Solar PV install prices

[vernam616]

Hi everyone

Fitted a few of these now however only for the company i work for on a hourly rate

I was wondering what the going price per install was?

Doesnt matter how far away you live as im prepared to commute to wherever, just wondering what other people are getting payed for doing a install

Thanks
Dan

 

[Manny]

Hi there, I am also interested on that, and what I found out is many different prices per job.

For a sub-contractor installer, I heard all kinds of prices per install of a basic 4kw system, 3.5k, 2.5k, 2k, however what seems to be the norm lately is around 1.5k and 1.2k?...

So my conclusion is that because installers are not organized in some kind of scheme that dictates a minimum fee, and a whole lot of cowboys are coming on board, prices per job are dropping fast! Thanks to jackss... that don't know how to value their work!

I heard about this big modules manufacturer, which has a “sister” installer company, which probably has their own scaffold co. This co is offering a standard install, with all bits and bulbs, with top quality for under 2k.
Now, I know that a PV salesman is making anywhere between 3% to 10% per/system sold, which means a sales guy is gona make more than all the installers in a site combine including the costs involved in a average of 2-3 installs... this for me is ridiculous!

Takes the installers a whole lot of work to get the MCS, which protects the customers and government, however there is no minimum standard yet as far as contract per job in the market or price value for the work done by average installers.

I can see already, guys going for 800 per install in a near future including all the cost and some Mickey Mouse scaffold... I am sure they gona be happy with 80p/d...

 

[vernam616]

Hmm interesting answer...

Currently fitting these for next to nothing (basic rate)

Looking into going as self employed and fitting SOLAR PV is something we would be able to do

Me and my mate have been getting a install finished by around 1pm, i was hoping to work late and push for 2 houses a day

I thought i was way off when i though we could earn £300 each per install, but now you have mentioned that it doesnt seem so bad

Anyone else have a input?

 

[Manny]

Hi mate,

My intention is to share my findings with professionals in the same industry with similar problems in the intention of promote a better environment work for all of us. I think this site is all about that.

I understand that folks need to make a living. I can’t tell you how to work out your operational costs. However the figures that you mention are not acceptable for me, as seems to me I wouldn’t cover my running costs.

Again, the investors are making a great amount of money, the customers are getting what they wanted, the government is getting the energy deal they were looking for and the installer are making all that possible for very low cost... Hum....It doesn’t seem a good deal to me, unless you know how to charge a fear price for your service.

I think knowing your real operational cost is the first step, when I say that I mean EVERYTHING included, per example phone costs, and complete vehicle running costs, depreciation of tools and initial investments pay back, etc. Many professionals out there, don’t have a clue how much is their real operational cost. They get some cash here and there and they’re happy... Then in the end of the year they still have no money and a lot of bills to pay.

The second thing is fight for a decent income based on our hard work. If you don’t know how to do it, you’re going to be used as a load horse.

Remember, a single salesman is making around 3% to 10%, imagine 5% average and that has nothing to do with the overall company profit.


Vehicle running costs, AAA site
Running Cost Tables : diesel car running costs - The AA

 

[1billy wiz]

done in a day?? you mean the inverter solely?? i cant see how any two man team can install a whole system in a day. i think people are cutting alot of corners & lashing these installs in.

 

[SolarCity]

I'm not saying it can't be done, but I am amazed that two men can get a full install done before 1pm. Even as a team of four, on a straightforward install, we do well to get done by 3pm

 

[SRE]

I'm not saying it can't be done, but I am amazed that two men can get a full install done before 1pm. Even as a team of four, on a straightforward install, we do well to get done by 3pm

You read my mind ....

 

[vernam616]

Its not really hard is it, if you put the graft in and dont stop much

We just crack on to get home

No corners cut + testing completed

 

[SRE]

Hey Biggsolar - you and me must be lazy buggers .... get your finger out!

 

[vernam616]

Been doing one install everyday for the past few months, all the same house type too, so gotten quite used to it

 

[SRE]

You're doing social housing then? Same property, same consumer, same routing of cable, smaller systems and bog standard installs. Still find it hard to see how it can be done neatly in that time but then again I dont suppose the tennant is paying and isn't as bothered about the routes. Different kettle of fish altogether on private work.

We have 2 roofers taking between 2/3 and one day depending on whether it's tiled or slate (we do about 80% slate) and one sparky who also supervises the roofers and takes at least a day to install and goes back the following day to finish off and test but you can't see where they've been and they almost never get a straight forward job and we rarely fit anything less than 4kwp.

 

[SRE]

Thinking about it we could finsh by 1pm - if we started at 1.01pm :53:

 

[SolarCity]

I still don't see it. We have an electrician and his mate doing the electrical side while my partner and I install the panels. The electrician is normally done by midday - 1pm or so, depending on the install. Depending on what roof type we are on, we will probably be getting the panels on by then. Testing and commissioning takes an hour at least.

I've always been a very quick worker and our spark is no slouch either.

 

[grandfortune]

I have to agree with the 1pm finish time, im yet to put an install in myself so leaving alot of time for it with the help of you guys especially SRE who has been a wealth of information.

Ive done 4 or 5 installs on the 230v side, some have been a nightmare and some easy new build types but i usually finish by 2pm at most and as i look for tips from the roofers they are also finishing off there's by 2pm, so basically there is a team of 5 me,2x roofers and a supervisor usuallly from a sparky background so if the worst case that the bonding isn't upto scratch he helps me with that. then he commissions and rights out the paperwork. one thing i did notice is that they never test the panels before they put them up, there is always a different supervisor but the same answer "the company's put 30.000+ panels up and not had 1 duff panel yet"

thanks
grand

 

[SolarCity]

1-2pm with a team of five on a straightforward install sounds about right. I'd say a 1pm finish with a team of two is a minor miracle.

 

[vernam616]

2 of us and an apprentice i have to say

Wether it be social housing or private i always give the same standard of work, at the end of the day that is still someones "Home" just because they dont own it doesnt mean they should receive a poor job

All we have to do is get one cable down from the loft and mount everything next to the D/B, second fix it all

Very easy work, we have the apprentice prepping all the house etc.. then we go in and finish off what hes done

 

[SRE]

So you're not doing the roof work???

 

[MorganPVI]

We did 16 Sanyo and a 4000tl on a detached garage/ workshop. Team of 3 in 7 hours. It was the "perfect" storm of solar installation. 5m DC run, inverter next to the CU, TT sys. I bet we'll never see such an easy job again

 

[trebormint]

I was offered £650 for a 4KW install. What planet are these companies on? I hope installers don't undersell themselves. It takes a lot to get the MCS so should be far greater valued than an ex-double glazing salesman.

 

[judgeelectrical]

I with you trebormint, we shouldnt under sell ourselves, after all the effort andtraining. QMS was a nightmare for me. I had a roofer try to bully me into fitting a system for him, told me it was easy and he just needed someone to electrically fit/test and commision it for him, he didnt like the my price of £2000 plus vat, but someone did it for him !

why should we go through all the years of eletrical knowledge, the 6 months to a year of MCS quals that let someone just marh in and use our MCS name. We should all get together more and protect our Prices/Business