Solar Lead Generation Agency or Buy Leads Outright? A UK Installer's Guide (2026)
Choose between buying leads and managed advertising by deciding what work you want the supplier to do, what your team will handle and how the full cost fits your business. Neither model is automatically better for a small or large installer.
PoweredLeads offers both lead supply and separately scoped marketing services. This guide explains the trade-offs so you can compare proposals, including ours.
What are you paying for?
With lead supply, you buy an agreed kind of enquiry. The supplier handles its generation under that supply arrangement. Your team usually handles contact, survey, quotation and installation.
With managed advertising, you purchase campaign work under an agreed brief. Media spend and management fees may be separate. Define whether creative, landing pages, tracking, reporting and follow-up are included. An agency label alone does not tell you the payment model.
| Decision | Lead supply | Managed advertising |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase | Defined enquiries | Agreed campaign work |
| Brand | Confirm which brand the homeowner sees | Can run under your own brand |
| Cost | Lead price and order commitment | Management, media and agreed extras |
| Response | Usually your team | Confirm whether response work is included |
| Quality remedy | Lead acceptance and replacement terms | Campaign responsibilities and service terms |
| Sales risk | You still need to convert valid enquiries | You still need to convert valid enquiries |
| Continuity | Depends on supply and reorder terms | Depends on campaign assets, access and ongoing work |
When lead supply can fit
Buying enquiries can suit a team that wants a defined acquisition unit and has a practical way to contact and survey customers. The important constraint is whether the team can use the enquiries being bought.
Before buying, agree your actual postcodes, the customer request, the number of recipients, order size and delivery period. Ask how invalid leads and unused balances are handled. Valid enquiries that do not become jobs still affect your economics.
Our published solar and heat pump lead offer starts from £45 per accepted lead. Prices vary with order size and repeat orders. Get your lead options to see your price. Both use the same pricing structure, with checks agreed for each service. Commercial supply is quoted separately. An enquiry does not confirm current supply availability.
When managed advertising can fit
Managed campaigns can suit installers who want to build demand under their own name, control their public offer and maintain a marketing operation. The scope should make the responsibility for campaigns explicit.
Agree in advance:
- Who owns and can access ad accounts, landing pages and reporting.
- Which statements, images and products may represent your business.
- What creative changes are pre-authorised and what requires a decision.
- Who monitors live ads after changes or duplication.
- The media spending limit and management fee.
- Who receives enquiries and verifies every qualification field reaches them.
- What is retained and handed over when the engagement ends.
These decisions reduce repeated approvals while keeping your brand and budget under control. A standard operating agreement is more useful than assuming the agency understands every detail of your installation business.
Compare the total cost without double counting
For a lead order, include purchased leads plus your follow-up, survey and related costs. Do not add imaginary ad spend already included in the lead price.
For managed campaigns, include actual media spend, management and related costs. Do not add a separate lead purchase cost when there is no such charge. Compare the same service area, technology and sufficiently mature cohort.
Cost per completed installation = total acquisition spend ÷ completed installations from that group. Then compare the result with your own contribution after variable installation costs. See the detailed calculation.
There is no universal management fee, monthly budget threshold or lead price at which one model becomes correct. Get current, complete proposals and use your own assumptions.
A combined approach is possible
An installer can buy additional enquiries while improving its website or running a branded campaign. Keep sources identifiable so a blended lead count does not hide where jobs and costs arise.
The same applies to solar and ASHP. Use separate qualification and outcome reporting for each, even when both services share the same team. Explore heat pump enquiries.
Compare PoweredLeads services or send a managed advertising brief. We agree the scope, fees, media budget and delivery responsibilities before work begins. No model guarantees sales or financial returns.
Reviewed 5 September 2026. Earlier generic agency fee ranges, budget thresholds and guaranteed speed advantages have been removed.
For the bought-enquiry option, see the PoweredLeads solar lead service. For campaigns under your brand, see our managed services.