Paying for rooftop solar? Tie every rupee to a milestone.

Why the payment schedule matters as much as the price.

Most homeowners compare quotes on price per kW and stop there. The payment schedule is where a good deal turns bad. If you have paid 100 percent before a single panel is on the roof, you have no leverage when the BESCOM paperwork drags or the installation is sloppy. A sensible schedule ties each payment to something you can see or check. Use it alongside our note on comparing rooftop solar quotes.

An illustrative milestone schedule.

These percentages are an example only, not an industry rule and not our quote. Installers differ, and your agreement governs. Take the structure, then negotiate the numbers.

• Booking: about 10 percent. Paid against a signed work order that lists the system size, panel and inverter make and model, and the scope of BESCOM work.
• Material delivery: about 40 percent. Paid when panels, inverter and structure are physically on site and match the work order.
• Installation complete: about 30 percent. Paid when the system is mounted, wired and earthed, and the installer has shown it working.
• Net meter and commissioning: about 20 percent. Paid only after BESCOM has installed the meter and the system is live on the grid.

On a Rs 2,00,000 system, an illustrative figure, that is Rs 20,000, Rs 80,000, Rs 60,000 and Rs 40,000. The last Rs 40,000 is your leverage. A vendor who is paid in full on installation day has little reason to chase a meter application.

What to verify before each payment.

• Before booking: the company name on the work order matches the name on the invoice and the bank account. Ask for the written scope, warranty terms and a timeline. If you plan to use a subsidy scheme, check the installer's status on the official portal rather than trusting a claim. Our empanelled vendor note explains how.
• Before delivery payment: photograph the labels on every panel and the inverter. Match model numbers and quantities to the work order. For domestic content requirements, read our note on DCR panels.
• Before installation payment: check the earthing, cable routing and mounting. Our notes on earthing and surge protection and waterproofing and mounting list what good work looks like.
• Before final payment: the net meter is installed, the inverter shows generation, and you hold the warranty papers, drawings and the commissioning documents. See the commissioning checklist.

If you are using a loan or subsidy.

Bank-financed purchases often release funds in set stages, and subsidy rules have their own conditions and timelines. Confirm both with your lender and the official scheme portal before you sign, and make sure your installer's payment stages do not clash with them. Our solar loan note and subsidy guide cover the general flow. Do not assume the subsidy arrives on a fixed date, and do not treat it as part of the installer's money unless the agreement says so.

Red flags.

• A demand for full payment up front, or a large cash payment with no receipt.
• A quote that lists "solar system" with no panel or inverter model.
• Pressure to pay today for a discount that disappears tomorrow.
• No written timeline for the BESCOM application and no named person who handles it.
• A payee name that differs from the company on the quote.

Pay by bank transfer to the company account, keep every receipt, and write the milestone against each payment in the transfer remarks.

Quick FAQ.

Is a 10 percent booking amount too low for an installer? Installers set their own terms. If an installer will not accept any staged structure, treat that as information about how they will behave later.

What if a milestone is delayed by BESCOM, not the installer? Agree in the work order who chases it and what happens to the final payment while you wait. Write it down before you start.