- Area
- Oxfordshire
- Postcode district
- OX26
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £9,900 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Before you book: replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Bicester
A heat pump suits most Bicester homes, but the details decide how efficiently it runs. Our survey looks at insulation, radiators and hot water use room by room.
Semi-detached and terraced houses in Bicester often have an airing cupboard that can be reused for a heat pump cylinder. If your Bicester home still cooks on gas, we talk through whether to keep the supply or switch to an induction hob.
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
- System or regular boiler homes with an existing airing cupboard
- 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
- Heat pump cylinder, outdoor unit and weather compensation controls
- Free survey with heat loss calculation and cylinder siting
- System flush and radiator upgrades where the design calls for them
- Removal of the gas boiler, flue and any loft tanks
Installers in Bicester take out the old boiler and flue and seal the wall opening as part of the job.
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 Bicester 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.
Gas boiler to heat pump prices in Bicester
Guide prices for Bicester and the rest of Oxfordshire 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 | £9,900–£13,000 | £2,400–£5,500 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,900–£14,050 | £3,400–£6,550 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,500–£16,100 | £5,000–£8,600 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,550–£18,700 | £7,050–£11,200 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £17,150–£23,400 | £9,650–£15,900 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Designing for Bicester's winters
Bicester has about 7 hours 45 minutes of daylight at midwinter and 16 hours 43 minutes at midsummer. That swing matters if you pair a heat pump with solar panels: summer generation can cover much of the hot water, winter generation far less.
What happens after you enquire in Bicester?
- Send your postcode and a few details, or use the guide price tool.
- A surveyor visits your Bicester home, measures every room and checks where the outdoor unit can go.
- You receive a heat loss design and a fixed written quote, with any grant shown where it applies.
- Installers fit the unit, cylinder and any radiator changes, typically over 2–4 days on site.
- The system is commissioned, set up with weather compensation and handed over with the paperwork.
Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump in Bicester: questions
How long does installation take in Bicester?
Most installations take 2–4 days on site. Jobs with several radiator changes or new pipework take longer, and your quote for a Bicester home states the expected time.
What size heat pump does a Bicester 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 Bicester home.
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Bicester 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 Bicester home.
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.
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.