Why get your numbers before you get quotes?
Jason Hawthorne, CEO at ESME
Rates checked October 2026 · 4 min read · Last updated 22 October 2026
In short
Because a quote answers the question the installer asks, and that is usually what to sell you. If you know first what your house needs, roughly what it costs and how long it takes to pay back, you can tell a fair quote from an inflated one, and a right sized system from one sized to the deal.
For your house
Get your numbers first
Two minutes. You'll see your result on screen.
Key facts
What to know first
Your use, your roof, your tariff, your budget
What it lets you check
Size, price and payback on every quote
How many quotes
At least three, from MCS certified installers
How ESME is paid
Installers pay us if you ask us to pass on your details
Time it takes
About two minutes with your postcode
Why does the order matter?
Installers are paid for what they fit. Most are honest, but when pay rises with system size, the push is towards the bigger option. A quote also only covers what that installer sells, so it will not tell you that changing your tariff first would save more.
Which numbers do I need?
- 1Your use. Units a year, and how much falls in the evening. Your bills or smart meter app show it.
- 2What your roof would make. Based on its direction, pitch, shade and where you live.
- 3The right tariff. For the home you will have, with a car or without.
- 4Cost and payback for each option. In years, not just a yearly saving.
- 5Your budget. So the plan puts steps in order if you cannot do everything at once.
How does ESME help?
Your journey works out these numbers for your house in about two minutes, and puts the options in order, with cost, saving and payback for each. It is free. If you then ask for quotes, we pass your details to the installer we name, and they pay us for that introduction. We tell you who, and nothing is shared unless you tick the box.
Questions people also ask
Is ESME an installer?
We work out the numbers and introduce you to vetted local installers if you want quotes. You never pay us.
Will installers call me?
Only if you ask for quotes and agree to share your details with the installer we name.
What if a quote is very different from my numbers?
Ask the installer to explain the difference. A good one will show the assumptions behind their figures.
Sources
- 1.
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Figures are for Great Britain and were checked on the date above. Prices change, so check the latest before you decide. This is general information, not financial advice.
Your house, not an average one
Want your numbers before you get quotes?
Articles give you the general answer. Your journey gives you the numbers for your roof, your tariff and your car.
Takes about two minutes. You will see your result on screen.