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First commercial solar clean done

AGlassAct

Well-known member
Messages
1,129
Location
Burton On Trent
Just shy of 420 panels over a couple of barn roofs. Estimated 5 days as a worst case scenario due to various access issues but did it in just under 3.

Quite enjoyed myself but I'll be glad to get back to normal next week!

I won't avoid these in the future as it was a lot less hassle than I thought. I've now also realised I can triple DI to get every last drop if use from the resin
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Well done , don't want to be rude but how on earth can you make that pay ? 420 in 3 days that's only 140 per day , ss pays 16 pence per panel , it cannot be viable for the customer if you are charging a day rate . When we were doing farms (ground mounts) we had to do a minimum of 800 per day per man and if you want to earn a reasonable amount 1200 per day was what was needed , we still do farm roof mounts and usually do 600 - 800 per day per man but it's still not good money so will not be renewing the contract as we earn far more on Windows and plastic cleans , and softwashing 

 
Well done , don't want to be rude but how on earth can you make that pay ? 420 in 3 days that's only 140 per day , ss pays 16 pence per panel , it cannot be viable for the customer if you are charging a day rate . When we were doing farms (ground mounts) we had to do a minimum of 800 per day per man and if you want to earn a reasonable amount 1200 per day was what was needed , we still do farm roof mounts and usually do 600 - 800 per day per man but it's still not good money so will not be renewing the contract as we earn far more on Windows and plastic cleans , and softwashing 
I made it pay by 1: carrying out a full survey including cleaning a test patch of panels to see how long it would take and how much water I would use 2: by doing it on my week off 3: quoted my minimum day rate using the above info for the 5 days as I knew it would be a learning curve and wanted to see if it was a viable option.
Let's just say I more than met my hourly rate even with the small investments I had to make with equipment which I can use again without question; I brought/made - purpose built double DI trolley, 50ltrs of mb115, a harness and lanyard as well as a lifeline system. The company I did it for provided a scaffold tower and crawler boards so I could work as safely as possible until they install a permanent lifeline system and walkway. Will they use me next year to do it? Who knows, it was I nice bonus especially for a week off.
I'm not one to talk about money or hourly rates but to some £140 a day is a perfectly acceptable rate, especially if you don't have the overheads that some do.
I charge the same rate for domestic and commercial - so I'd never dream of cleaning a solar panel for a quid or less, that's bonkers in my eyes!


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£140 per day is that after expenses ? Water , traveling etc Evan if that's after expenses that works out to £17.50 per hour over an 8 hour day you cannot survive as a business earning such a low rate , that's worse than ss pay , I don't want to to cause offence but you arnt doing yourself any favours by working for such poor pay or anyone else doing this type of work . Am I right in thinking that's £1 per panel ? That's good if it is ,but the time taken 3 days spoils a good unit price , ime not knocking what you have done but that's a hard way to earn £140 , working at height awkward access , using fall arrest doing Rams etc we do plastic cleans that take one and a half hours for more than that and it's easy work on the ground . Please don't under sell your self no one should do work for that kind of money as a sole trader . This is the very reason that we stoped doing panels for ss as the pay was so bad and you had to work flat out and hardly covered your costs . We have a minimum charge of £60 for domestic panels (16) done from the ground takes 30 muinits max , this seams to be the avarage price by most people around here , if you don't charge more you would be better just doing windows , 

 
I haven't mentioned money - never do - why would I when I know of at least 4 local windies that are members on here. I've pretty much got this contract for as long as I want it now. I also don't work 8 hours a day window cleaning - 5 hours, four days a week is plenty for me as a part timer. PJJ - don't stress about me surviving or underselling myself, I'm very happy making 5 days money in under 3 - plus I've already been paid, so it's a couple of fun filled days out with the kids for the rest of the week!


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Assumption is the mother of all ....... well you know.

Solar Steve is a living joke and single handedly ruined solar farms for the industry. 

I have a flat rate of £3 per panel and above 100 panels (I only have 3 clients with over 100) I will negotiate an hourly rate. 

 
£140 per day is £700 per week, less £100 per week for expenses and holiday pay leaves £600 gross, circa £500 nett. Whilst that isn't what I want to achieve, but if he's happy with it who are we to complain. I'm 99% certain that there are a lot of people working harder and longer hours earning not much more than half that amount.

 
Do you find commercial customers will pay that ? They won't down hear , most will only pay £1 per panel that's why we do very little now , shame really as there are 10 of thousands of the things around me !!!!! 

 
Do you find commercial customers will pay that ? They won't down hear , most will only pay £1 per panel that's why we do very little now , shame really as there are 10 of thousands of the things around me !!!!! 

 
Do you find commercial customers will pay that ? They won't down hear , most will only pay £1 per panel that's why we do very little now , shame really as there are 10 of thousands of the things around me !!!!! 

 
Do you find commercial customers will pay that ? They won't down hear , most will only pay £1 per panel that's why we do very little now , shame really as there are 10 of thousands of the things around me !!!!! 

 
Do you find commercial customers will pay that ? They won't down hear , most will only pay £1 per panel that's why we do very little now , shame really as there are 10 of thousands of the things around me !!!!! 

 
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