Solar panels in Western Switzerland

Fitting solar panels on a roof looks simple, but the result depends on orientation, shading, the structure and local rules. This page presents the trade, the cases where you should call a professional, and what changes between Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Jura and Bienne.

Sos-travaux.ch is a neutral matching service: you describe your project online, your request is passed on to craftspeople and companies in the region, and they contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

Photovoltaic and thermal: two distinct solar installations

The term “solar panels” covers two technologies.

• Photovoltaic panels turn light into electricity. An installation includes the modules, the inverter, the cabling, the electrical protection and the connection to the building’s electrical panel. The electricity is used by the home or fed into the grid.
• Thermal collectors capture the sun’s heat to prepare domestic hot water, sometimes as a back-up to heating. They are connected to a storage tank and to the existing heat source.

The most frequent jobs are fitting onto an existing pitched roof, installing on a flat roof with ballasted or fixed supports, adding panels to an existing installation, replacing an inverter and connecting a storage system. Some roof renovations are also an opportunity to integrate the modules into the roof covering rather than mounting them on top.

The trade involves several professions: solar installer, roofer or sheet-metal worker for the roof and waterproofing, electrician for the connection. Depending on the company, a single contact coordinates everything or you manage several. This point should be settled in the quote.

When to hire a solar specialist rather than do it yourself

A professional is needed in most situations:

• the roof is old and it is not known whether it will bear the weight of the modules or whether it needs redoing first;
• the roof is flat, with questions of waterproofing and ballasting;
• the electrical connection involves the building’s main panel, which is a job for an authorised electrician;
• the building is in an old town, in a protected perimeter or is a cultural heritage building;
• you are aiming for battery storage or self-consumption shared between several homes;
• the building is co-owned or rented.

Working on a roof carries a risk of falling. Scaffolding, nets and safety lines are not a detail: a serious quote says how site safety is ensured.

What Switzerland requires: training, notification, electrical standards

In Switzerland, building trades rely on recognised training, such as the CFC (Federal Certificate of Proficiency). For solar work, this foundation is found among electricians, roofers and sheet-metal workers, supplemented by specific training in photovoltaic or thermal installations. Ask the company who will actually carry out the fitting and the connection, and under whose responsibility.

On the legal side, Art. 18a of the federal Spatial Planning Act (LAT) sets out a principle: a solar installation that is sufficiently well adapted to a roof, in a building or agricultural zone, generally requires only a notification and not a permit. The exception is clear: on a cultural heritage building or in a protected site, the ordinary procedure remains the rule. “Sufficiently well adapted” is a matter of judgement, and the way the notification is filed differs between cantons. Always check with your municipality or the relevant cantonal department before work starts.

Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Jura, Bienne: different counters

Each canton organises its procedures and support in its own way.

• Geneva: building permits are issued by the canton, through the Office des autorisations de construire. The cantonal energy law (LEn) and the Office cantonal de l’énergie (OCEN) govern the energy side, including subsidies under the Buildings Programme. The building stock includes many rental buildings run by managing agents, which adds a step to obtain consent. The old town and protected districts call for particular attention.
• Vaud: the permit is issued by the municipality, with the file going through the cantonal permit centre (CAMAC) when cantonal departments must give an opinion. Energy falls under the Vaud energy law and the cantonal energy directorate, which runs a subsidy programme. Old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a World Heritage site, call for caution.
• Valais: the permit is issued by the municipality in a building zone, and by a cantonal commission outside it. The cantonal department for energy and hydropower runs a subsidy programme. Chalets and second homes make up a large part of the stock; the federal law on second homes applies in the municipalities concerned.
• Fribourg: permit applications go through the cantonal FRIAC platform, with the permit issued by the prefecture or the municipality depending on the type of work. The cantonal energy department has its own subsidy programme. The canton is bilingual and has protected old towns.
• Neuchâtel: applications go through the cantonal SATAC counter, with the decision taken by the municipality. The energy and environment department manages subsidies. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, listed by UNESCO, means site constraints should be checked before dreaming of a roof covered in modules.
• Jura: the permit is issued by the municipality or the canton depending on the scale of the project; the cantonal energy section has its own subsidy programme. The old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne must be handled with care.
• Bienne (canton of Bern): the permit is issued by the municipality or the prefecture depending on the project, and the cantonal office for the environment and energy manages the subsidy programme. Bienne is officially bilingual: documents and contacts may be too.

Snow, sunshine and protected buildings: what the roof imposes

Three parameters come up in almost every file.

The real sunshine on the roof. Orientation, pitch, trees, neighbouring buildings and chimneys all cast shade. A professional examines these on site or from plans before proposing a capacity and a layout.

Snow at altitude. On roofs in higher regions, notably in Valais, in Jura and in the uplands of Vaud and Fribourg, the snow load influences the choice of fixings and pitch. It also raises the question of snow guards and sliding snow onto walkways below. An installation designed for the lowlands is not necessarily suited to a chalet.

Protected buildings and old towns. Where the law provides for the ordinary procedure, the file takes longer and the requirements concern the visibility, colour and integration of the modules. Have the building’s status checked before comparing quotes.

Preparing your solar quote request

The more precise the request, the more comparable the quotes. Gather:

• the address and type of building (house, apartment block, commercial building);
• the shape of the roof, its material, its approximate age and the latest work done;
• your situation: owner, co-owner or tenant, with or without the landlord’s consent;
• your electricity or hot water bill, which shows consumption;
• your aim: cutting the bill, producing for resale, heating water, preparing for a charging station;
• photos of the roof and the electrical panel, if possible;
• the status of the property, if you know it is protected or in a sensitive perimeter.

You can request a quote by describing these points. The request is free and non-binding.

What a serious solar quote sets out

A usable quote is not limited to a single “turnkey installation” line. It specifies:

• the type of installation (photovoltaic, thermal, or both) and the planned capacity;
• the make and model of the modules, the inverter and any storage;
• the method of fitting (on-roof, integrated, flat roof) and the fixings;
• the roof work included or excluded, for example prior repairs;
• the electrical connection and the notification or permit procedures, and who handles them;
• the scaffolding and safety measures;
• the handling of the one-off payment application and of other support, or its exclusion;
• the payment terms, the schedule and the manufacturer’s warranty.

Why the price varies from one roof to another

No amount is given here, because it would be misleading. The cost depends in particular on the capacity sought, the complexity of the roof, access to the site, whether scaffolding is needed, the quality of the components, any storage, the condition of the electrical panel and the administrative procedures. Federal, cantonal or municipal support also changes the net cost. Only a quote prepared for your building allows a real comparison.

Statutory warranties and the SIA 118 standard for a solar installation

The Code of Obligations (CO) sets the framework. For an immovable work, hidden defects can be reported for 5 years under Art. 371 CO; for a movable work, the period is 2 years. An installation fixed to a building generally falls into the first category. In every case, defects must be reported in writing as soon as they are noticed, and the site handover record matters.

If the contract refers to the SIA 118 standard (the Swiss construction industry’s general conditions), its provisions apply in addition; check whether the quote mentions it. Manufacturers’ own warranties (modules, inverter) are separate and should be read in their own terms.

Solar panels near you

Find the pages dedicated to this trade in your city:

Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Sion, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Bienne, Nyon, Vevey, Montreux, Yverdon-les-Bains, Martigny, Monthey, Bulle, Delémont, Carouge, Lancy, Vernier, Morges and Sierre.

The rules specific to each canton are summarised on the pages for canton of Geneva, canton of Vaud, canton of Valais, canton of Fribourg, canton of Neuchâtel, canton of Jura and canton of Bern.