Greater Manchester cost guide
What rooftop solar costs in Greater Manchester
We won't throw a made-up number at you. The price of a rooftop system comes from a survey of your house. What we can do is show you what moves that price on each kind of house, and how to read the quotes you get.
What does a system involve on each type of house?
Rough guide only. The survey decides how many panels fit and where they go.
| House | Usual roof | Where panels tend to go | What can add cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid terrace | Slate, front and back slopes, often a back outrigger | The main slope that gets the most sun, sometimes the outrigger too | Scaffold through a ginnel or back entry, shared chimney stacks |
| End terrace | As a mid terrace, plus a side gable | Main slope, as a mid terrace | Usually easier scaffold than a mid terrace |
| Hipped 1930s semi | Concrete or clay tiles with sloping ends | The back slope, and sometimes the hip | A smaller usable area, wiring across two faces |
| Gable-end semi | Tiles, with a straight gable wall | A full row across the back slope | Usually one of the simpler jobs |
| Detached | Several faces, often a bigger area | The best one or two faces, often with a battery | More panels, more faces, more wiring |
| Stone-roofed cottage | Heavy gritstone slates | The main slope, with fixings made for stone | Lifting and refitting stone slates takes longer |
We'll publish typical price ranges here, with the date we checked them, once we have real Greater Manchester quotes to base them on.
What adds to the price here?
- Scaffold. It's a big part of any rooftop job. Narrow ginnels, back entries and steep streets, like the ones in Stalybridge and Mossley, can make it a longer job.
- The roof itself. Slate and tiles are everyday work. Stone slates in Saddleworth and on Pennine-edge cottages need more care.
- A battery. It's the biggest single add-on. Get prices with and without one.
- Bird mesh. Many installers suggest mesh around the panels to keep pigeons out. Ask whether it's included.
- Your fuse box. An older consumer unit may need upgrading before anything new is connected.
- Optimisers. Small boxes fitted under panels that let each one work on its own, useful where a chimney or dormer sits close to the array.
Where can you save without cutting corners?
- Do other roof jobs while the scaffold is up, like repointing a chimney or clearing gutters.
- If you want a battery, have it fitted with the panels: one visit, one lot of electrical work.
- Size the system for how you use electricity, now and in the next few years (an electric car or heat pump changes things).
- Ask for an itemised quote, so you can see what each part costs and question anything that looks high.
How do you compare two quotes fairly?
Put the quotes side by side and check each of these. If one leaves something out, ask.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| System size | Total size in kWp and the number of panels |
| Yearly generation | An estimate in kWh, and how it was worked out for your roof |
| Panels and inverter | Makes, models and the warranty on each |
| Battery | Usable capacity in kWh, not just the headline size, and its warranty |
| What's included | Scaffold, bird mesh, any fuse box work, removal of waste |
| Paperwork | Who tells Electricity North West, and the certificate you'll get at the end |
| Certification | Whether the installer is MCS certified, and an insurance-backed workmanship warranty |
| Paying | The deposit, when the rest is due, and what happens if the job is delayed |
Why don't you show prices?
Because we haven't got enough real Greater Manchester quotes yet to give you a fair range. When we have, we'll show it here with the date we checked it.
Do I pay you for the quote?
No. Using this site is free for homeowners. You pay the installer directly for any work you agree to.
Is a battery always worth the extra?
Not always. It does most for homes that use a lot of electricity in the evening. Ask for both prices and the estimated saving with and without one. Our battery page goes into it.
Ready for real prices for your house?