Solar Quote Install Costs

D

Diabolix

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Location
Bellville, CT
Hi Team,

Busy with the whole inverter, battery and solar story. (I fall in City of Cape Town)

Got myself these items directly to save on costs:

1. 8KW SunSynk
2. 2 X Hubble AM5's
3. 10 X Canadian Solar 550W TopHiku6 Panels

Got a quotation from an installation team to install and connect everything and just want to find out if the below costs sound reasonable? I am a networking guy, so my knowledge on electricity is scary.

AC protection box: R5400,00
DC protection box: R5790,00
Roof Mounting Hardware (Aluminum PV mounting hardware): R9837,00 (This is for a tiled roof)
Materials: R5000,00
Labour: R15 000,00 (COC, Install, signed engineering sign-off (he gave a term but forgot)

No vat added.
 
Difficult to judge, because each install is different, and there may be remedial work that he didn't mention after a site visit, and some essential line items are not present, like the DC cabling, and no-one knows what the AC and DC protection box includes, and then some smaller items such as conduit, so you may be in for more than you think.

It's whopper of a price, so unless he is Nichola Tesla himself and has promised to autograph your batteries, inverter and trunking, I'd shy away from paying 42K for an open-ended install, rather get a few other quotes. Your install should cost around 17-20K tops, assuming no surprises and no remedial work to be done. Especially now that things have quieted down somewhat, he is asking peak-season feeding frenzy stage 8+ pricing.

Then again, not sure what he is paying the get the mandatory CT engineering signed off. Ask him for more clarity, and definitely get some other guys to come in and bid. After a site visit, there should be no surprises on either side, and they should all be able to provide a firm, reasonable quote.
 
My CoCT engineering sign off earlier this year was R 5500. The labour to install 11 panels on my tiled roof was R 6300, but that included a discount as I've referred many others to my installer. (Inverter and battery was already in place and this was thus just to add solar).
My DC protection box with the SPD's was R 4840. Rails, clamps & brackets was about R 8000. All ex Vat figures.

My quote was detailed with every single component/part itemized. Be very careful that you don't commit to an install and then all kinds of other expenses/costs gets added that wasn't quoted on.

Like Ron has said, every house's layout is different and that influences the complexity and thus time needed for the install. Your quoted labour for a full install sounds low to me, if one bears the cost of the engineering sign off alone in mind. No way my installer will install an inverter, sub DB, DC combiner box, 2 batteries , 10 panels, etc etc for R 10k. But then he's a qualified electrical engineer and charges what his work, knowledge and time is worth.
 
Looks quite a bit excessive to me, unless your install is hella complex.
In which case I would still get another quote.

Unless these prices are standard for the Republic of CT.
 
Go to this place and look at prices.
Some items are out of stock. But you get the general idea.

www.inverter-warehouse.co.za

Solar Solutions and Products for Residential & Commercial

Beat load shedding and save on electricity bills, solar and backup solutions for home and office. Solar Panels, Solar Inverters & Solar Batteries Contact us: [email protected]
www.inverter-warehouse.co.za www.inverter-warehouse.co.za

For a tile roof you need this:

1) https://www.inverter-warehouse.co.z...ting-systems/products/renusol-roof-hook-basic​

you need 12 of these for one row of panels.

2) https://www.inverter-warehouse.co.z...ducts/renusol-mounting-rail-41-x-35-x-4400-mm
or
www.inverter-warehouse.co.za

Renusol Mounting rail 41 x 35 x 3300 mm

Renusol Mounting Rail 3.3m long for mounting solar panels.
www.inverter-warehouse.co.za www.inverter-warehouse.co.za

3) https://www.inverter-warehouse.co.z...tems/products/renusol-mounting-rail-connector

This one is for joining the rails. Get a couple depending how many joints you want to join.

4) https://www.inverter-warehouse.co.za/collections/solar-mounting-systems/products/renusol-universal-end-and-mid-clamp

Get 16 clamps for one row of panels.

This is for the rail system were panels get mounted. Not rocket science.
 
Last edited:
I got my final quote to add another row of panels.
That said I have most of the components on hand.

Cost under R5000. Once the installation is complete, I will reveal the installer name.
 
FYI:
Solar panels installation quote question...

Solar combiner box DB Fused and isolation - R2640
Tile Roof Mounting Aluminum/ Stainless Steel - 10 x R1060 = R10600
Solar Cable - 4mm Silicone 50 x R22,80
Installation and configure - R4500
Mc4 Connectors 10 x R58,80

Sub total - R19068
Vat - R2860
Total - R21928
 
Thanks all, okay so from what I get with all the above the installation cost is quite adequate. They do a very good job (from what I have seen and comments from other people that used them), just wanted to get feelings from the rest of the forum members.
 
So an older thread, but still valid.

I want to take a smallholding off-grid. I found Solar.co.za and their product offerings, and it looks fantastic for what we want to do. I just want to know - are they reliable, and can they be trusted?

solar.co.za

Solar Power Kit - Solar.co.za

Create and download a no-obligation instant quote with our Solar Power Kit Builder.
solar.co.za solar.co.za

The product I'm looking for is quoted as follows:

12 x 455W panels
1 x Deye 8kW hybrid inverter
3 x HinaESS 5.12kWh Lithium batteries

The quoted price is R 144 636.65 including VAT, paid at R 2,934.91 over 7 years. Total repayment is R246 532.44. This includes installation, guarantees and COC.

It's under R3k per month, which is my budget. Thoughts? Are there other companies who do similar things for similar prices I can look at?
 
Toxxyc said:
So an older thread, but still valid.

I want to take a smallholding off-grid. I found Solar.co.za and their product offerings, and it looks fantastic for what we want to do. I just want to know - are they reliable, and can they be trusted?

solar.co.za

Solar Power Kit - Solar.co.za

Create and download a no-obligation instant quote with our Solar Power Kit Builder.
solar.co.za solar.co.za

The product I'm looking for is quoted as follows:

12 x 455W panels
1 x Deye 8kW hybrid inverter
3 x HinaESS 5.12kWh Lithium batteries

The quoted price is R 144 636.65 including VAT, paid at R 2,934.91 over 7 years. Total repayment is R246 532.44. This includes installation, guarantees and COC.

It's under R3k per month, which is my budget. Thoughts? Are there other companies who do similar things for similar prices I can look at?
Click to expand...
They have done my solar installation last year and no problems. My queries afterwards was also dealt with without problems. Geez prices have dropped a lot. I've paid R20K more for only 8 panels, 2 batteries and a 5kW inverter. (Was at the height of LS season I must also add.)
 
Yeah prices are coming down a lot. When I started looking into going off-grid it would have cost me R400k to do it, at least. Now you can do it for R150k, all included. It's good to know they're secure, thanks @GrootVoet. Appreciate the feedback.

I need to decide between something like that, and a rent-to-own type system that might be cheaper in the short term, and maybe a bit pricier later, or just outright renting a system forever.
 
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