- Area
- Highlands and Islands
- Postcode district
- HS1
- Nation
- Scotland
- Guide price
- From £10,650 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Gas boiler to heat pump in Stornoway: what to expect
In Stornoway, as anywhere in the UK, the heat pumps that perform well are the ones designed around low flow temperatures and sized from a proper heat loss calculation.
Semi-detached and terraced houses in Stornoway often have an airing cupboard that can be reused for a heat pump cylinder. Installers in Stornoway take out the old boiler and flue and seal the wall opening as part of the job.
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.
- Combi owners who can find space for a hot water cylinder
- Households ready to give up gas entirely and drop the standing charge
- Boilers that are old, unreliable or due for replacement
What's included
- Removal of the gas boiler, flue and any loft tanks
- 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
- Free survey with heat loss calculation and cylinder siting
Households across the Highlands and Islands moving off gas can have a survey in Stornoway that compares running costs on realistic assumptions.
Grants and rules for heat pumps in Scotland
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply in Scotland. Instead, homeowners in Stornoway 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.
Gas boiler to heat pump costs around Stornoway
The ranges below are typical installed prices for homes in the Highlands and Islands, including VAT. A survey sets the exact figure, because two similar-looking houses in Stornoway can need quite different radiators and pipework.
| 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.
Winter daylight and heating in Stornoway
Stornoway has about 6 hours 24 minutes of daylight at midwinter against 18 hours 15 minutes in midsummer. Heat pumps are designed to keep working well below freezing, but the design temperature for the survey is set for local conditions, not an average day.
How installation works in Stornoway
- Tell us about your home: postcode, property type and current heating.
- We book a survey in Stornoway; the surveyor measures rooms, windows and radiators and looks at cylinder space.
- The design and quote arrive in writing, including radiator changes and the outdoor unit position.
- On installation days the old system is removed and the new one fitted and filled.
- We commission the heat pump, show you the controls and register the installation.
Stornoway 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 Stornoway: questions
Can you service a heat pump in Stornoway that someone else installed?
Yes. We arrange servicing and repairs for most air source heat pumps in Stornoway, whoever fitted them. Tell us the make and model when you book.
How soon can you survey a home in Stornoway?
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.
How long does installation take in Stornoway?
Most installations take 2–4 days on site. Jobs with several radiator changes or new pipework take longer, and your quote for a Stornoway home states the expected time.
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.
Do I need to replace the cylinder I already have?
Usually, yes. Older cylinders have a small internal coil designed for water from a boiler at around 60–70°C, and they cannot take in heat quickly enough at the lower temperatures a heat pump runs at. A heat pump cylinder has a larger coil. On its own, a cylinder supplied and fitted has a guide price of £1,200–£2,200, installed and including VAT, though it is normally part of the full system price.