Solar Pool Heater Cost
How Much per Square Metre?
Article was written by Gregory Grochola (physicist) - last updated 25/10/2026
We looked at various roof kits available online and worked out a price per square metre of collector strip. The short answer: about $71 to $128 per m² for PVC strips, depending on the supplier, and $143 per m² for German rigid OKU panels.
Prices were checked on 25 October 2026, include GST, and are for the roof kit only - no pump, controller, delivery or installation (more on that below).
Collector Price Summary
Shown below is the cost per m² of collector for six different online
suppliers. Keep in mind not all strips are created equal; 14 tube strip (our PoolMasterPro™ brand) is Boss
Solar's highest tube density, highest flow rate and most expensive ProSolar
strip collector, followed by the 12 tube strip then the 10
tube strip, however, each online supplier will add their own margins. At
EcoOnline our philosophy is go with the best, and put the lowest
margins on it.
per m² of Boss Solar 14 tube strip
per m² of Boss Solar 12 tube strip
per m² of Boss Solar 10 tube strip
per m² of Boss Solar 12 tube strip
per m² of Boss Solar 10 tube strip
per m² of German HDPE rigid panel
Strip pictures are illustrations of each
tube count; for actual images of each strip please visit the respective
sites linked below. Prices are per m² of collector after removing the
extras
listed under How We Worked It Out below.
System Details Comparison
And here are the calculations for each kit, best value per m² first. Each kit name links to the listing its price was taken from.
| Online Supplier and kit | Tubes per strip | Collector area | Listed price | Extras removed | Price per m² collector* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoOnline PoolMasterPro™ Roof Kit, 36 sqm | 14 | 36 m² | $2,660.89 | $100 | $71 |
| Four Seasons Roof Kit, 38m2 | 12 | 37.5 m² | $2,890.00 | $135 | $73 |
| NCS 36 DIY Solar Pool Heating Kit | 10 | 36 m² | $3,060.00 | $209 | $79 |
| Pool & Spa Warehouse, Four Seasons 38m2 Manual Kit | 12 | 37.5 m² | $3,569.00 | $269 | $88 |
| Clark Rubber Solar Eezy SE3746-13 | 10 | 37.5 m² | $4,919.00 | $130 | $128 |
| EcoOnline OKU Performance+™ Roof Kit, 32 panels | Rigid panel | 36.8 m² | $5,348.00 | $100 | $143 |
Prices as listed on each supplier's website on 25 October 2026, including GST. Note, warranty terms vary, please check with the online supplier.
How We Worked It Out
Collector area is length x strip width. Note, the Four Seasons kits
(including the one sold by Pool & Spa Warehouse): are sold as
38m2 but contain 10 x 25 metre rolls at 3.75 m² per roll, which is 37.5
m², so that's what we used. Clark Rubber lists 37.5 m² of active
collector for the SE3746-13. Our own kit is sold as 36 m². The OKU kit
is 32 panels x 1.15 m² per panel = 36.8 m².
Extras removed. Roof kits don't all
come with the same plumbing so to make the comparison fair we can't
count costs for these extra parts. Our roof kit includes no extra PVC
fittings and no 3-way valve, (as these depend on your existing plumbing
and installation requirements) so we took them out of the other kits to make it fair, to
leave just the collector components for each system:
- Four Seasons Roof Kit: 7 PVC fittings (1 tee, 4 elbows, 2 end caps) at approx. $5 each = $35
- NCS: the 3-way valve at $59, plus $50 for the tees and elbows (the listing doesn't give a count, so we allowed 10 fittings)
- Pool & Spa Warehouse: the 3-way valve at $59, plus 22 PVC fittings at $5 each = $169
- Clark Rubber: about 6 or so extra PVC fittings at approx. $5 each = $30
Then we took $100 off every kit, ours
included, for the auxiliary non-collector parts most kits carry in some form - vacuum release
valve, pressure gauge, by-pass line and pipe saddles or fixings. What's
left is basically the strips (or panels), the header manifolds and silicone adhesive.
Divide the total collector cost by the sqm rating and you arrive at the price per m² cost.*
*Note, Clark Rubber states its roof mounting clips or ties are sold separately, but we don't add them to the cost. OKU kit also requires aluminium angles to mount the panels on (not supplied), these are also not included in the cost.
What These Prices Don't Include
These are purely collector prices. To end up with a working system you'll also need:
- A solar pump, unless you run the solar through your filter pump on a manual system
- A solar controller, if you want the system automatic
- PVC pipe and fittings from the pool up to the roof
- Delivery
- Installation, if you're not doing it yourself
In terms of installation cost, as a rough guide, budget about $50-100/m² for installer labour, depending on system size and
how much plumbing is involved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Cost of Solar Pool Heaters
How much does a solar pool heater cost per square metre?+
Strip roof kits from the major Australian suppliers that list their prices online work out at about $71 to $128 per m² of collector (prices checked 25 October 2026), and rigid OKU panels at about $143 per m². That's the roof kit only, before the pump, controller, plumbing and installation.
How much does a DIY solar pool heating kit cost?+
For a roof kit of about 36 to 38 m², listed prices ran from $2,660.89 to $4,919 for strip kits and $5,348 for a 32 panel OKU kit on 25 October 2026. Use a sizing calculator first, as the area your pool needs depends on its surface area, location and how warm you want it.
How much does it cost to install a solar pool heater?+
For a 36 m² DIY roof kit, add about $50 to $100 per m² for installer labour ($1,800 to $3,600), plus a solar pump and controller if you need them, and the PVC pipe and fittings up to the roof.
What isn't included in a solar pool heater roof kit price?+
Usually the solar pump, the controller for an automatic system, the PVC pipe and fittings from the pool to the roof, delivery and installation. As a rough guide, budget about $50 to $100 per m² for installer labour if you're not doing it yourself.