Air-to-air heat pumps across Dorset
Homes in Bournemouth on electric, oil or LPG heating are the ones most likely to benefit from an air-to-air heat pump. We size every heat pump in Bournemouth for a cold winter day, then check the cooling side is right for summer. In the South West, a system that heats well through damp winters is often as valuable as summer cooling.
Prices in Dorset
In South West England, our guide range for air-to-air heat pumps is £2,950–£11,450 for 2–5 rooms, including VAT. It sits near the middle of UK prices. Longer or hidden pipe runs, high-level brackets and electrical upgrades are the usual reasons a quote lands at the top of the range. As an example, the Small home option (three or four rooms heated and cooled) would typically be £4,450–£7,450 here.
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
In England, most houses can have an outdoor unit under permitted development if it is no larger than 1.5 m³, meets the MCS 020(a) noise limit of 37 dB(A) at the nearest neighbour's window, and there are no more than two on a detached house or one on other houses. Listed buildings need consent.
If your home in Dorset is replacing fossil fuel or electric heating, and no gas, oil or LPG boiler stays in use, an MCS-certified air-to-air heat pump may qualify for the £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, which the MCS-certified installer claims and deducts from the price.
The survey
On a survey in Dorset the engineer looks at room size, glazing, the route for pipes and drains, the electrics and where the outdoor unit can sit quietly, then the written quote follows. A survey in Dorset usually takes one to two hours. We measure the rooms, check the walls and the consumer unit, agree the outdoor unit position with you and photograph the pipe routes.
What is included
Included with air-to-air heat pumps across Dorset:
- Outdoor unit placed for airflow and noise compliance
- Grant eligibility check for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Free survey with a room-by-room heat-loss calculation
- Pressure test, vacuum and commissioning
- Advice on running settings and tariffs
- Indoor units sized for winter heating, not just cooling
Towns in Dorset
Pick your town for local details, or see every service in Dorset.