional roof covering, so the result looks more like a normal roof.

Who is responsible if an integrated solar roof leaks?

Ask before you sign. Integrated products become part of the weatherproof roof, so the contract should say who warrants weather-tightness: the manufacturer, the installer, or both, and for how long.

Do solar slates need planning permission?

In England, solar equipment on a house is usually permitted development within set limits, and integrated products protrude less than bolt-on panels. Listed buildings, and some walls fronting a highway in conservation areas, are exceptions. Check your local authority’s view if your home is in a sensitive area.

Solar Roof Tiles and Slates UK: In-Roof Options Explained

Solar roof tiles, slates and in-roof panels: the integrated options

Integrated solar replaces part of the roof covering instead of sitting on top of it. It costs more per kilowatt but can look like an ordinary roof, and it is where most British-made solar products are. Here is how the options differ and what to check.

Figures checked 15 October 2026 Sources listed at the end Independent guide, not an installer or manufacturer

The three integrated options

Option	What it is	Looks	Best for
On-roof (standard)	Panels on rails above the existing tiles	Visible array	Lowest cost per kW on an existing roof
In-roof	Standard-size panels set into the roof with flashing, replacing tiles	Flush, neater edges	Re-roofs and new builds wanting a cleaner look
Solar slates	Slate-sized solar units among natural or fibre-cement slates	Close to a normal slate roof	Slate roofs and sensitive settings
Solar roof tiles	Tile-shaped solar units replacing roof tiles	Close to a normal tiled roof	Re-roofs where appearance comes first

Viridian Solar, based in Papworth, Cambridge and part of Marshalls, is one of the best-known names for in-roof systems in the UK. Its website did not say where its products are made when we read it, so ask if that matters to you.

British-made integrated products

This is where UK manufacturing is concentrated. GB-Sol, on the Treforest Industrial Estate, north of Cardiff, Wales, says it makes pv slate (solar slates), infinity edge-to-edge solar roofs and integrated solar panels, with a 25-year warranty on pv slate and infinity (company figure). Solar Capture Technologies, in Blyth, Northumberland, lists a composite solar roof tile among its products and says it designs, assembles and quality-checks at its Northumberland facility. Neither says its solar cells are made in the UK. More detail is on British-made solar panels.

When integrated solar makes sense

You are re-roofing anyway. The integrated product replaces covering you would otherwise buy, which narrows the price gap.
It is a new build or extension. The roof can be designed around the product from the start.
Appearance decides it. A slate roof in a sensitive street, or a homeowner who simply won’t have a bolt-on array.

If none of these apply, a standard on-roof system is usually the better-value way to the same output; compare panels on best solar panels UK.

What to check before you commit

Who warrants weather-tightness, and for how long.
The datasheet output per square metre, so you can compare yield with an on-roof quote.
Whether the installer has fitted this specific product before, and whether the manufacturer trains or approves installers for it.
How a failed slate or tile is replaced, and who pays for access.
Planning: in England integrated products usually fall within permitted development (on a pitched roof, nothing may protrude more than 0.2 metres), but listed buildings need consent. See planning permission.

“Integrated always looks better.” Usually, but a poorly matched slate colour or an awkward layout can look worse than a neat on-roof array. Ask for photos of similar roofs the installer has done.

Sources for this page

Read on 15 October 2026 unless the line says otherwise. Manufacturer details are what each company says about itself; where we could not confirm something, the page says so. If a figure here disagrees with the primary source, the primary source is right. Tell us through the form and we will correct it.