Why there is no single number
A solar installation is priced from your specific roof and your specific electricity use, not from a table. Two houses of the same size can cost very differently because one has a simple south facing pitch with clear access and the other has a shaded roof, a fragile covering and a scaffold that has to stand on the pavement.
We do not publish headline solar prices, for the same reason we do not publish headline roof prices. A figure that looks attractive online is only reached by leaving something out of the scope, and the thing left out reappears later as a variation or as a system that disappoints.
The only figure that means anything is a written, itemised quote produced after somebody has looked at the roof, the roof space and how your household actually uses electricity.
What moves the price
System size and panel count
More panels generate more, but the right number is set by your usage and your roof, not by the largest array that will fit. Oversizing a system so that most of the output is exported cheaply is a common way to spend money that does not come back.
Roof type, pitch and access
Slate, plain tile and profiled tile all take different fixings and different labour. A steep or high roof, or one with awkward access, needs more scaffolding and more time, and that shows up in the total.
Inverter and consumer unit
The inverter is a significant single item, and some homes need the consumer unit or wiring brought up to standard before anything can be connected. Neither is optional, and both belong on the quote rather than appearing later.
Battery storage
Storage is the largest single swing in most quotes. It can be worth adding, but only for some households, which is why we price every job with and without it so you can compare like for like. Our guide to whether battery storage is worth it sets out how to decide.
Scaffolding and electrical work
Safe access, the full electrical installation and the connection to your supply all sit inside a proper quote. The connection also involves your network operator, and that paperwork should be handled for you rather than left as a surprise.
What should be on the quote
- Panel make, model and total output in kW
- Inverter make and model
- Battery make, capacity and price, shown as a separate line
- The mounting system and how it fixes to your covering
- Scaffolding and access, stated as included or excluded
- Electrical work, the consumer unit and the network operator application
- Any roof repair found necessary before installation, with a stated rate
- Testing, monitoring, certification and handover
- The written guarantee and what it covers
If a solar quote is a single line and a total, you cannot compare it with anything, and neither can we.
The builders first difference
Most solar firms install panels and nothing else. We are roofing and property specialists first, so before any panels go on we check that the covering, the battens, the ventilation and the structure are fit to carry them for the life of the system. If the roof needs work first, we can do it, rather than fitting panels onto a roof that will need stripping in a few years.
Before you commit
Get more than one quote, insist all of them are itemised, and compare the specification before the totals. Ask what happens if the roof needs work first, and get the answer in writing. Whether the spend makes sense at all is a separate question, covered in are solar panels worth it. Our solar service starts with a free no obligation survey and a written, itemised price rather than a headline figure.