Buying PV solar panels today
A good friend of mine phoned me about a doorstep canvasser selling solar panels. I got a complete breakdown of the conversation, and it upset me! Government handling of the incentives for solar panels allowed the shameless to take advantage. Cold calling teams urging folks into getting solar panels installed!
The price on offer was around £4,000 plus over the actual price! These sales practices were a blight on our industry between 2009-2015.
Many people who don’t have a friend like me, fall foul of commission-hungry salespeople. These higher prices are not because they’re better quality solar panels or doing a better quality install – I explained! £850 is not bad for a couple of hours sitting in someone’s living room.
This is the level of commission such a salesman expects! The incentive for solar panels should be yours and not a sharp-suited salesman. This reason is precisely why I began Power My Home. I informed my friend that most MCS-accredited PV installers are good and ethical, but unfortunately, the industry had its parasites back in those days! The installation company is just as important as the quality of the equipment.
We promote smaller companies that will still be around in a decade’s time and can put you in touch with such a company here.
Research would have flagged up the excessive pricing, so never feel rushed into committing.
Research, research, and research the companies as well as the price offered. Ask for contact details for their nearest five customers to you as a reference. Ring and ask:
How did the installation go? How has the system performed since installation? Has it done what the company and you expected? Can I pop round and see?
Avoid North-facing installations. Astonishing as this sounds, I’ve heard this happen many times.
South, South East, and southwest-facing roofs are best for solar installations.
You can check your roof orientation here. My now solar-savvy friend didn’t get the installation done. Within a five-minute conversation, I had concluded that he had an East/West roof and wasn’t the best orientation.
I had saved him thousands from a costly installation, and a grueling two-hour sales pitch. Life’s too short to sit through that! A quick phone conversation can easily establish if you’re suitable with prices nowadays.
In conclusion, a solar panel installation is worth it, with the current 10-15% return-on-investment, but only when it’s done correctly. The decision to adopt solar panels will be easier, once you know if your installing battery storage, tank heating, or EV-charging capabilities. That’s the best advice I can give you or my friend.
Jack Daniels is in the post 😉