Simply brilliant from quote to post installation.
I started looking into solar energy a couple of years ago thinking that it might be a good way to avoid future rises in electricity bills. This year, I decided to take my research to a new level and started reading about how solar systems actually worked, whether a battery was worthwhile and could it even lead to generating an income by reselling excess power?
I looked at different types of panels, batteries and inverters. Which performed best, guarantees and user recommendations.
I built up a list of what I wanted. Then comes the hard part. Who do you use that can do the job that you really want?
It's amazing how many companies claim to be able to instal for free (although you never own anything any may well have trouble selling your property as you don't own the equipment), to those who quote prices that sound too good to be true and usually are.
I started with the obvious choice. Why not use your energy company? Thousands of sales, relatively cheap and one phone call away.
Then comes the but. And it's a big but. Oh … we only have one type of panel. No, it doesn't provide the output of many of the newer panels. Battery - Of course. You can have any brand you want as long as it is the single model that we stock.
So, sit back and look through what local people recommend from a local firm. A firm that didn't just start when panels suddenly became popular but has a reputation based on a couple of decades of experience.
I scanned the website for Leeds Solar and was impressed by the variety of installations and the vast array of positive reviews.
After one simple email, a very knowledgeable guy came round the same week to have a look a what could be done for me.
I knew what I ideally wanted and was pleasantly surprised when he agreed with my assessment and the measurements allowed me to have the quantity of panels that I required and battery backup in my chosen location.
I was given many choices and everything was a fixed price. There are no "special" offers or discounts if you sign up the same day etc that you see from less reputable companies. The price list is clear and provides options from modest budgets to those that would like to survive a zombie apocalypse off-grid.
I chose somewhere in the middle. Panels on the front and rear of my property with a large capacity battery and the ability to continue if the power grid goes offline.
It will take me slightly longer to break even but the equipment comes with manufacturer warranties that will last long after I am gone. The feed in tariffs from most energy suppliers will also give a nice bonus for three quarters of the year.
Installation was literally two weeks after the order. You don't have to pay the full cost up front which allows for peace of mind knowing that you pay the final chunk when the system is up and running.
Scaffolding was put up in a matter of hours by a great time (it was also taken down a couple of days after the installation rather than being left for weeks).
The installation team did a fabulous job. The panels were installed perfectly, to millimetre precision and perfectly aligned on my roof. Even the original builders of my house couldn't have done a better job.
The electrical work was performed to exacting standards. Very tidy cabling and the equipment installation just looks like something from a glossy magazine.
Each day, any mess from that day was cleaned up. Everyone was friendly and polite. Nothing was too much trouble.
I now have a fully functional system that I can monitor and adjust from a very nice app on my phone.
I can honestly say that I would recommend Leeds Solar to anybody considering future proofing energy prices or wanting to be more environmentally friendly.
I get no commission of kickbacks from writing this review. I just felt it necessary to provide some positive feedback for an absolutely amazing job from the team.
Well done guys and thank you so much!