We cover 14 towns and cities in County Durham, including Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees and Durham. Every installation is designed from a room-by-room heat loss calculation, so the heat pump, radiators and cylinder are sized for the house rather than guessed.
Towns we cover in County Durham
Heat pump services in County Durham
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 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.
Guide prices in County Durham
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price | After £7,500 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,200–£12,150 | £1,700–£4,650 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,200–£13,100 | £2,700–£5,600 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £11,650–£15,050 | £4,150–£7,550 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £13,600–£17,450 | £6,100–£9,950 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £16,000–£21,850 | £8,500–£14,350 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Questions
Can a heat pump heat an older home?
Yes, a heat pump can usually heat an older home well when it is sized from an accurate heat loss calculation and the radiators are matched to a lower flow temperature. Solid walls, high ceilings and draughty windows raise heat loss, so older homes often need a larger unit or some bigger radiators. Where radiators cannot easily change, a high-temperature unit is an option, typically £1,500–£3,000 extra as a guide price, installed and including VAT. Read heat pumps in older homes.
Will an air source heat pump work in my home?
Most UK homes can use an air source heat pump, as long as there is space outside for the unit, room inside for a hot water cylinder and heating that can work at lower temperatures. Houses, bungalows, cottages and many flats are all possible. What decides the design is your home's heat loss, which we measure room by room at the free home survey. If a heat pump is not a good fit, we tell you and explain why.
Where will the outdoor unit go?
The outdoor unit goes where it has free airflow, a solid base or wall brackets, a short pipe run to the house and somewhere for condensate water to drain. A typical unit is roughly 1 m wide. We also keep it away from neighbours' windows where possible, because siting and the MCS noise check both matter. Common positions are a side wall, back garden or yard, and we agree the spot with you at survey. See noise and siting.
Is the home survey free?
Yes, the home survey and heat loss calculation are free when you are enquiring about an installation. If you only want a heat loss survey and report, for example to plan a renovation, a stand-alone survey is a guide price of £150–£400, including VAT. Repairs work differently: a fault-finding visit is charged at a rate agreed before we attend, and servicing is a paid visit.