Staybrite 3kw quote with 2 panels free!?

A question about : Staybrite 3kw quote with 2 panels free!?

Hey people
Any advise here would be awesome. The staybrite solar Rep has just left. The system quote is:

10 panels, 1 inverter, 10yr guarantee for both
5 Sth, 5 West, on 40° pitch
Peak output 2.45kwp
Annual radiation 963 (Im on the coast in Cornwall so should be brtter but im told the whole quote is calculated as 'worst scenario' so no misleading figures).
Total units generated 2359 kwh/year

Income/savings:
Current FIT of 0.149 = Ј351.49 yr1
Units saved at 50% use is 1184 (0.154 unit cost) = Ј182.34
Total exported units at 50% with 0.0464 tariff = Ј54.94 yr1
Total potential income = Ј587.26 yr1 and Ј15,721 yr20
Total cost = Ј7950 (7.1%) but.....
As I am first in area I qualify as a market partner (2 panels free) so Ј6575 (8.9%)

I received a higher quote a yr ago from another co. but this time im offered finance. I could take a loan from zopa but this loan through an RBS subsiduary will allow me to pay Ј100 to have them fitted by 1st April to qualify for the current FIT. I then can pay off half the total early with a work payout i get in 6mths, then continue to complete the payment within 2yrs of fitting. This agreement is also without interest being fixed so in effect I can clear it earlier without penalty and paying less interest. (APR being 6.9% so will pay off asap).

Can you guys let me know if you think the quote is competitive and if the earning figures sound right?

Currently I pay on avg about Ј35pm electric and same for gas bottle with combi boiler. House is 3bed, 3yrs old, detached, worth 190k, energy SAP rated B.

Any wise words appreciated! Cheers

Best answers:

• Tunnel, Mart, thanks so much for the advise guys. I have arranged for 2 more quotes and am feeling nmuch less pressured into beating the FIT reduction in April.
  It was a lot to take in so from memory I believe the panels are made by Romag a uk based co which are monocrystalline with the 10yr guarantee. Stainless steel rails d/t the coastal location (20mls sth of newquay).
  Having played about with the numbers I agree the estimate is not too far off and the electricity useage will be high during the day for at least another 3yrs when the kids are all at school & mum returns to f/time work.
  RRoof space is restricted. The 8 panels would be in 2 arrays and the extra 2 would be in additon, so not symmetrical but more efficient. I think my first quote was for more panels so I'll revisit this with the next visits.
  Tbh I was a little put off by his suggestion to pay Ј100 deposit last night without having the surveyor confirm his quote!
  Thanks once again
• Knowing now your restricted for space, you could look at a quote for sunpower 327W panels. The price should come in around the Ј6500 mark(possibly less if you haggle hard) for a 3.27kWp system spread over 2 rooves.
  Food for thought for you
• Just had an email earlier from Solar Essence. No idea of the quality of panels but the price was amazing:
  3kW 12 panel systems fully fitted from just Ј5,288
  4kW 16 panel systems fully fitted from just Ј5,949
• Stainless steel rails sound a good idea in a salty environment because normal steel would rust - right? Except most are put up on aluminium rails so unless there is a wind factor that requires stronger fixings, then this is a smart way of bumping the price up!
  I'd personally not have let Safestyle quote for sweeping the front path but that may just be my bias!
• The other high efficiency panels apart from Sunpower are made by Benq so they would be the other option if you're short on space. They're both available in 327W panels which appear identical in design (they may be the same thing under different names).
  Ed
• Hi
  Did you finally get a good deal in Cornwall? I'm currently getting quoted Ј8.5k by 2 local companies for a 3.7kwp system which seems excessive.
• Hi all, I have just started looking into the solar panel options around and had the rep from staybrite solar yesterday pm. When he eventually got past all the sales pitch, he quoted Ј9770 for 12 solar edge panels (3Kw) but for the price of 10 if we signed up quick enough to be marketing partners - no pressure though!! There was lot of talk about inferior foreign panels from competitors that weren't designed for the uk climate and how well 'optimised' his panels were. To be honest, I don't know how to find a firm that I could trust because I just don't know enough about the subject.
  Is there an idiots guide to not being ripped off, anywhere?
• Just for a comparisson we got a 16 panel 4Kw system fully installed with an iboost which diverts excess electric to our immerson heater and a Geo II generation meter for Ј5750 in June....
  PV panel 16 LG X 250S1CG3 Black/black
  Mounting K2 mounting system (12 year warranty)
  Inverter Fronius IG TL 3.6 inverter (20 year warranty)
  Cabling 4mm Solar flex
  Meters OFGEM approved meter
  Display Geo II internet-enabled wireless output monitoring device
  Access Scaffolding and access
  Other items: Scope Complete installation inc EPC if required