Kit prices

[tombennetts]

I am a qualified PV installer with PV installation experience. I am looking to start my own PV company, so need to do an installation for mcs. Anyone recommend any suppliers for reasonably prices kits for not yet mcs installers?!

 

[Worcester]

Yep you need an installation, and £20k in the bank - check the other threads, "Is it worth it" and Getting Started, all your questions and more will be answered there.

Speak to Segen for their 'get certified' kit or give Yellowvanman a PM

 

[tombennetts]

hmmm i definately dont have 20k in the bank at the moment! i have heard about segen so may give them a try, and yellowvan man. thanks!

 

[cbw]

I have to say I thought all you lot with your £20K 'rubbish' were just doom and gloom mongerers........................






£20K later...........




Now I have all the bells and whistles, but have crippled the cash flow of my nice electrical business and have nothing left to do the marketing!!!!!!!!!




If I had any hair I would have pulled it all out!!!!!!!!.




I really thought you were all talking POO!

 

[tombennetts]

whats the 20 k for then? mcs, first installation costs, and.............?

 

[cbw]

They did go over this on previous posts, I really thought exageration was the name of the game!

Course fees, hotel and travel, admin, new files, filling cabinets, software, new tools, MCS, Easy MCS, REAL, loss of earnings, running at nearly a month for me at present, Elecsa part p at the same time as it saves a couple of quid, new business so new public liability, professional indemnity, employers liability, sign write the van, new stationary, new web site......It goes on and on and on..

On a positive note, I have landed 2 contracts in my first month of trading?????????????

 

[cbw]

And please note that does not include first install costs!

 

[Worcester]

@cbw

There are a few of us that have been very open about the costs and effort involved in getting MCS accredited and we regularly get shot down in flames, so

1) It's a shame it really does cost that and there is no cheap shortcut.
2) Thanks for having the guts and being honest enough to admit we told you so.

 

[cbw]

I have to admit that even though I went into this with my eyes wide open and having done the research I am still shocked at both the financial cost and more especially the bloody labour costs involved!!!!!!

 

[gr7]

Taking into account the number of hours needed to achieve MCS £20K is probably about right (depending on how much you charge yourself out at). I thought this figure seemed way over the top when I started at the beginning of the year. I can honestly say that I have never in my life worked so many hours as I have this year, hopefully the hard work will start to pay off soon.

 

[SolarCity]

The amount of work that is involved in getting yourself to the point where you can install a job and certify it from start to finish is horrendous. I work between 80-100 hours a week and I still earn less than a train driver.

 

[kes123]

Hi everyone just read this post as I am working towards my MCS accreditation

So far costings are register with either elecsa or maybe corgi part p around 700.00. reegister with Real 300.00 cost of 1.14 kit 2700. Idem insurance not sure yet.
Cost of course 500.00
The time is something i will work around my spare time so no cost really.

But add it all together will be below 5k.
Or am i missing something here that i am yet to bump into.

 

[JD6400]

Without going in to the other associated costs the answer to your question would be YES , just give it a little time and it will soon mount up !
I am not trying to put anyone off , far from it , i have personally helped out two competitors get started !
All i am saying is that it is not all plain sailing on the so perceived gravy train !

 

[SRE]

Hi everyone just read this post as I am working towards my MCS accreditation

So far costings are register with either elecsa or maybe corgi part p around 700.00. reegister with Real 300.00 cost of 1.14 kit 2700. Idem insurance not sure yet.
Cost of course 500.00
The time is something i will work around my spare time so no cost really.

But add it all together will be below 5k.
Or am i missing something here that i am yet to bump into.

We're about 14 months down the line and at last in a position to buy the tools and software that we need BUT we went 6 months without taking a wage and cashflow was and still is horrendous, it's just that we have enough sales to cover cashflow problems now. Don't know how long that will stay the same though - I'm having supply problems already and can see the need to buy in advance shortly.

 

[Worcester]

Time for an indepedent installers buyers co-operative!

Run by Installers for installers..

Same way all the independent newsagents, stationary companies etc do.

Gaurantyeed supplies of an agreed range of inverters, mounting systems and panels, at a price that covers costs and any profits paid back to the members at the end of the year, so that even if you could get it £10 cheaper elesewhere, it's not worth it because of security of supply and pay back of profits.

Thoughts?

 

[SolarCity]

Sounds like an interesting idea. I can see supply being a big issue, especially Jan-March, so it could really help.

 

[SRE]

Solar co-op - interesting idea. Is it do-able in such a short time?

 

[Worcester]

Possibly,

a) One of my clients is a small co-operative organisation (1000 members), and they know how to set them up
b) In a past life I dealt extensively with 'buying groups', so the skillset is available

downside

The 'co-op' would have to raise money from it's members to carry the stock

I'll float it with ny client next week.

 

[solarsavings]

Time for an indepedent installers buyers co-operative!

Run by Installers for installers..

Same way all the independent newsagents, stationary companies etc do.

Gaurantyeed supplies of an agreed range of inverters, mounting systems and panels, at a price that covers costs and any profits paid back to the members at the end of the year, so that even if you could get it £10 cheaper elesewhere, it's not worth it because of security of supply and pay back of profits.

Thoughts?

A few of us around here do something similar to that already for inverters, isolators, cable, gen meters, labels but it falls down on mounting systems and some modules as we prefer different systems.

 

[Noddy67]

It's a cash dribble too. Not sure about the absolute figure I've spent but it just keeps going on. When you've completed the course, there's the MCS time, the equipment costs, stock, dc/irradiance meter etc etc. and when you complete MCS and get to the real world is what I'm still surprised at. Websies can cost a couple of hundred quid but look it. Needs to be done properlty. Leaflets, marketing generally, sales specifically. I've just sprung £600 for a leica measuring device as too many jobs couldnt' be measured from the ground accurately enough.


I know it will be OK in the end as I've done 15 jobs now... but if it all grinds to a halt in april I'll be a few quid up and a whole load of time wasted.