What Solar Panel Installation Costs in Cirencester

We’ve tried to give you a rough idea of the costs involved in buying solar panels in the first part of this guide. It’s a significant purchase and there can be more than apparent differences in cost up front between suppliers. Getting a handle on the factors that influence cost should help you to compare different offers more effectively for Solar Panel Installation Cirencester, https://www.precisiongreenenergy.co.uk/renewables/solar-panel-installation/cirencester/

Roof Size and Panel Count

The more panels that can be fitted to your roof space the more electricity will be generated, but the cost will increase too. A typical 3 bedroom house would have a roof space of around 4kWp and this would require around 10 panels. This type of installation could cost anywhere from £6,000 to £8,000. Larger roof spaces could fit larger systems of 15+ panels and cost up to £10,000 to £12,000 for installation.

Roof Material and Access

Standard concrete or slate tiles are relatively easy to fit as fixings can be pushed into the tiles without risk of damage. However, old clay pantiles, flat roofs or fragile tiles of any age require far more care when fixing and are likely to add £300 to £600 to the total cost of the installation.

Scaffolding Requirements

Scaffolding – Yes or No?

If scaffolding is required to complete the installation this will cost approximately £600 to £1,000. However, the cost of scaffolding is far more than simply adding a fixed sum to the overall price. A simple two storey semi will typically cost less to scaffold than a detached property with a very steep roof pitch or complex roof line with multiple levels. Therefore, always ask that the cost of scaffolding is shown separately to the rest of the installation cost.

Inverter Type

String Inverters are generally cheaper than hybrid inverters, as they are designed with the purpose of charging up a battery in mind. However, by choosing a hybrid inverter now, you will save money as the cost of the battery will be added to the price of the hybrid inverter, rather than you having to pay for the hybrid inverter and then the battery at a later date. The difference in cost is around £400 to £700.

Adding Battery Storage

A battery will cost roughly double the cost of the solar panel system, so for a 3kw system this would be in the region of £3,000-£6,000 for a large capacity. However, the payback time for a battery will be longer than for the solar panels as you can only use the energy they produce. Some installers will allow you to spread the cost of the battery over a number of years. If you do install a battery then you will be able to sell any surplus back to the grid under the Smart Export Guarantee. To find out more about the Smart Export Guarantee see Ofgem’s website on how the Smart Export Guarantee works.

By having the cost of each component clearly itemized before the work commences, you will find the whole process is a lot easier to manage.