Air-to-air heat pumps across County Durham
We size every heat pump in Durham for a cold winter day, then check the cooling side is right for summer. Homes in Durham on electric, oil or LPG heating are the ones most likely to benefit from an air-to-air heat pump. Cold, windy North East winters favour a well-sized heat pump with an outdoor unit sheltered from the prevailing wind.
Prices in County Durham
Budget around £2,695–£10,545 for 2–5 rooms including VAT for air-to-air heat pumps in and around County Durham. Labour rates in North East England keep this slightly under the national middle. 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 £4,095–£6,845 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
England's rules let most houses fit an outdoor unit without a planning application, as long as the size, number and MCS 020(a) noise conditions are met. Flats, listed buildings and roof-mounted units are treated differently.
County Durham 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
The free survey is where the real price is set: room measurements, pipe and drain routes, electrical checks and the outdoor unit position, all written into your quote. We book surveys in County Durham at a time that suits you, including early evenings by arrangement, and send the written quote afterwards.
What is included
Included with air-to-air heat pumps across County Durham:
- Pressure test, vacuum and commissioning
- Outdoor unit placed for airflow and noise compliance
- Advice on running settings and tariffs
- Free survey with a room-by-room heat-loss calculation
- Indoor units sized for winter heating, not just cooling
- Grant eligibility check for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Towns in County Durham
Pick your town for local details, or see every service in County Durham.