Your contract is with S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd, part of the S&K Group, and the installation is carried out by installers we appoint and manage under that contract. Where you are eligible, the MCS-certified installer named in your quote applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in England and Wales and deducts it from your price. In Scotland we work alongside your Home Energy Scotland application, and in Northern Ireland we explain what funding, if any, is currently available.
Many homes in the Highlands and Islands have a side passage or rear garden with room for an outdoor unit, and the survey checks airflow and distance from neighbouring windows. Installers working in the Highlands and Islands plan the order of work so heating and hot water are off for as short a time as practical. In the Highlands and Islands, cylinder space is planned with you, often in an airing cupboard, utility room or garage.
Who it suits
- Houses with reasonable insulation, or a plan to improve it
- Owners who want one contract covering design, fitting and paperwork
- Homes replacing a gas, oil, LPG or electric heating system
- Households with room for a hot water cylinder
Grants and rules for heat pumps in Scotland
In Scotland, heat pump funding comes through Home Energy Scotland rather than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: a grant of up to £7,500 (up to £1,500 extra for eligible rural and island homes) and an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. For a home in the Highlands and Islands, apply and receive the written offer before the installation date is fixed.
There is no VAT on installing a heat pump anywhere in the UK, Scotland included, until 31 March 2027. Scottish permitted development rules and building standards apply, and the surveyor checks the unit position and any listed or conservation-area constraints.
Air source heat pump installation prices in the Highlands and Islands
These are guide prices for the Highlands and Islands, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £10,650–£14,000 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £11,750–£15,100 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £13,450–£17,350 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £15,700–£20,150 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £18,500–£25,200 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning. In Scotland, Home Energy Scotland grants of up to £7,500 and interest-free loans may reduce the cost.
Towns we cover in the Highlands and Islands
We cover 12 towns in the Highlands and Islands for air source heat pump installation. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for Scotland.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inverness | IV1 | Dingwall | 6 h 35 min |
| Fort William | PH33 | Oban | 6 h 45 min |
| Aviemore | PH22 | Inverness | 6 h 40 min |
| Dingwall | IV15 | Inverness | 6 h 34 min |
| Kirkwall | KW15 | – | 6 h 11 min |
| Lerwick | ZE1 | – | 5 h 49 min |
| Nairn | IV12 | Forres | 6 h 34 min |
| Portree | IV51 | – | 6 h 36 min |
| Stornoway | HS1 | – | 6 h 24 min |
| Thurso | KW14 | Wick | 6 h 17 min |
| Ullapool | IV26 | Dingwall | 6 h 29 min |
| Wick | KW1 | Thurso | 6 h 20 min |
Air source heat pump installation questions
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.
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.
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.
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.