Learn About Solar

Learn About Solar

When Solar Market started out in 2010, a baby-sized 1kW solar system would have cost you close to 10,000 pounds.

The cost to install has plummeted as materials and manufacturing prices have dropped along with a wave of manufacturers coming into the market from China pushing prices down.

For those who want the longer answer though.

It’s important to know first that solar isn’t a one size fits all proposition.

While the system size and brand of panel you choose will obviously have a huge influence on the price you pay, there are also a number of other factors which can make a huge difference on your final figure.

In fact, the installation cost can vary thousands of pounds based on a number of factors, not limited to:

• Framing and other system components required
• Accessibility of roof
• Whether the roof is tiled or metal
• And, too many more to list

This is the reason why Solar Market started our quote service, to help those interested in getting solar find MCS accredited installers in their area and arrange quotes. So far, we’ve had over 100,000 people use our service.

Why you don’t want to wait to buy

Right now, prices on solar are at never before seen lows. These prices, however, may be short lived.

The European Court of Justice has ruled that the UK’s discounted VAT rate for energy saving materials for housing (including solar) is in violation of the EU’s VAT directive. From early next year, the current VAT rate of 5% on solar installs will rise to 20%, potentially adding 15% onto the price.

Secondly, the government is pulling back feed-in tariff incentives which ensure a healthy return for homeowners with solar installed. This will only eat into the current, very attractive, 15,000 pound investment return estimates.

If you have been oohing and aahing about solar, this really should be a huge motivator to get a hurry on.

Never trust the first quote

Now we’ve mentioned that a lot of different factors can influence the cost of installing. Another factor that you need to be aware of is who you talk to.

Different installers charge different prices, even for the same product.

Installers all buy their products from different places, have different margins and offer varying levels of service. The price you are quoted, even for the exact same product, can vary by hundreds of poundsdepending on who you talk to.

You might be wondering why we offer 3 quotes from 3 different installers.

This is to give shoppers the chance to compare different products, get a 2nd and 3rd opinion and gain some bargaining power in the negotiation process.

Our system works by locating the installers who service your local area and then arranging for them to quote you. Just enter your details in the form below along with a few details about your situation and our system will do the