Solar PV Quote seems excessive

tunnel

Ageing_Stick_Insect wrote: »

What is a decent hourly rate after tax etc. I'll double it to include tax etc.

That still leaves 28 hrs @ £30 = £840


Where exactly does the 28 hrs come from? on a quote?

Ageing_Stick_Insect

It was the estimated hours from the first quote but that was for Trienergia panels so in theory it should be less for fewer Panasonics.

I'll use £30 / hr as the gross labour hourly rate.

Ageing_Stick_Insect

Here is my new estimate based on feedback...

16 Panny @ £208.73 = £3340
16 Solaredge optimisers @ £44.69 = £715
1 Solaredge inverter = £813.29
Clamps, isolators,cabling and meter = £250 approx.
Total = £5118
Less 10% for trade prices reduces it to £4606.

Scaffolding £500
Labour 24hrs @ £30 / hr = £720.00
Sub-Total = £5,826
VAT @ 5% = £291.30
Total before profit = £6117.30

Assume profit of £1000 makes the total £7117.30

I feel £7K is a reasonable price assuming I've calculated correctly. I haven't sent the email yet. I'll give it another hour or so so I have reasonable feedback.

Martyn, on your suggestion about using cheaper panels on the WNW roof I would prefer to keep to all Panny as their output will be maximised on a roof that needs all the help it can get.

tunnel

Ageing_Stick_Insect wrote: »

It was the estimated hours from the first quote but that was for Trienergia panels so in theory it should be less for fewer Panasonics.

I'll use £30 / hr as the gross labour hourly rate.

I'd say 16 panels at an hour a panel would be more than enough, they're only walking around the scaffold after all.


16 x £30 + £600 profit is £1080(less than your initial labour)


Doesn't really matter what we type on here, the installer will work on certain profit margins. In all honesty if you could get the system for around the £7k mark I'd say well done you, especially as you've actually utilised that WNW roof which you were so uncertain about to begin with.


I believe you'd gain from better savings on your electric anyway from the longer gradual generation, is that worth the extra premium? In my eyes yes, you have 20 years to make it work to your advantage.


Good luck, although from what I've read in your posts you don't really need it

Ageing_Stick_Insect

Hi tunnel,

Take your point about labour costs. We could be up all night trying to work out what is a realistic figure used by installers.

So many variables including the Manchester weather! Who can really say what the returns will be. Hopefully the installers work on the safe side as their reputation depends on their numbers not being too far off the calculators.

I knew absolutely nothing about all this a couple of months ago and without the valuable input from people like you and Martyn I'd still be in the dark! I'm very grateful to you both. :beer:

I shall send this email within the hour and keep my fingers crossed that my numbers are acceptable to him. I am, after all, knocking over a grand off his asking price! :eek:

tunnel

Your welcome Ray,


We were in the same boat as yourself at some point, I went in blind but fell lucky with the guys who installed all my systems, I just can't stand to see people being ripped off(this is a money saving site after all)and like anything, a little knowledge goes a long long way.

crucian

Hi, we had the same system fitted recently panasonics and solar edge for 7,500 and a Geo display unit thrown in.we had 16 panels over two roofs done in 5 hours by two men.you are probably not far away with your thinking on price.It,s also important to have confidence in the installer as you don,t want any problems in the future.Looks like you will soon be checking the weather and your production it can get very addictive!

Martyn1981

Ageing_Stick_Insect wrote: »

And I've just remembered tunnel's message earlier today where he also suggested £7.4K so it looks like my sums are pretty good and tunnel is a mastermind!

Hi Ray. Here's another way of considering the price. Let's start at a tough but reasonable target of £6k for a normal 4kWp install.

Scaffolding is a bit tricky, but I'll guess at £200 extra for the additional rooves, but will depend on the deal the installer has.

Panasonics, appear to be about £60-£70 more each (retail), but again we can't know for sure what deals the installer gets, particularly on the panels he normally uses. But let's go with £60*16 = £960.

SolarEdge, inverter is a little cheaper than a SMA, but a few bob more than a Samil, so call it neutral. But PO's will add approx £40*16 = £640.

Extra time on rooves, as more fitting than just one simple roof, how much ..... dunno, call it £100???

So, the extra add up to £1,900 (200+960+640+100).

Not sure if that's a reasonable way to go about it, and wholesale costs should pull that down a bit. Finger in the air, £6k + £1.5k = £7.5k. So similar to your guesstimate. If that helps at all.

[Edit: Doh! Or just read Crucian's post.]

BUT (that was a big but) just because the price appears reasonable, given the necessary compromises, it doesn't mean that it's a goer, you have to look at the income figures and decide if you're happy with it. So a quick reality check before you commit to what is quite a large chunk of dosh.

Sleep well! :eek:

Mart.

Ageing_Stick_Insect

crucian wrote: »

Hi, we had the same system fitted recently panasonics and solar edge for 7,500 and a Geo display unit thrown in.we had 16 panels over two roofs done in 5 hours by two men.you are probably not far away with your thinking on price.It,s also important to have confidence in the installer as you don,t want any problems in the future.Looks like you will soon be checking the weather and your production it can get very addictive!

Crucian,

Thanks for your post. Mine is over 3 roofs so price will be slightly different. I'm in Cheshire which may have different pay rates to your neck of the woods.

I have met the owner of the company and he formerly traded with a double-glazing company known to me so his reputation should be okay.

I run a private weather station in Cheadle Hulme and will incorporate solar pv stats in it assuming it gets installed.

Ageing_Stick_Insect

Martyn,

Appreciate your post re possible alternative costs and we still get fairly close to that £7K figure. There has to be a degree of trust with those figures as it's not possible for me to return the system as in breach of the Sale of Goods Act!

Sent the email over an hour ago but not expecting a reply tonight. He'll be doing his sums again to see if my proposal is acceptable.

Hopefully it will be and I can join your club before the month is out. :j