Air-to-air heat pumps in Reading
Ask at your Reading survey whether the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant could apply to your home. In the South East, loft rooms and glazed extensions can climb well above the outside temperature on a sunny afternoon.
Homes in Reading on electric, oil or LPG heating are the ones most likely to benefit from an air-to-air heat pump. Reading is one of the main towns we cover in Berkshire, alongside Slough and Bracknell. Homes in RG1, RG6 and RG30 are all within our coverage.
Prices in Reading
Budget around £3,595–£13,945 for 2–5 rooms including VAT for air-to-air heat pumps in and around Reading. That is above the UK middle, mainly because labour and access cost more in South East England. Concealed pipework, access equipment for high walls and any electrical work are what push prices towards the upper figure. Typical Small home work (three or four rooms heated and cooled) lands around £5,445–£9,095 in this area.
Two rooms
Living room and main bedroom on one outdoor unit.
Small home
Three or four rooms heated and cooled.
Whole home
Five or more rooms, sized to replace the existing heating.
Prices are shown before any Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant. The £2,500 air-to-air grant applies only to eligible homes in England and Wales, using an MCS-certified heat pump installed by an MCS-certified installer, who applies for the grant and deducts it from the price. We confirm eligibility, and which installer applies, before you commit.
Guide prices show VAT at 20%. HMRC treats most fixed air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps installed in homes as energy-saving materials, zero-rated until 31 March 2027 when we supply and fit them. If your installation qualifies, your quote shows 0% VAT and a lower price. Servicing, repairs, cleaning and controls are charged at 20%.
Planning and permissions
Since 29 May 2025, England's permitted development rules allow larger outdoor units (up to 1.5 m³) and no longer require a 1 m gap to the boundary, provided the MCS 020(a) noise check is met. Listed buildings and pitched-roof installs still need permission.
Reading is in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme area, so eligible homes replacing oil, gas, LPG or electric heating may be able to get £2,500 off an air-to-air heat pump, as long as no fossil-fuel boiler stays in use. An MCS-certified installer must claim it; we confirm eligibility, and which installer applies, before you commit.
The survey
We book surveys in Reading at a time that suits you, including early evenings by arrangement, and send the written quote afterwards. At the survey we look at how each room is used, where the sun hits it and how the pipes can reach the outside wall, then put it all in a written quote.
What is included
Included as standard in Reading:
- Free survey with a room-by-room heat-loss calculation
- Outdoor unit placed for airflow and noise compliance
- Advice on running settings and tariffs
- Pressure test, vacuum and commissioning
- Indoor units sized for winter heating, not just cooling
Nearby
Nearby, we also cover Lower Earley (3 miles), Henley-on-Thames (6 miles) and Wokingham (7 miles). See all services in Reading or air-to-air heat pumps across Berkshire.