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The estimated cost for a 3kW solar panel system is said to be around £5,000 to £6,000.
There are various solar panel systems to choose from and all of which offer different capacities and sizes in watts. Let’s take a look.
What you will find out in this article:
- What are solar panels
- If you can get solar panels
- What solar panel would best suit your home
- Solar panel installation cost
- Whether having solar panels is worth it (Advantages & Disadvantages)
- General tips before installing solar panels
- Our final verdict
- Compare solar panel installation quotes
What are solar panels?
Solar panels are a collection of solar cells. These cells are attached together in panels that can convert light energy into electricity. This electricity can then be ‘harvested’ and used inside your home instead of paying bills and using electricity from the National Grid and fossil fuels. Solar panels are a more renewable way of powering your home and they can save you some money if you have them for a while.
Can I get solar panels?
Solar panels are a suitable for most homes, however there are still some restrictions that may apply to you.
You may be unable to install solar panels if:
- You rent your home – unless you can negotiate this with your landlord
- If you have a north-facing roof – best to check with the organisation of your choice to check if installing solar panels would be cost-effective as solutions are available for houses that aren’t south-facing
- You live in a mid-floor or basement flat
- You live in a grade-listed building or an area marked for conservation
- You don’t have sufficient room for panels that would make a difference to your property in terms of the energy harvested
- Your roof is heavily shaded
Which solar panels would suit your home?
An average household of 1-3 people would require a 3kW solar panel system to cover their electricity costs. As mentioned above, £5,000 – £6,000 would be a standard price cost. With this system in place, you can look to save around £150 – £165 per year on your electricity bill.
The middle ground which is 4kW, would look to support 3-4 people in their households. Costs would look to be between £6,000 to £8,000 and you would be looking at saving £265 – £280 per year on your electricity bill.
For larger homes with 4+ people, a 6kW solar panel system is required to support the household. Price would range from £8,000 to £9,000. Overall, you could save around £420 – £435 per year on your electricity bill.
These three solar panel systems and watts mentioned above are not the only options you have. You can customise the system size towards your requirements. It’s possible to have a 1kW solar panel system, to a very large 12kW system and so forth.
Solar Panel Installation cost
Depending on the size of the solar panel system, the brand and quality. If we take the three most common panels for example – the black monocrystalline silicon solar panel, this is a little more expensive than compared with a blue polycrystalline silicon solar panel. So, this all plays its own part and will ultimately depend on the choices you make of the model and sizing you require.
Your first step is to evaluate your roof top for the space needed. For example, 8 square meters would suit a 1kW solar system. Whereas a 25 square meters space, would be suitable for a 4kW solar system. The average solar panel system people have in their homes in the UK is said to be 3kW.
Good news is that the cost of installing a solar panel in the UK these days is at the lowest point since 2010. The average cost of a solar panel installation in the UK, for a family of three – Would cost around £4,000-£6,000.
Here is a quick table to provide some examples of quotes we’ve researched based on common roof sizes:
| System Size | Roof Space Required | Average Cost | For Who? |
| 1kW | 8m2 and up | £1750 | 1 adult |
| 2kW | 11m2 and up | £3500 | 2 adults |
| 3kW | 20m2 and up | £5500 | A small family |
| 4kW | 24m2 and up | £6500 | A large family |
Is having solar panels worth it?
Calculating all the benefits solar panels hold, the advantages certainly outweighs the few disadvantages. With earnings from SEG (Smart Export Guarantee), householders can receive money by exporting surplus energy back to the grid.
Solar panels do not need direct sunlight in order to work. They produce a substantial amount of electricity, even on cloudy days and during the winter season. By storing excess of energy via a battery storage system, even on cloudy days, you can be reassured your energy will be supplied.
Solar panels fitted on your roof would be a great long term investment that you’d see a vast amount of money saved, and giving back to the environment with having a green renewable source of energy to withhold.
There’s currently over 1 million solar installations in the UK and is looking to increase over the years.
Let’s determine why having solar panels for your home is worth it. Though, there might be some disadvantages, but they’re not on a massive scale at all. All the benefits most certainly overrides the downsides.
Advantages
- Cheaper electricity bills.
- Reduce carbon footprint.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Does not release harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants.
- Low maintenance overall.
- Average lifespan of 25-30 years.
- Adds value to your home.
- Store excess energy in a solar battery storage system.
Disadvantages
- High investment costs.
- Only best efficiency during daytime.
- Less effective during winter.
General tips before installing solar panels
Before considering installing solar panels for your home, please take into account a few tips stated below. There could be something here you may not have known, especially before the long term commitment.
- Ensure no casting shadows are overseeing the solar panels, such as trees blocking the sunlight over your new installation. This would reduce the panels with the overall efficiency for your home.
- There are many types of solar panels but the three most common for domestic purposes are: Thin-film solar panels, monocrystalline panels and polycrystalline panels.
- Calculate how many solar panels your home needs – gather your electricity consumption data, your roof capacity, number of sunshine hours where you live and how much energy consumption you plan to cover.
- Angle of direction of the solar panels is utmost important. Be sure to position for maximum efficiency for the solar cells gaining the most energy.
- Roof sustainability – Installing a new solar system can weigh from 270kg and upwards. It’s vital to ensure your roof is strong enough to support the weight. Most homes these days are suitable to support the weight but old houses with wooden and slate roof tops, will struggle. Be sure to have 100% certainty before commitment.
- Consider cleaning your solar panels regularly, and ensure there are no leaves or branches on them. In most cases, roof-mounted solar panels provide a self-cleaning system anyhow, with rainfall helping to keep the dust off the panels.
Final verdict
Though the initial upfront costs is a big commitment to start with, over the years you would make your investment back. With all the energy saving you would make, your electricity bills and money from SEG would certainly ramp up the savings.
Compare Solar Panel Installation Quotes
Are you interested in getting a quote on solar panels? We can help. Our quite form below allows us to get all the information we need to provide you with accurate quotes from local or national solar panel installers who can all provide a quote, so you can easily compare and find the cheapest option.
