Solar Panel installation. Cost and process? Post Reply

[rubyonrails]

There's been a lot of discussion in my house about solar panels and whether we should make the investment. Has anyone done it and happy to share the rough costs? We live in a regular Victorian terrace and have a loft conversion, not sure if the latter would be an important point.

[Fjokn]

We are also looking at this so interested in any opinions. From our research looks like a long pay back period (despite rising bills).

[chorister]

We had a 3.6kW system of 10 panels installed just over a year ago by Treadlighter https://www.treadlighter.co.uk/ whom we would recommend unhesitatingly.  The cost was about £5,500 but that will already be well out of date, not least because VAT is no longer chargeable.  The capacity of panels has also improved - 10 panels today would provide c. 4.5kW.  The output you actually get depends a lot on the angle of your roof etc, but as a guide we have generated 1.2mWh April - July.

You also need to be willing to change your habits a bit to make use of the power generated - for example, we would now never put on the dishwasher overnight.

But don't do it as a financial transaction.  If you can afford it, do it for your children and your children's children.  Hope that all helps.

[Caron145]

That’s really helpful thanks. I think prices have gone up due to surge in demand but as you say plenty of other reasons to be considering solar energy.

[Jonny Dyson Property Consultants]

We had Treadlighter install a 2.63kw system on our roof earlier this year.  We have seven panels and the cost was just over £5,000.  Treadlighter were superb throughout the whole process so very much recommended.

I agree with Chorister that you will need to change your habits somewhat in order to use as much of the power generated as possible during the day, but as my wife works from home it's not that difficult for us.

As a comparison to Chorister, our slightly smaller array generated 1.274mWh in the same time period which I assume is the difference in current technology - they say that the solar energy generated from panels is doubling every few years.Jonny

[rubyonrails]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. Was it a lengthy process in terms of installation? Thanks again!

[chorister]

It's not a long process - less than a day on the roof as far as I remember and then some work on the electricals indoors.  Do check the orientation of your roof (Treadlighter will help) as it is very crucial to the output.

[robinm]

Very topical discussion in our house too. I enquired with Treadlighter on the 8th, and haven't heard back to-date. Suspect they have a massive amount of demand, and terraced houses may not be their most profitable work (speculation)! We also have the conundrum that my roof is likely 25+ years old and might need to replace that before I consider adding panels too it, but would rather not have the added expense!

[chorister]

@robinm - the panels should have a life of upto 20 years, so if you are going to need to do the roof before then definitely do it first.  And take the opportunity to put in some serious insulation - it will easily pay for itself over the winter in a terraced house (probably a better investment than PV).  Installing the panels will need scaffolding, so to reduce cost try to coordinate the two - we did.  Treadligher were excellent in liaising with builder - we just put them in touch with each other and left them to it.

[JosephPhelps]

First off, the cost of installing solar panels varies quite a bit, depending on the size of your property, the size and type of panels you want, and the installer you decide to go with. Generally speaking, the cost of installing solar panels on a standard terrace is around £5,000-£7,000, although you could pay more or less depending on the specifics of your project. I got mines installed by https://yenex.com, and I paid around£ 5,500. One of the major factors in the cost of installing solar panels is the size of the property. The bigger your property, the more solar panels you’ll need, and the more expensive the project will be. Likewise, the size and type of solar panel will also have an impact on the cost. Generally, larger panels with higher output will be more expensive than smaller, lower-output panels.

[schoolsearching]

We had solar panels installed in 2020. Total install cost was 5.7k for a 16 panel, 4kw system. Panels went on top of my flat roof loft extension and slanted roof at the back of the property. Octopus is the best retailer if you have solar panels as they offer the highest rate for export. Based on my smart meter data we are net off grid 5 months out of the year and owe a small amount during those months due to the fact that you pay more to import (at night) than you are paid to export (during the day). The panels are less effective during the winter but I keep my direct debit the same and don't pay extra in the winter.

I would also note that we also installed a solar skirt around our panels due to a pair of amorous pigeons who liked to nest under the warmth of the panels. Total cost for the nice looking plain black skirting was 1.3k.

Pay back period is long so you need to be sure you will stay in your house for 5 years. However, the return is good if you compare the after tax energy cost savings vs. what you would earn on a savings account after tax.

[schoolsearching]

2 further points:
- I can confirm it is one day for installation. Figure out where you want to put your export meter. There will be a small amount of mess inside associated with this. We had ours boxed and painted to match the wall so it doesn't look out of place.
- our installers didn't put up scaffolding but tied themselves to ropes.

Agree with other posters that I would add installation in roof spaces before buying solar panels. I would also add double glazed windows as well.