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Last updated: 4 April 2024
How much do solar panel cleaners earn?
With solar panels becoming a common sight on roofs across the UK, we answer the question: how much do solar panel cleaners earn? In this guide, we look at the average solar panel cleaner salary in the UK, as well as the average solar panel cleaning business revenue and profit.
Whether you're starting out as an apprentice solar panel cleaner, you’re an established self-employed solar panel cleaner, or you run your own solar panel cleaning company – this guide is for you.
How much do solar panel cleaners earn in the UK?
The average solar panel cleaner salary in the UK is around£9,270 for an apprentice. If you run your own solar panel cleaning limited company, you could expect to earn somewhere in the region of£44,370.
The exact solar panel cleaner salary you can earn will depend on your qualifications, skills, experience, and where you’re based – as well as the size and complexity of the jobs you take on.
If you’re thinking about starting your own solar panel cleaning business (whether as a sole trader or a limited company), there’s no doubt that you’ll boost your earning potential as a solar panel cleaner compared to being an employee.
| Level | Per hour | Per day | Per year | Business Costs* | Approximate Take Home Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | £5.28 | £42 | £9,270 | £0 | £9,140 |
| Newly Qualified | £9.50 | £76 | £16,680 | £0 | £14,840 |
| Employed | £10.42 | £83 | £21,670 | £0 | £18,230 |
| Sole Trader | £25 | £200 | £36,880 | £4,610 | £22,530 |
| Business Owner (ltd company) | £30.08 | £240 | £44,370 | £7,765 | £29,910 |
| *includes estimated costs for business expenses such as vehicle, tools, insurance, fuel etc | |||||
| Last updated: May 2024 Our costs are ballpark averages - get a local tradesperson to quote now | |||||
Solar panel cleaner salary per year
To help you work out the solar panel cleaner salary that you could earn, here are average figures based on level of experience:
Apprentice solar panel cleaner – £9,270 (£9,140 take home) per year
Newly qualified solar panel cleaner – £16,680 (£14,840 take home) per year
Employed solar panel cleaner – £21,670 (£18,230 take home) per year
Sole trader solar panel cleaner – £36,880 (£22,530 take home) per year
Solar panel cleaning company owner – £44,370 (£29,910 take home) per year
Interested in setting up a solar panel installation business? Here’s our guide on how to start a solar panel business.
How to start a window cleaning business
Starting a window cleaning business in the UK Window cleaning is an appealing trade to get into. Residential and commercial properties are always being built — so there's always plenty of glass for you to clean! In 2023, over 207,000 people in the UK searched for a window cleaner on Checkatrade
How much do self-employed solar panel cleaners earn?
Below are the average figures for the earning potential for self-employed solar panel cleaner wages in the UK:
Hourly rate – £25 per hour
Day rate – £200 per day
Yearly salary – £36,880 per year
Annual take-home pay – £22,530 per year
What is the demand for solar panel cleaning?
When running your own solar panel cleaning business, the revenue and profit you generate will depend on a number of factors – such as the size of your business, the amount of work you do, and how profitable each of your jobs are.
To give you a rough idea of how much you could make, we’ve put together some estimates for solar panel cleaning business revenue and profit figures.
Solar panel cleaning business revenue
Here are some figures for the average solar panel cleaning business revenue in the UK:
Sole trader solar panel cleaner – £36,880
Solar panel cleaning limited company – £44,370
Solar panel cleaning business profit
To work out your profit as a solar panel cleaning business, whether as a sole trader or a limited company, you need to factor in the costs for running your business - such as your work vehicle, fuel, materials, tools and insurance, etc.
For a limited company, it’s important to factor in any staff wages as part of your business’s running costs.
After deducting your annual business costs, a self-employed solar panel cleaner can expect their solar panel cleaning business profit (i.e. their take-home salary) to be somewhere in the region of £22,530 as a sole trader.
If you’re operating as a limited company, you’re looking at an average solar panel cleaning business profit of around £29,910.
Want tips to expand your solar panel cleaning business? Check out our guide on how to grow your business:
How to grow your trade business in [year] - Free guide included
4 ways to grow your trade business Are you looking at how you can take your business to the next level? We've created a no-nonsense guide with the tips you need to grow your trade business. The guide will help you: Understand why online marketing is essential, and what options you have See why old
How to make your solar panel cleaning business more profitable
To help you boost your profits, we’ve put together our top tips to make your solar panel cleaning business more profitable:
Make sure you're charging enough to cover your outgoings (including tools, materials, insurance, marketing, wages, fuel etc).
Focus on the jobs that make you the most money and require you to spend the least (for tools, materials, etc).
Limit how far you travel to avoid vehicle and fuel costs eating into your profits.
Minimise your outgoings by trying to have no or as little debt as possible.
Shop around for the best deals (like our member partnerships) on tools, equipment, materials and workwear.
Get your business name out there through marketing (your website, customer reviews and SEO).
Provide the best customer experience to all your customers to build a strong reputation and win more work through word of mouth.
Join a trade directory like Checkatrade to build your reviews and online reputation.
Expert tips for increasing profits in [year]
What is profit? Profit is money left over after subtracting all your business expenses from your total revenue. As a trade business, you've probably always got your eye on making a profit. After all, it's the measure of success for most businesses. The key is knowing how to increase your profits
Become your own boss with your new solar panel cleaning business
Get your solar panel cleaning business started with the help of our 'Become the Boss' series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoRV0Fsrgnk
You'll receive a series of emails with actionable tips. Seven emails in total (and a cheeky bonus email) featuring fellow tradespeople who were once in your position, a free business strategy call, and at the end of it all, you as the Founder of your new business. What's not to love?
To get trade business insider secrets sent to your pocket, put your email address in the form below so we can help you to get started.
