Stead Tools · Free

Will this upgrade pay for itself?

Solar panels, a heat pump, insulation, a battery, an EV — they all cost money up front and save money over time. Put the numbers in and see the payback period and where you stand after 10, 15 and 25 years. Free, no sign-up.

Quick-fill a common upgrade
Typical UK mid-point figures. Edit them to match your own quotes. They are a starting point, not a promise.
The total fitted price of the upgrade.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme, ECO4, etc. Reduces the upfront cost.
Lower bills, export income, or fuel saved each year.
Servicing, insurance, or extra electricity the upgrade itself uses.
If bills rise, your saving grows with them. Leave blank for flat prices.
Used only to flag if payback lands after the kit wears out.

A rough guide, not financial advice. It compares cash in and cash out and ignores inflation discounting, finance interest, and any rise in property value. Always get real quotes before deciding. Nothing you type here leaves your browser.

How the sum works

Cash in, cash out, when you break even.

The calculator takes your net upfront cost (the price minus any grant), then adds up the net saving each year (the saving you entered, minus any extra running cost). The payback period is the point where the savings have added up to more than you spent.

If you set an energy-price change, the yearly saving grows (or shrinks) by that percentage each year — useful because the value of a heat pump or solar panels rises when energy gets more expensive. The 10, 15 and 25-year figures show your cumulative net position: negative while you're still in the hole, positive once you're ahead.

Where do the numbers come from? Get fitted quotes for the upfront cost, and use your own bills plus the installer's estimate or an Energy Saving Trust figure for the yearly saving. For an EV, the yearly saving is roughly your current fuel spend minus the cost of charging. The honest answer for most upgrades is "it depends on your usage" — which is exactly why you put your own numbers in.

Bills and upgrades, tracked over time.

Stead logs your energy use and home improvements so the "is it worth it?" question gets easier to answer with your real numbers, not a guess. Plus maintenance, documents and landlord duties in one place.

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