Anyone gone bust yet?

[Energetic]

Interested in whether anyone has gone bust yet, either big players or small firms. Have the big boys been laying off installers?

We're a small company and have quite enjoyed the rest after the chaos but firms with lots of employees must be starting to worry surely?

 

[moggy1968]

I think those that are just solar will struggle. Those of us that have other revenue streams wil be ok.

 

[SolarCity]

I'd imagine that larger firms will struggle far more than the smaller firms.

Having said that, our firm is a small family business and we're already struggling.

 

[Eco Deal]

are people picking up the phone and calling you for general quotes etc??

not started any ads yet ? will be doing shortly see how it goes.

 

[Elysium]

I think we are all feeling the pinch - no enquires for pv- thank god we still have the electrical contracting side which is keeping us going for now.
I noticed that the nationals are advertising so we might put a few adverts out.
Having said that most of our work comes from word of mouth.

 

[pjcomp]

One big outfit in Gloucesterhad invested £2m to set up a solar division aimed at big projects for the social housing sector. they wrapped it up soon after the cut was announced. And one of the big nationals, same target group, called it quits just before Christmas, can't recall the name.

pj

 

[dansk]

Same here, already had 8 year business before starting PV - PV is a nice add on, but its business as normal for us and hopefully the PV will come back. Incidently went to replace a broken tile on Friday and the neighbour came running out "are you a roofer" i said "not exactly im solar installer" he said "ohh ive been asking for your number for ages can you quote me" result, he knows the score and is prepaired to take the risk!

 

[Eco Deal]

Right 12th is the date most companies break
Up for xmas and then return around the 6th
6th was friday so the 9th is really the proper first
Working day back of the year !!!

We are acting like we have been waiting mths
For customers if the tariff issue was not here we
Still not have sold anything anyway

Ok the demand may not be there but last
Year it was same enquires really started
For us late feb so im not worrying yet!!

 

[moggy1968]

I agree, in the normal scheme of things you would expect few installations between oct and march and that should be part of the business model. nov was an unexpected bonus for us.

 

[sambotc]

Right 12th is the date most companies break
Up for xmas and then return around the 6th
6th was friday so the 9th is really the proper first
Working day back of the year !!!

We are acting like we have been waiting mths
For customers if the tariff issue was not here we
Still not have sold anything anyway

Ok the demand may not be there but last
Year it was same enquires really started
For us late feb so im not worrying yet!!

I don't know of any companies, with the exception of maybe some manufaturing factories, that would break up for a month over christmas? 2 weeks is normally the max, some back to work in between xmas and new year?

 

[Markc]

I've worked out I have 7 in the pipeline confirmed and waiting to go. We have the Electrical side to work on as well so not much change for us currently.

 

[Somecamel]

Seriously considering shutting down now- Confidence is waning.

If things don't pick up soon- it wont be worth my while paying wages for my guys sitting around doing nothing.

 

[MorganPVI]

The only phone calls we have had are installers looking for work. Emails mostly China spam.

We have very much enjoyed a long Christmas break, now have 16kw in the pipeline. I'm not very optimistic about the next 6 weeks, I suspect everyone will sulk for another 4 weeks, then maybe a busy March dependant on the tariff.

 

[Tiberius]

My partners friend who works for a small property company who do bathrooms, kitchens, landscaping added solar pv and solar thermal in Novemeber. They did a £12K install before Xmas and got one booked in this month with another in the pipeline yet their not even MCS registered. Dont know how their doing it unless know someone who is MCS or telling the customer to go get it passed by an MCS installer if they want FITs, really would like to know but unfortunalty her friend works in the show room.

 

[Somecamel]

My partners friend who works for a small property company who do bathrooms, kitchens, landscaping added solar pv and solar thermal in Novemeber. They did a £12K install before Xmas and got one booked in this month with another in the pipeline yet their not even MCS registered. Dont know how their doing it unless know someone who is MCS or telling the customer to go get it passed by an MCS installer if they want FITs, really would like to know but unfortunalty her friend works in the show room.

I'm pretty sure the rules changed in December whereas you are not allowed to get a non mcs company to even sell you a system now.