Solar Installation Left My Roof Severely Damaged — 8 Months Later and Still No Resolution

I would strongly recommend doing thorough research before using Stage Zero Solar in Port Elizabeth, specifically regarding the contractors used for installations.

In September 2025, we had a solar system installed at our home. Prior to installation, I had an agreement with the owner of Hitech, Reghardt, that the mounting brackets would be installed first so I could waterproof around them, as our roof has very old fish scale tiles. The agreement was that they would come a day before the panel installation to allow time for this preparation. That unfortunately did not happen, and the entire installation was completed in one day.

Only afterwards did I discover that numerous roof tiles had been broken during the installation process. I had spare tiles available and would have replaced any damaged tiles had this been communicated to me at the time. Instead, the installation was completed and no mention was made of the damage.

The first rainfall after the installation resulted in severe leaks throughout the house — through ceilings, light fittings, and into areas with wooden flooring. Upon inspecting the roof space myself, I found multiple openings where damaged tiles had been left unrepaired beneath the solar installation.

Since October 2025, I have repeatedly raised this issue and have continuously had to follow up myself, with little to no proactive communication in return. In the meantime, I have had to implement temporary measures at my own expense, including installing flashing to divert water away from the damaged areas, sealing panel gaps with waterproofing tape, and placing four 210L buckets permanently in the ceiling to collect water during rain.

It is now May 2026, nearly June, and the matter still remains unresolved. No meaningful repair work has been completed, nor has there been any offer to remove the panels so that the roof can properly be repaired.

This has been an extremely frustrating and ongoing experience, and in my opinion, the standard of workmanship and after-sales support received has been unacceptable.