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 worth checking for on every quote.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your home and the job.
| 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
119 of the 10,262 electricians listed on this site take on solar panels.
The towns with the most: Rawtenstall (3), Birmingham (2), Glasgow (2), Rotherham (2), Wrexham (2).
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 highest 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.