O/T - Solar Panels

Anyone got any advice please as to reliable companies to consider when looking at solar panels.

Any other advice appreciated. I have done quite a bit of research but all it's done is throw up more questions. Eg. Am I better off, for a specific budget, getting quality panels such as LG, with longer warranty, or slightly cheaper panels but with solar edge optimisers to make each panel as efficient as possible independently of the others?

Ta.

 

Just leave your head as it is - hair transplants are expensive............... and not always successful

 

Just be aware that it could make it more difficult to sell your house in the future. We saw houses come up that had them when we were looking but we would have been buying the house and the solar panel debt which was a big no for us.

 

try tves ( trent valley electrical services) they're based in scunthorpe and thats what they do, commercial and private

 

Maybe you were looking at houses where they had them put up 10 years ago when a decent sized system cost 20k but the feed in tariffs were large as well to help recover the cost.

Now, the feed in tariff has gone, replaced with individual energy providers buying rates which are only about 4p. But a decent system is now down to around 6k. I would hope to pay it off in a year.

Besides, we have no intention of ever moving

 

We get about £200 a year from ours. I don't think you will get 6k back in a year

 

I don't think they mean make the money back in a year, just pay off the cost in a year. The ones we saw, the house owners still owed money to the solar panel companies and if we'd have bought their house, we'd have become responsible for their debt.

 

Not sure if still case but when we looked we were put off as we were told some Mortgage companies won’t lend for houses with panels on roof etc.

 

Maybe so but I don’t think it’s worth the investment either way based on the returns probably looking at a good number of years before you would even break even.

 

Does that mean that you get all your electricity free, from the solar panels, and that the surplus you generate gets you a further £200 cheque every year?
If so doesn't seem a bad deal to me!
I pay £140 a month for my electricity, same for gas, so it might be worth me investing in solar and going all electric!

 

Am I reading that right? £280 for electric + gas a month?! I pay around £60 an average for both combined. What on earth are you doing all day?

 

Yeah I pay £80 for both and it’s a 3 bed semi

 

Due to the panels not being owned or due to panels simply being there? I would assume the former. So that would depend on whether you're getting "free" panels or you're getting them yourself.

 

Yes we get to use the electricity they provide which heats hot water and can be used to help power electrical items in the home. We still pay about 65 a month on gas & elec though.

 

Very big old Victorian property, now with furloughed/redundant offspring at home for last 3 months, me too. Big TV in 4 rooms, washer going night and day, cooker always seems to be in use, bathroom in constant use, I usually pay £70 each utility but supplier sent me an update that my usage has doubled so I need to up my monthly payment to catch up!
Yes I too a bit shocked.

Kids, who'd have 'em eh?

 

Try Matrix Energy in Sheffield. We've got panels and a battery, so we can use stored energy overnight when it's dark. At this time of year that means we use no grid electricity unless it's very cold and/or cloudy. We also make about £140 per year by selling the excess.

Even in winter we make savings, but obviously limited by daylight hours.

 

Do you make sure you swap utility providers each year? Or swap tariff each year if you still want to stay with them? If you swap provider you don’t need to do anything, you wouldn’t even be able to tell as it just gets done automatically once you fill in the online form to switch. I switch or change tariff every year, clicking through a cashback site first. Even signing up to a new tariff can sometimes get you cashback (I stayed with same provider this year but got £40 cashback and free boiler, electrics and water cover for a year by moving on to their new 1 year tariff).

 

At time we was told because it’s altering the structure of house (fixing to roof).

 

As long as you have the appropriate building regulations / planning permission sign off (not sure which one you'd need in this case), you should be ok. Especially now that solar panels are so common lenders won't dismiss it outright. Just don't deal with dodgy installers. Go by the book and it shouldn't be an issue.

 

As above, if you’re buying your own, having the structural calcs done properly for the loadings and checking any planning requirements, you’re fine.

Past issues were systems/roofs owned by other companies and also no calcs done.

Decent panels and storage batteries can make a big difference if done correctly. Especially if you also have an EV parked outside.

It’s all down to payback with these things. If you’re not moving, and are willing to invest in decent quality panels and have a reasonable length of time left to live, then it’s worth it.

It doesn’t negate the basics though - double glazing, insulation, efficient boiler and LED bulbs will still give you bigger savings per pound spent, if not already done.