- Area
- Highlands and Islands
- Postcode district
- KW15
- Nation
- Scotland
- Guide price
- From £10,650 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Gas boiler to heat pump for Kirkwall homes
A heat pump suits most Kirkwall homes, but the details decide how efficiently it runs. Our survey looks at insulation, radiators and hot water use room by room.
If your Kirkwall home still cooks on gas, we talk through whether to keep the supply or switch to an induction hob. Rear gardens and side returns in Kirkwall usually offer a sensible spot for the outdoor unit, checked for airflow and neighbours.
Moving from mains gas to a heat pump means finding cylinder space, deciding what happens to the gas supply and comparing running costs on realistic assumptions.
- System or regular boiler homes with an existing airing cupboard
- Households ready to give up gas entirely and drop the standing charge
- Combi owners who can find space for a hot water cylinder
What's included
- Capping of the gas pipe at the boiler position where you are giving up gas
- System flush and radiator upgrades where the design calls for them
- Heat pump cylinder, outdoor unit and weather compensation controls
- Removal of the gas boiler, flue and any loft tanks
- Free survey with heat loss calculation and cylinder siting
Many gas-heated homes in Kirkwall have a combi boiler in the kitchen, so the survey starts by finding the right place for a cylinder.
Grants and rules for heat pumps in Scotland
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply in Scotland. Instead, homeowners in Kirkwall can apply to Home Energy Scotland for a grant of up to £7,500 towards a heat pump, with up to £1,500 more for eligible rural and island homes, plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. You need a written funding offer before any work starts.
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.
Guide prices for replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Kirkwall
Here are typical prices for replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in the Highlands and Islands, installed and including VAT. Use the guide price tool for a figure based on your home, then a survey confirms it in writing.
| 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.
Designing for Kirkwall's winters
On the shortest day Kirkwall gets only about 6 hours 11 minutes of daylight, with the sun around 8° up at noon. Long Scottish winters mean the heat pump runs for much of the year, so careful sizing, good controls and correctly sized radiators make a real difference.
What happens after you enquire in Kirkwall?
- Start online with a guide price or call us.
- A home survey in Kirkwall gives us the room-by-room heat loss.
- Your written quote sets out the design, the price and the grant position where you live.
- Installation is booked for dates that suit you; most homes take 2–4 days on site.
- After commissioning you get a handover of the controls and settings, plus the certificates.
Kirkwall is in an area we cover by arrangement, so survey dates and any travel costs are confirmed individually in your quote.
Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Kirkwall: questions
How soon can you survey a home in Kirkwall?
Survey dates depend on how busy installers are in the Highlands and Islands. We offer the next available dates when you enquire and confirm them in writing.
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Kirkwall 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 Kirkwall home.
How long does a heat pump survey take in Kirkwall?
A home survey in Kirkwall 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.
Will my hot water run out with a heat pump?
Not if the cylinder is sized properly for your household. The survey asks how many people live in the home, how many bathrooms you have and whether you prefer baths or showers, then sizes the cylinder to suit. The heat pump reheats the cylinder on a schedule, often overnight and again during the day, and an immersion heater acts as a backup.
Is there a grant to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump?
In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air-to-water heat pump that replaces a gas boiler, for eligible owners of existing homes. The MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem and deducts the grant from your quote, and Ofgem contacts you to confirm. Scotland has separate Home Energy Scotland funding, and Northern Ireland has no dedicated homeowner grant at present.