- Area
- Kent
- Postcode district
- ME10
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £9,800 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
What to know about replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Sittingbourne
The question for a Sittingbourne home is rarely whether a heat pump can work, but what needs to change to make it work well: radiator sizes, pipework, controls and where the unit goes.
Rear gardens and side returns in Sittingbourne usually offer a sensible spot for the outdoor unit, checked for airflow and neighbours. Installers in Sittingbourne 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.
- Boilers that are old, unreliable or due for replacement
- Households ready to give up gas entirely and drop the standing charge
- System or regular boiler homes with an existing airing cupboard
What's included
- Commissioning, MCS certificate and grant application in England and Wales where eligible
- Heat pump cylinder, outdoor unit and weather compensation controls
- Free survey with heat loss calculation and cylinder siting
- Removal of the gas boiler, flue and any loft tanks
- System flush and radiator upgrades where the design calls for them
Semi-detached and terraced houses in Sittingbourne often have an airing cupboard that can be reused for a heat pump cylinder.
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 Sittingbourne quote.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Since 29 May 2025, permitted development in England allows up to two air source heat pumps on a house, each up to 1.5 m³, with no blanket 1 m boundary rule — the installation must still meet the MCS planning standards, including the noise check. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation-area positions need extra consent, which we check at survey.
Gas boiler to heat pump prices in Sittingbourne
Guide prices for Sittingbourne and the rest of Kent are shown below, installed and inc VAT. We publish ranges rather than a single figure because design details move the price, and the written quote after survey fixes it.
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price | After £7,500 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,800–£12,900 | £2,300–£5,400 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,800–£13,900 | £3,300–£6,400 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,350–£15,950 | £4,850–£8,450 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,400–£18,550 | £6,900–£11,050 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £17,000–£23,200 | £9,500–£15,700 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Short winter days in Sittingbourne and what they mean
On the shortest day Sittingbourne gets about 7 hours 51 minutes of daylight, and the winter sun reaches only around 15° above the horizon at noon. Winters this far south are milder than in most of the UK, which helps a heat pump run at low flow temperatures for much of the season.
What happens after you enquire in Sittingbourne?
- Tell us about your home: postcode, property type and current heating.
- We book a survey in Sittingbourne; 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.
Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Sittingbourne: questions
How soon can you survey a home in Sittingbourne?
Survey dates depend on how busy installers are in Kent. We offer the next available dates when you enquire and confirm them in writing.
Do you cover Faversham as well as Sittingbourne?
Yes. We arrange surveys and installation in Faversham, which is about 7 miles east of Sittingbourne, and across Kent.
How long does installation take in Sittingbourne?
Most installations take 2–4 days on site. Jobs with several radiator changes or new pipework take longer, and your quote for a Sittingbourne 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.
What if my gas boiler is fairly new?
A newer boiler can still be replaced, but the timing is worth weighing. Some owners switch when the boiler needs a major repair; others prefer to plan the change for a convenient time. Across the UK, heat pump installation is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027. A hybrid system, which keeps the boiler alongside a heat pump, is another option, though it is not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales.