Solar panels - Good or bad idea?

[axel132132]

Hey all,

Ive never done solar, never seen it done (Obvs seen solar panels)

My next door neighbor is a builder / conservatory installer etc owns his own business i do his work for him, he came upto me today and asked if we should start a business together doing solar.. He would go in, install the panels then i would go in and wire them is the basic idea

Just a few questions if anyone able to answer would be greatfull!

1. Is it worth doing?
2. Are people actually buying solar panels?
3. Is solar on the UP or down..?
4. How much is the course?
5. What qualifications / courses would i need to be able to install solar?

The big question... IS there money in solar my neighbors dickish comment was.. We need to get into this solar i want a porsche >.<! He doing well as a builder / conservatory installer.. Would be worth maybe going into business with him in solar if its a good idea

What do you guys think

Input would be awsome

Cheers

 

[whinmoor]

I would urge caution. Too many installers fighting for too little business at the moment. It will cost thousands to set up and get accredited.

 

[dansk]

your about 2 years too late, forget it mate, its not the road the to the golden land, its just another feather in the cap.

 

[sedgy34]

1,no
2,no
3,down
4,£1200 and more
5,G83/G59
courses might cost alot more now as training providers still want there wedge and there are less people doing the courses

 

[Gavin A]

come on in, the water's lovely.....

well, lovely if you ignore the fact it's all gone cold, and the big boys have been ****ing in the pool for the last couple of years, and the pool's littered the rotten destering corpses of installers who're no longer with us / are staggering around zombie like.

Those who wanted to buy a porshe have long since shut down operations and legged it with their ill gotten gains, leaving their customers without warrantees.

If you're serious about it though, I'd suggest gradually getting the courses done over the next few months, try to get a bit of experience, and then look to set up in the spring once the dust's settled a bit, as winter's the worst time for solar anyway for obvious reasons.

 

[Eco Deal]

MEP is now crying in a corner with sadness !!!!

NOT worth it unless

1. gov do a u turn on tariffs back to 21p (but that would never happen and be short term)
2. fuel bill go even higher
3 your a crazy mo fo

 

[axel132132]

Still cant decide as it not the main route i will be doing but surely for say £1500 for training.. If i do it as a SIDE business for extra work then it will be worth it if i get a couple of jobs?

Ummmm

 

[whinmoor]

Still cant decide as it not the main route i will be doing but surely for say £1500 for training.. If i do it as a SIDE business for extra work then it will be worth it if i get a couple of jobs?

Ummmm

I doubt it will cost just £1500. You'll be looking at more than double that. Accreditation isn't cheap - probably a grand and a lot of paperwork. Specialist tools and meters. Insurance. Website. Marketing. It all adds up.

Many companies are laying off staff and going bust because there's not enough work there. I received a CV this week from a guy who's just been dumped by a local firm.

 

[sedgy34]

The figure I mentioned axel was just the course in total for a business you need to be looking at investing £10,000 with everything and that's using your exhisting van (good luck)

 

[telectrix]

if only i could devise a machine to produce electrickery from rain, i'd be a millionaire.

 

[sedgy34]

if only i could devise a machine to produce electrickery from rain, i'd be a millionaire.

you got me thinking now tel, im sure there is something to invent

 

[zeljuga]

Single rain drop El Generator replacing leaves on trees. Connected via the roots free power to everyone on spot.Frying the Earth possible?

 

[dansk]

By all means go ahead and get your MCS - but don't go into this with your eyes half open - no doubt its not as hard as it was to get MCS - i got mine when MCS was something to be proud of -its not now - but if you enjoyed the Olympics then you will enjoy MCS and all the hoop jumping.

Then you got the patronising REAL code to abide by, you'll **** when we say you ****, you'll sleep when we say you sleep - idiots the lot of them.

We get a CV a week from ex solar installers so that gives you an idea of the state of things, even for the experienced guys trying to win new work is tough, very tough - having said that its a nice sideline, it makes a change - if i was you i would be looking into home automation and LED lighting and energy saving devices (excluding PV) intelligent controls etc for boilers and the like.

PV will stablise - so unless you want hours of arse ache and hoop jumping i would leave it alone for a little while - only my view ;-)

 

[HandySparks]

if only i could devise a machine to produce electrickery from rain, i'd be a millionaire.

Miniature water turbine/generators in the downpipes! Got to be good for a few watts (but only a few).

 

[Eco-Deal]

I am not MCS registered but a good friend once told me his first solar pv job was his hardest to get as there was no referances to give out now that was back in 2010 so good luck getting your first job now !!! 4000 installs per week on average right now with 5000 installers

hmmmmm thanks greg barker at the DECC

 

[Gavin A]

4000?

pretty sure it's a lot lower than that unfortunately.

 

[Eco Deal]

what is the install rate right now

 

[SolarCity]

It's actually around 1000 a week. When you consider that a lot of them are rent-a-roofs, then the picture is bleak.

 

[cbw]

Doing my first quote of September tomorrow!!!!!

 

[axel132132]

cbw did u start as a electrical company then got into solar? Maybe i shud leave this alone lol!