Take A look

[ktech]

So by your own admission your PV prices are UNsustainable as a standalone part of the business and are subsidised by the rest of your company.

PV companies cope with the fluctuations by charging a fair rate for the work they do as specialists.

You only have to look at the DECC figures around the same time many installers on here commenting on lack of interest. My point was that when times have been quiet for all of us it helps for the business to be from an electrical background that can easily source additional work to fill the gap.

So by your own admission you seem to imply that working on higher margins means you can cope with not doing work. This would seem to be subsidising the quiet times with the additional margin you made when it was busy. So I guess we are both subsidising in one way or another just different business models?

 

[Gavin A]

Have none of you got anything else better to do? It's my website, it's my company. I have posted the odd time on here myself so it's no secret. The price and product model works well for us and is good value for customers.

We do complete structual surveys on all work, include an EPC, we do include a 10 yr insurance backed warranty and on the online monitoring is via OWL Intuition. As of today we are updating our site so yes some references may still exist to the 21p rate but on the whole we are making good progress in updating this.

Any more questions? (probably regret asking that lol)

tbh I'd expect most companies would be doing at least a brief check of what their competition were up to at this point, and I reckon you came out pretty well from the comments on the thread.

It looks like you're doing quality jobs at a very good price, though we were about to start offering virtually the same kit at a very similar price (slightly more for power one vs stecca, but the stecca looks very good for single string so we may well switch for single string roofs anyway).

So credit where credit's due really... and we're also just in the process of updating the website for new pricing, new FIT rate etc as I suspect most on here are.

 

[Gavin A]

You only have to look at the DECC figures around the same time many installers on here commenting on lack of interest. My point was that when times have been quiet for all of us it helps for the business to be from an electrical background that can easily source additional work to fill the gap.

So by your own admission you seem to imply that working on higher margins means you can cope with not doing work. This would seem to be subsidising the quiet times with the additional margin you made when it was busy. So I guess we are both subsidising in one way or another just different business models?

I agree that the key to survival here is finding work to fill in the quiet times. Our problem is that our original plan was to have the solar water heating side of things to fill in the gaps in PV and vice versa, which would have worked well if DECC hadn't decided to keep moving the RHI scheme backwards.

 

[Eco Deal]

We have been offering YINGLI 265W & STECA 3600 for some time now but today we reduced our prices of our solar power systems to keep up with the market and companys offering systems at £5995 , however we are offering much better panels then the cheap jetion polys and sticing with quality monos.

we updated our website to 16p a while back now.

tbh I'd expect most companies would be doing at least a brief check of what their competition were up to at this point, and I reckon you came out pretty well from the comments on the thread.

It looks like you're doing quality jobs at a very good price, though we were about to start offering virtually the same kit at a very similar price (slightly more for power one vs stecca, but the stecca looks very good for single string so we may well switch for single string roofs anyway).

So credit where credit's due really... and we're also just in the process of updating the website for new pricing, new FIT rate etc as I suspect most on here are.

 

[babba]

MEP do you pay to advertise on here ? ... not being silly but some companys logos have been removed ?

 

[Eco Deal]

Babba I do not pay for ads on here ! I have had this signature for well over a year and admin have never spoke to me about it !!!!

now you pointed it out I have noticed that some installer signatures have been removed or toned down.

If admin PM me and ask me to tone it down or remove it I will.

but hey thanks for pointing out this minor problem you have with my signature !

MEP do you pay to advertise on here ? ... not being silly but some companys logos have been removed ?

 

[Energetic]

You guys are bigger than us with teams of guys out on the road, IF you can make these numbers work then fair play to you. BUT if you are just doing these prices to keep the boys from being idle and to keep the bank manager away for another month then i think you are selling yourselves short.

Something that used to be discussed here in the early days but seems to have gone quiet is that we as installers are providing an INVESTMENT product as much as an electrical install. You are underwriting this investment with your warranty and for that you are remunerated.

At current incentive levels renewables are as good an investment as anything available to mere mortals, better than most. How many Banks and Financial advisers give their services away like this?

As i said earlier your responses have been measured and i think this thread does you well, it would have been easy to come out swinging.

 

[Energetic]

MEP Would be interested to know how much work do you get via the forum?

 

[SolarCity]

Just thought I'd mention that I personally think that adding your company website into your signature should be encouraged. A lot of general public come onto this forum looking for advice and it is always given - A consumer is FAR more likely to get a good install if they use a firm from this forum.

 

[babba]

MEP I dont have a problem, it was just an honest question and you and a lot of the guys on here give up your time to answer questions.
So its only fare you get some payback as the forum need you as much as you need them.

 

[Eco Deal]

I get one or two jobs off the forum , my main reason to come on here is to learn and also offer my advice to whoever needs it.

Most of the time I get members of the general public who have had solar egde systems installed by other installers and it not working or the installer did not register the system calling me so I offer advice over the phone and sometimes register the system for them on the solar edge portal as only installers can do this.

if it was not for this forum me and many others would not know half the infomation we know on this subject.