The core difference between RenewSolar and many other providers lies in their pricing philosophy: RenewSolar operates on a model with a non-profit ethos for product supply, separating the cost of goods (hardware) from the cost of services (labor and consultation).
1. RenewSolar’s Cost Structure
RenewSolar adopts a highly transparent, unbundled pricing model:
| Cost Component | RenewSolar Price/Fee (UK) | Notes |
| Consultation Fee | ~£35.00 (Base) | Paid in advance and non-refundable. This is the key to their unique cost structure. |
| Hardware Costs | “At cost price” | Customers gain access to RenewSolar’s direct import network to acquire premium solar hardware at cost, eliminating the typical retail margin. |
| Fixed Installation Fees (Labour) | £457.50 for 2 days (Domestic Installation) | This is the labour-only fee for a typical domestic installation. The final installation cost is charged at a daily rate plus travel, possible hotel costs, scaffolding, and any necessary special tools. |
2. Why RenewSolar Charges a Consultation Fee
RenewSolar charges an explicit consultation fee (e.g., £35.00 for a base consultation) because this fee is the access point to their massive cost-saving system, which fundamentally separates them from most competitors:
- Direct-to-Cost Sourcing: The consultation is a necessary first step that allows the customer to engage their services and gain access to the direct import network. This enables the customer to buy the most expensive components—the hardware (panels, inverters, batteries)—at the non-profit, cost price.
- Transparency: Most solar providers offer “free quotes,” but the costs of sales, consultation time, and high retail profit margins on the hardware are simply baked into the final, often inflated, bundled price of the system. RenewSolar extracts this service cost upfront (£35.00) in exchange for providing direct access to wholesale/import pricing, which can lead to thousands of pounds in savings on hardware.
- Project Management: The consultation often leads to their project management service, which involves significant time spent dealing with international companies to ensure the correct hardware is sourced efficiently. The upfront fee ensures the time commitment is covered.
3. Comparison Stack-Up: RenewSolar vs. Other Providers
The data collected shows that solar is already much more affordable than the myth suggests, and RenewSolar’s model accelerates the return.
| Metric | RenewSolar (Unbundled Model) | Typical UK Solar Provider (Bundled Model) |
| Total System Cost (3–4kW) | Potentially Lower (Exact cost depends on hardware purchased at cost by customer) | £5,000 to £8,000 (Includes hardware, labour, profit margin, and sales costs) |
| Labour/Installation Fee | ~£457.50 for 2 days (labour only) | £1,000 to £2,000 (or 25–30% of total system cost, bundled with profit/overhead) |
| Hardware Profit Margin | Eliminated (Customer buys at cost) | Significant (40–50% of the total system cost often covers materials, often at retail markup) |
| Consultation/Quote | £35.00 Paid Upfront (Allows access to savings) | “Free” (Cost of sales absorbed into the final, higher system price) |
| Return on Investment (ROI) | Likely Much Shorter | 6 to 15 years (For a £6,000–£8,000 system, with some models showing a 6-year break-even due to falling prices) |
Conclusions
This article can directly address the myth of high costs using this comparison:
The notion that solar is unaffordable is outdated. Today, the initial investment for a standard system typically ranges from £5,000 to £8,000, with a conservative payback period of 8–15 years, and sometimes as short as 6 years, depending on your energy usage and rising utility costs. RenewSolar targets 2-4 years for the same.
However, companies like RenewSolar are revolutionizing this model. By embracing an unbundled, non-profit ethos for components, they flip the traditional structure. They charge a small, transparent consultation fee (e.g., ~£35.00). This fee is not an extra charge, but a passport to wholesale savings, allowing you to acquire all the necessary hardware at cost price, completely bypassing the massive retail markups that typically account for 40-50% of an installation’s total price.
When you compare a low, fixed labour fee of £457.50 for two days’ work against the typical bundled installation costs of £1,000 to £2,000, and combine that with cost-price hardware, the true affordability of solar becomes apparent, shortening the return time significantly and proving the “costly” myth false.
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