- Area
- Highlands and Islands
- Postcode district
- KW14
- Nation
- Scotland
- Guide price
- From £10,650 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Before you book: replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Thurso
A heat pump suits most Thurso homes, but the details decide how efficiently it runs. Our survey looks at insulation, radiators and hot water use room by room.
If your Thurso 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 Thurso 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.
- Households ready to give up gas entirely and drop the standing charge
- Boilers that are old, unreliable or due for replacement
- System or regular boiler homes with an existing airing cupboard
What's included
- System flush and radiator upgrades where the design calls for them
- Capping of the gas pipe at the boiler position where you are giving up gas
- Free survey with heat loss calculation and cylinder siting
- Heat pump cylinder, outdoor unit and weather compensation controls
- Removal of the gas boiler, flue and any loft tanks
Households across the Highlands and Islands moving off gas can have a survey in Thurso 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 Thurso 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.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Scotland has its own permitted development rules for air source heat pumps and its own building standards, so we confirm what applies to your Thurso property at survey.
What to budget for replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Thurso
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 Thurso 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 Thurso
On the shortest day Thurso gets only about 6 hours 17 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.
From survey to switch-on in Thurso
- Start online with a guide price or call us.
- A home survey in Thurso 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.
Thurso 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 Thurso: questions
Do you cover Wick as well as Thurso?
Yes. We arrange surveys and installation in Wick, which is about 19 miles south-east of Thurso, and across the Highlands and Islands.
What size heat pump does a Thurso home need?
It depends on the heat loss, not the postcode. As a rough guide, a 3 bedroom semi often needs 6–9 kW, but the room-by-room survey sets the actual size for your Thurso home.
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump in Thurso?
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 Thurso home gives a room-by-room list.
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.
Should I have my gas meter removed?
If gas is used for nothing else, removing the meter ends the gas standing charge, which is about £108 a year at the October to December 2026 price cap. If you still cook on gas or have a gas fire, you will need to keep the supply. Meter removal is arranged through your gas supplier, usually once the heat pump is running; the pipe at the boiler position is capped during the installation.