A standard UK solar installation costs between £5,000 and £12,000. That range covers most homes, but the number that matters for your property depends on three things: how much electricity you use, how much roof space you have, and whether you want a battery.
Use the calculator below to get a personalised estimate.
What does solar actually cost in 2026?
The three most common UK system sizes look like this:
| System | Panels | Daily output | Annual savings | Installed cost |
| Small | 8 panels | 6.4 kWh | Up to £700 | £6,000–£7,500 |
| Medium | 12 panels | 9.6 kWh | Up to £1,000 | £8,000–£10,000 |
| Large | 16 panels | 12.8 kWh | Up to £1,500 | £10,000–£12,000 |
What moves the price?
Panel type. Monocrystalline panels cost more but generate more electricity per square metre. Polycrystalline panels are cheaper with slightly lower output. Thin-film needs the most roof space to match the same generation. Most UK installers fit monocrystalline panels by default.
Battery storage. A battery adds £2,500–£5,000 to the install. It raises your self-consumption rate to around 80%, which matters most if you use electricity in the evenings rather than during the day. The battery pays back more slowly than the panels alone, but it reduces how much you buy from the grid overnight.
Roof complexity. Scaffolding, unusual pitch angles, shading from nearby buildings, and any required electrical upgrades all add to the labour cost. A surveyor will identify these before committing to a price.
How long does it take to pay back?
For most UK homes, solar pays for itself in 8–10 years. After that, the remaining 15–20 years of panel life produces electricity at no cost, and total lifetime savings can exceed £20,000, depending on your usage, generation and energy costs.
The payback period is shorter if your household uses electricity during the day, since you consume your own generation rather than buying from the grid. Evening-heavy households benefit more from adding battery storage.
Electricity prices have risen sharply since 2022. That makes the savings calculation more favourable than older payback estimates suggest.
Getting paid for what you don't use
Surplus electricity goes to the grid under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). Energy suppliers pay between 5p and 15p per kWh exported, depending on the tariff. For a typical system exporting around 1,500 kWh per year, that adds £75–£225 annually on top of your bill savings. Your MCS-certified installer can advise on which SEG tariff suits your usage pattern.
The environmental side
A 4kW system prevents around 1.3–1.8 tonnes of CO₂ per year — roughly equivalent to planting 60 trees annually. Over 25 years, that adds up across the system's life.
Use the calculator
The tool above estimates your system size, installation cost, projected annual savings, and payback period based on your postcode, roof orientation, and current energy use. If you want to talk through the results, the team responds within one working day.
For a firm quote, a site survey is the most reliable route. Roof shading and condition both affect the final system design in ways satellite images can't always catch.