- Area
- Lancashire
- Postcode district
- PR1
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £9,300 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air source heat pump installation in Preston: what to expect
Every property in Preston is different, so the design starts from measurements rather than a rule of thumb. That keeps the system the right size and the running costs predictable.
For older properties in Preston, the heat loss calculation looks closely at solid walls, single glazing and draughts before any unit is sized. Many homes in Preston have a side passage or rear garden with room for an outdoor unit, and the survey checks airflow and distance from neighbouring windows.
We survey your home, design a heat pump system around its real heat loss, and manage the installation from the first visit to the MCS certificate.
- Owners and landlords in England and Wales eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- Houses with reasonable insulation, or a plan to improve it
- Homes replacing a gas, oil, LPG or electric heating system
What's included
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme application in England and Wales where eligible
- Outdoor unit, hot water cylinder and weather compensation controls
- Removal of the old boiler or heaters
- Free home survey and room-by-room heat loss calculation
- Radiator and pipework changes where the design needs them
Installers working in Preston plan the order of work so heating and hot water are off for as short a time as practical.
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
In England the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (£9,000 if it replaces oil or LPG, from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027), and since 28 April 2026 a valid EPC is no longer needed. The grant is applied for by the MCS-certified installer and shown as a deduction on your Preston quote.
There is no VAT on installing a heat pump anywhere in the UK until 31 March 2027. In England most houses can have an air source heat pump under permitted development, provided the unit meets the MCS noise and siting standards; the old 1 m boundary limit was removed on 29 May 2025. We flag listed buildings, flats and sensitive conservation-area positions at survey.
What to budget for air source heat pump installation in Preston
These are guide prices for Lancashire, 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 | £9,300–£12,250 | £1,800–£4,750 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,300–£13,250 | £2,800–£5,750 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £11,750–£15,200 | £4,250–£7,700 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £13,700–£17,650 | £6,200–£10,150 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £16,150–£22,050 | £8,650–£14,550 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Designing for Preston's winters
On the shortest day Preston gets only about 7 hours 25 minutes of daylight and the noon sun sits around 13° above the horizon. Northern winters tend to be longer, so a well-designed, efficient system matters more here because it runs for more of the year.
From survey to switch-on in Preston
- Send your postcode and a few details, or use the guide price tool.
- A surveyor visits your Preston home, measures every room and checks where the outdoor unit can go.
- You receive a heat loss design and a fixed written quote, with any grant shown where it applies.
- Installers fit the unit, cylinder and any radiator changes, typically over 2–4 days on site.
- The system is commissioned, set up with weather compensation and handed over with the paperwork.
Air source heat pump installation in Preston: questions
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Preston house?
Usually at the side or rear, on a level base with space around it for airflow and servicing, away from bedroom windows where possible. The surveyor checks positions at your Preston home.
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump in Preston?
Often some, not all. Heat pumps run best at lower water temperatures, so rooms with small radiators may need larger ones. The survey of your Preston home gives a room-by-room list.
How long does a heat pump survey take in Preston?
A home survey in Preston usually takes one to two hours. The surveyor measures every heated room, checks windows, walls and radiators, and looks at where the outdoor unit and cylinder can go.
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.