Air conditioning for period and listed homes across Cornwall
If your home in Truro is Victorian, Edwardian or older, a console or concealed system often works better than a high wall unit. If your Truro home is listed or in a conservation area, consent comes first and we provide what the council needs to see. South West summers are milder on the coast, but sheltered towns and south-facing rooms still overheat, and efficient winter heating matters just as much.
Prices in Cornwall
For Cornwall, expect roughly £1,650 to £7,950 per home, one room upwards, VAT included, adjusted for typical South West England rates. That is close to the UK middle for this kind of work. What moves a quote in Cornwall up or down is mostly pipe length, how high the outdoor unit goes, and whether a new electrical circuit is needed. As an example, the Concealed option (ducted unit from a loft or void serving one or two rooms) would typically be £3,450–£5,450 here.
Console
Low-level console in place of a radiator, rear outdoor unit.
Concealed
Ducted unit from a loft or void serving one or two rooms.
Mixed
Consoles downstairs and ducted upstairs on one system.
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%.
Listed building consent
For a listed property in Cornwall, consent comes first: the council decides on the outdoor unit position, the pipe routes and any change to historic fabric. Conservation areas add their own limits on units facing a road. 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.
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. 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 with air conditioning for period and listed homes across Cornwall:
- Console or concealed ducted options
- Drawings and product data for consent applications
- Free survey with features and fabric recorded
- Careful routes that avoid cornicing and panelling
- Work started only once consent is in place
- Pressure test, vacuum and commissioning
Towns in Cornwall
Pick your town for local details, or see every service in Cornwall.