Air conditioning for period and listed homes across Dorset
If your Bournemouth home is listed or in a conservation area, consent comes first and we provide what the council needs to see. For period homes in Bournemouth, we look at consoles in place of radiators and ducted units from the loft before anything else. 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 Dorset
Our South West England guide price for air conditioning for period and listed homes is £1,650–£7,950 per home, one room upwards, VAT included. That is broadly in line with national guide prices. The biggest variables are the pipe route, access for the outdoor unit and the state of the consumer unit, all of which the survey settles. 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 Dorset, 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
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. 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 Dorset:
- Work started only once consent is in place
- Pressure test, vacuum and commissioning
- Free survey with features and fabric recorded
- Console or concealed ducted options
- Careful routes that avoid cornicing and panelling
- Drawings and product data for consent applications
Towns in Dorset
Pick your town for local details, or see every service in Dorset.