Air source heat pump installation is the full job of replacing your heating with an air-to-water system: a survey and room-by-room heat loss calculation, the outdoor unit, a hot water cylinder, controls, any radiator or pipework changes, commissioning and registration. A heat pump takes heat from the outside air using a refrigerant cycle and delivers it to your radiators or underfloor heating and to a cylinder of stored hot water. In a well-designed system it typically produces about 3–4 units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses.
Homeowners across East Sussex can arrange a survey in East Sussex for a room-by-room design and a written quote before committing to anything. Installers working in East Sussex plan the order of work so heating and hot water are off for as short a time as practical. Terraced streets in East Sussex often mean a compact unit position at the rear, so siting and sound levels are checked carefully.
Who it suits
- Households with room for a hot water cylinder
- Owners and landlords in England and Wales eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Houses with reasonable insulation, or a plan to improve it
- Owners who want one contract covering design, fitting and paperwork
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
Homes in East Sussex can use the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which takes £7,500 off the cost of an air source heat pump when it replaces fossil-fuel or electric heating. Replacing oil or LPG heating qualifies for £9,000 for installations from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, and air-to-air systems for £2,500. The MCS-certified installer named in your quote applies for the grant and deducts it from the price.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Since 29 May 2025, permitted development in England allows up to two air source heat pumps on a house, each up to 1.5 m³, with no blanket 1 m boundary rule — the installation must still meet the MCS planning standards, including the noise check. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation-area positions need extra consent, which we check at survey.
Air source heat pump installation prices in East Sussex
These are guide prices for East Sussex, installed and including VAT. Your final price is fixed in a written quote after the survey and depends on the heat loss of the house, the radiators that need changing and where the unit goes.
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price | After £7,500 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,800–£12,900 | £2,300–£5,400 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,800–£13,900 | £3,300–£6,400 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,350–£15,950 | £4,850–£8,450 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,400–£18,550 | £6,900–£11,050 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £17,000–£23,200 | £9,500–£15,700 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Towns we cover in East Sussex
We cover 14 towns in East Sussex for air source heat pump installation. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | BN1 | Peacehaven | 7 h 56 min |
| Eastbourne | BN21 | Hailsham | 7 h 57 min |
| Hastings | TN34 | Bexhill-on-Sea | 7 h 56 min |
| Bexhill-on-Sea | TN40 | Battle | 7 h 56 min |
| Hailsham | BN27 | Eastbourne | 7 h 56 min |
| Seaford | BN25 | Newhaven | 7 h 57 min |
| Crowborough | TN6 | Uckfield | 7 h 54 min |
| Peacehaven | BN10 | Newhaven | 7 h 57 min |
| Uckfield | TN22 | Crowborough | 7 h 55 min |
| Lewes | BN7 | Peacehaven | 7 h 56 min |
| Battle | TN33 | Bexhill-on-Sea | 7 h 55 min |
| Heathfield | TN21 | Uckfield | 7 h 55 min |
| Newhaven | BN9 | Seaford | 7 h 57 min |
| Rye | TN31 | Hastings | 7 h 55 min |
Air source heat pump installation questions
Can I cancel after accepting the quote?
Nothing is ordered until you accept the written quote. Where the contract is agreed away from our premises, for example at your kitchen table, you can cancel within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you ask us to start sooner and then cancel, you pay only for work done up to that point.
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump?
Not always; many homes keep most of their radiators and change only a few. Because a heat pump runs at a lower water temperature than a boiler, each radiator gives out less heat, so the survey checks every room against its heat loss. Rooms where the existing radiator falls short get a larger one, with a guide price of £250–£450 each, installed and including VAT.
Will an air source heat pump be noisy?
Heat pumps are designed to run quietly, but where the unit sits makes a real difference. The survey looks for a position away from bedroom windows and neighbours, with clear airflow, and the installation must pass the MCS noise assessment. The fan is most noticeable on very cold days when the unit works hardest, and a little vapour during the periodic defrost is normal.
How long does an air source heat pump installation take?
A typical home installation takes 2–4 days on site. It takes longer if several radiators are being replaced, pipework is being upgraded or the cylinder is going in a new location. Your quote sets out the expected programme, including when you will be without heating and hot water. Timings are typical rather than fixed, because older homes sometimes reveal surprises once floorboards are lifted.