Solar panels: a warning

EricMears

Cardew wrote: »

So you agree it is hideous? What would be worse?

Any of these :-

Profusion of TV aerials &/or satellite dishes.
Overhead cables snaking around the street with conspicuous brackets mounted on walls
Other cables tacked along the walls
Unsympathetic street furniture
Coloured rendering or cladding in variety of unsuitable colours
Dormer windows or other extensions added to building without any regard for blending into surroundings.
Fire escape ladders bolted on clumsily
Rainwater or soil vent pipes on front of building

That street doesn't quite have all those but most are present.

Cardew

So you think those panels look OK and the objections of the residents unreasonable?

Straight question - do you think those panels would enhance or detract from the value of the property?

The_Green_Hornet

Cardew wrote: »

So you think those panels look OK and the objections of the residents unreasonable?

They look no better or worse than any other building with solar panels installed. I'm sure that the residents who objected feel that they are being reasonable, others may disagree.

Cardew wrote: »

Straight question - do you think those panels would enhance or detract from the value of the property?

It all depends how you value a property. To some having solar panels installed on the roof would detract whereas to others having cheap renewable energy would enhance. If you mean value as in monetary terms then that is up to the market to determine.

In the end it all boils down to individual taste.

Martyn1981

Cardew wrote: »

That post on that deadful PV display was in response to this:

In many cases(IMO) PV panels will detract from the value of the property - even if they were attracting the high 'first timers' FIT of £1500+ pa.

Surely anyone tempted to buy that property would remove the panels - nobody but nobody can argue against that fact that they ruin the appearance of the house.

But;

1. I don't understand what that (or any particular install) has got to do with my post?

2. What value your opinion (or mine) on the aesthetics of PV has in relation to my post?

I simply (and somewhat tongue-in-cheek) pointed out that demand for PV by housebuyers, as an 'extra' outstrips supply. It was placed no.1 by 38% of those surveyed, but only about 2% of houses have PV, and crucially, as pointed out, only about 20% of properties probably have PV potential.

So applying the most basic level of supply and demand economics, you should be able to see that demand outstrips supply (both current and future) already, and should therefore have an effect on pricing.

Combine this with the quarterly DECC surveys that show a 85% support rate for solar as a renewable energy source, and you should be able to see that solar has a bright future, once some people (possibly the vocal minority) get over the usual, 'it's new so it must be bad' stage.

Mart.

Cardew

Martyn1981 wrote: »

But;


I simply (and somewhat tongue-in-cheek) pointed out that demand for PV by housebuyers, as an 'extra' outstrips supply. .

Equally 'tongue-in-cheek' I pointed out that many people think they are hideous - and that installation is a graphic illustration of why people object.

Do you think it enhances the appearance? Would it add to the value of the property?

doughnutmachine

Cardew wrote: »

On the other hand!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2209909/Solar-panels-ruin-picturesque-street.html

How much would it have increased the value of this property!!

those panels look poor. they would also prevent the house owner putting dormer windows into the attic.

I have to admit that I would offer less for the house because it looks ugly and I couldn't put a bedroom in the attic...

The_Green_Hornet

Cardew wrote: »

Equally 'tongue-in-cheek' I pointed out that many people think they are hideous - and that installation is a graphic illustration of why people object.?

They look no better or worse than any other building with solar panels installed. I'm sure that the residents who objected feel that they are being reasonable, others may disagree.

Cardew wrote: »

Do you think it enhances the appearance? Would it add to the value of the property?

It all depends how you value a property. To some having solar panels installed on the roof would detract whereas to others having cheap renewable energy would enhance. If you mean value as in monetary terms then that is up to the market to determine.

In the end it all boils down to individual taste and whether someone feels they have the right to impose theirs on others.

zeupater

Hi All

I really don't think that the majority of people would even notice ....

Anyone walking on the pavement next to the property certainly wouldn't, as would those in vehicles driving to the right ... those driving to the left might, but who really looks up at that angle in a car ... so that leaves those walking on the opposite pavement who don't mind treading in 'dog-muck' and other unpleasant detritus ...

Apart from those who live opposite, the number of people who would actually notice would be really limited. I remember reading the results of a survey in a well known county town shopping area which concluded that only a very small proportion of shoppers ever looked at anything other than the mainly 1960's style shop windows, other people and the floor, completely missing the tremendous array of buildings spanning well over 500years of the town's history which were visible in all their splendour from the first floor upwards ....

On the point of adding value, well that's down to the buyer ... some will deem that it will and to reflect this in their offer, other will do the opposite. So what happens ? .... if there is competition between buyers who want the property with panels, and Mart's figures/link suggests that pv is a major consideration, then the offer price will reflect this whereas if there is no competition the offer price will likely be lower. It's not the value of the panels which makes a difference ... it's the desirability to the buyer. It doesn't really bother me, and it's likely that others would be of the same mind, seeing that the total value of a pv installation would now represent ~2% of an average house price and removal & making good would likely cost far less than 0.5% ... not really a deal-breaker whether you like or dislike pv and the property has got, or has not got, them installed ...

It really is a non-issue ....

HTH
Z

Cardew

zeupater wrote: »

I really don't think that the majority of people would even notice .

It really is a non-issue ....

HTH
Z

Hi Z

Enough of a 'non-issue' to post a one sided account of how PV panels enhance property values!

If nobody would notice, perhaps we should allow everyone to have advertising billboards on their roof - IMO that would be preferable to that PV display;)

Martyn1981

Cardew wrote: »

Hi Z

Enough of a 'non-issue' to post a one sided account of how PV panels enhance property values!

Actually I didn't post a one-sided account, I simply posted the results of a survey of over 1,000 home buyers. Noting that demand outstrips both current and future supply.

Then I applied the most basic level of supply and demand economics to conclude the effect that this would/should have on general pricing.

My conclusion was that this should be good news to DKLS (and perhaps yourself(?)) if considering a non-PV house purchase.

So, to repeat:

Martyn1981 wrote: »

But;

1. I don't understand what that (or any particular install) has got to do with my post?

2. What value your opinion (or mine) on the aesthetics of PV has in relation to my post?

You can talk about 'many people' or state IMV's or IMO's as much as you like, but when it comes to the grand scheme of things, your opinion (like mine) has little to no value, and the public appear to have spoken.

Mart.