Cost guide
How much do solar panels cost?
A 4kW system costs £5,500 to £9,500 fitted and a 6kW system £7,500 to £12,000. Scaffolding is £600 to £1,200 of that figure and is the line most often missing from a cheap quote.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| 4kW array, tiled pitched roof | £5,500 to £9,500 |
| 6kW array, tiled pitched roof | £7,500 to £12,000 |
| Flat roof ballasted frame, 4kW | £6,500 to £10,500 |
| Scaffolding, two storey house | £600 to £1,200 |
| Bird proofing to the array perimeter | £300 to £700 |
| Solar diverter to an immersion heater | £350 to £600 |
Zero rated VAT runs to 31 March 2027 and then returns to 5%. On a £8,000 installation that is £400, which is larger than most seasonal offers and it does not need negotiating for.
What moves the price
- Roof access. Scaffolding on a three storey house or a restricted frontage costs more than on a bungalow.
- Roof covering. Slate and clay pantile take longer to work than concrete interlocking tile, and flat roofs need ballasted or bonded frames.
- Panel count and panel wattage, which together set the kilowatt peak figure the quote is priced from.
- Whether optimisers or micro inverters are needed to deal with shading.
- Distance from the array to the consumer unit, which sets the AC cable run and sometimes a board upgrade.
- Whether a battery, a diverter to the immersion heater or an EV charger is being fitted on the same visit.
Who quotes for it
3 of the 133 electricians listed on this site take on solar panels.
Most of them in one place: Birmingham (1), Glasgow (1), Rotherham (1).
Questions about solar panels
What is the Smart Export Guarantee worth?
Tariffs vary by supplier and range from a few pence to over 15p a unit, and some of the best rates are tied to buying your import from the same supplier. Eligibility requires an MCS certificate and an export meter, which a smart meter already provides.
Should I add a battery now or later?
Later is cheaper to decide and more expensive to fit, because a retrofit means a second visit and often a second inverter. Adding one at the same time as the array shares the scaffolding, the labour and the DNO application.