5kW vs 10kW vs 20kW Solar Systems: Which Size Do You Actually Need?

The most common question we get on-site isn’t “how much does solar cost” — it’s “how big a system do I actually need.” Here’s a straight answer, without the sales pitch.

Start with your bill, not the panel count

Your last 3–6 months of WAPDA/LESCO bills tell us your actual monthly unit consumption — that number, not a generic “how many rooms does your house have” guess, is what should drive system size. Anyone quoting you a size without asking for your bill is guessing.

5kW: the standard residential choice

Fits most mid-sized homes running lights and fans throughout, a refrigerator, one to two AC units used moderately, and general appliances like a TV, router, and washing machine. This is the size we install most often in Shahdara and Ferozewala residential jobs — it covers a meaningful share of typical household load without oversizing.

10kW: larger homes and small commercial

Makes sense when you have a larger home with multiple AC units run more heavily, a small business, shop, or workshop with daytime equipment load, or plans to add more appliances or a home extension soon.

20kW and above: commercial and heavy-load setups

This tier is for commercial buildings, larger shops, small factories, properties with heavy daytime machinery or refrigeration load, and multi-unit residential buildings sharing one system. At this size, system design gets more technical — panel layout, three-phase inverter considerations, and load balancing all matter more, which is why commercial systems installs need a proper site engineering visit rather than a phone quote.

A sizing mistake worth avoiding

Buying bigger “to be safe” sounds reasonable but often isn’t — oversized systems cost more upfront without proportional benefit if your actual consumption doesn’t use the extra capacity, especially on the battery side. Right-sizing based on real bill data almost always beats guessing high. To see how these configurations impact your initial solar cost, check our Lahore pricing guide.

How we size a system on-site

We ask for your last few bills, walk the roof or site to confirm available space and shading, ask about any planned changes (new AC unit, home extension, new equipment for a shop), and only then propose a size — with the reasoning explained, not just a number handed over.

We install the full range

From 5kW residential jobs to 20kW+ commercial systems, we handle sizing based on your actual electricity usage — not a fixed package.

Confused about what size fits your home or shop? Call 0318 0637648 and we’ll walk through your bill with you, free of charge.