Average pay for Solar PV work? Opinions

[Joe79]

I was after the opinions of other Electricians on pay for PV Solar work. I'm on £120 per day before deductions. I have to travel 2-3 hours to most jobs. I'm the only Spark on the job and I need to fit the inverter, isolators DC side, do the AC cable run and fit the isolator and a new board if needed and then test and commision the work along with taking photos of all the work done. If the bonding of incoming services has not been done or is less than 10mm csa, then I also need to do this along with upgrading the meter tails to 25mm csa if they are under and most domestic properties need one or the other, or both. I'll be honest, I'm struggling on my own to get all the work done and although on rare occasions you get an easy job, most days i'm doing 12 hours. Any opinions?

 

[The Solar King]

You are working for the wrong outfit.

 

[i=p/u]

possibly if your doing what you say your doing... ive seen jobs offer 200 an install in a gang of 3 roofer, electrician and someone else..

 

[Joe79]

Thanks for your opinions. The travelling side takes up alot of time and although the van and fuel is supplied i'm not earning anything in the 4-6 hours a day i'm driving. If there were 2 Sparks on the job it would not be a problem but by myself most of the time I just feel up against it.

 

[malcolmsanford]

That works out at less than a tenner an hour with the traveling.

Can I ask

1. When you say fitting a new board is that a complete new CU for the house or just a small 1 way for the PV.
2. Do you need to change every set of tails to 25mm

 

[i=p/u]

plough on and get payed, get christmas out of way, but it aint good if you unhappy at work.. could you not get them to budge on a helping hand... dont ask you dont get..

id rather have extra pair of hands rather than extra few bucks..

 

[Joe79]

Its just a small 1 way board for the PV. The company want us to install 25mm tails if they are 16mm on every property, although I thought 16mm were rated up to 87A so would depend on the main fuse rating?
I agree i=p/u, get christmas out the way and get out in the new year. I'd rather have the extra pair of hands as well and I have asked, but no joy.

 

[solarsparkie]

Joe , shame on you I,d be embarrased to pay a sparkie that much you do your brothers no favours by undercutting the market

 

[i=p/u]

lol you dont know his situation and too just come out and say that is rude.. he sees a problem aqnd is tackling it his own way... theres people getting caught left right and centre but have no options and are stuck for time being ... be more constructive solarsparkie..

 

[solarsparkie]

i=p/u I am being constructive , what do you want me to do tell him big issue sellers make more per hour and infer he would be better of getting out of the industry that would be rude and non constructive

 

[Joe79]

I'm still fresh at being Spark so i'm taking as much experience in as I can and I'm glad to have some experience in PV now. But £120 a day for what i'm doing is peanuts I know, average it out for the hours I do and deduct the Tax/NI and its what I used to earn 8 years ago as a Postman.

 

[i=p/u]

i worked in abbotoir when 16 , left and came back with license to kill 6-7 years later and getting about 80p an hour more... for a shift starting at 4 ending at 12 aat night....

 

[solarsparkie]

and how old would you be now? whats the price of a 2 bed semi where you live could Joe raise a mortgage and get married on what he is takin home where you are?

i worked in abbotoir when 16 , left and came back with license to kill 6-7 years later and getting about 80p an hour more... for a shift starting at 4 ending at 12 aat night....

 

[i=p/u]

need double that.... ... your right .

and how old would you be now? whats the price of a 2 bed semi where you live could Joe raise a mortgage and get married on what he is takin home where you are?

 

[moggy1968]

Your being ripped off, simple as.
we were getting £300 A DAY for spark and helper to get the job done and commisioned to a good standard. we were on £250 but managed to get it raised. That is on the south coast where rates tend to be a little higher than oop north, but not that much difference!!! We did supply the van but diesel and materials were extra. we aren't subbing now 'cos we have enough work on and we got fed up working for companies who didn't know what they were talking about.

there is absolutely no requirement to install 25mm tails for a garage board. 16mm is fine. That should knock a fair bit off your install time 'cos trying to get 25mm tails into a garage board is a 'mare!

 

[powervan]

umm well ITS A JOB! wont be demand soon so u wont be so busy! if u want more STEP UP and become SELF EMPLOYED! then some days ur earn treble that!some days u will earn less!what i would say is when u get home (after that traveling) u dont have to do paperwork! u doing well for a days work!im sure u could find another job on the cards slightly more money!but like lads say eat ur TURKEY then talk to them on jan 5th!!

 

[moggy1968]

120 quid is not 'doing well for a days work' when that day is 12+ hours!!

 

[Joe79]

Thanks for the replies its good to hear fellow Sparks opinions. I cant see myself doing it past christmas and to be honest I doubt the work will be there anyway. The work along with the travelling and the testing, commisioning and uploading of photos takes up to much time and encourages the Sparks to cut corners. I dont rush the job, and I dont cut corners, if i dont finish i get a revisit booked which the Managers dont like, but its not their name on the certificate that signs it off its mine.

 

[powervan]

joe very true!!!! thats y no one can read mine writeing

 

[powervan]

my son earns less(dont tell him) works as hard!but gets sarnies everyday from his mum even though he dont live at home but he gets tuna i get jam apparently he is a growing boy!! im a shrinking old man!! wot area that relates to im not to sure?? oh yeh he gets 2 company vehicles plus sat for serious bit of cash!! thats y he going to LAS VAGAS sunday and im staying at home!! if he was going to SA FRAN CISCO id be gutted)))