The average cost of a typical 3.5kW solar PV system is currently around £6,000, roughly 10% of which pays for professional installation. To save cash, you may be tempted to buy a DIY solar panel kit and fit your panels by yourself.
Build Your Own Inexpensive Solar Panel: Commercially built solar panels are still quite expensive however they don’t need to be. Solar cells are available from a range of suppliers all over the world and can be easily assembled into your own custom built solar panel.
Of course, the cost of installing a solar panel system at your home can be kind of terrifying—on average, it’ll cost you about $25,000. A lot of that cost is labor and other materials, but the solar panels themselves aren’t exactly cheap, ranging in price from around $200 to $300 depending on wattage and the type of panel.
To save cash, you may be tempted to buy a DIY solar panel kit and fit your panels by yourself. DIY solar panels are widely available and many are excellent value compared with the cost of professional installation. For example, a full 3.4kW 10-panel kit from Plug-in Solar costs £4,728.
If you’re just dipping a toe into solar via the DIY route, start with one off-grid panel in a DIY solar kit that includes all the necessary cables, accessories and instructions, such as Renogy’s 200W 12V General Off-Grid Solar Kit (currently just £230).
For example, a 2.2 kW on-grid DIY solar panel kit costs around £2,720 or a larger 10.3kW system can cost upwards of £9,500. Alternatively, a small off-grid solar panel kit could cost less than £500 whereas a large off-grid kit can cost between £4,000 and £25,000 depending on your energy requirements and space availability.