- Area
- Highlands and Islands
- Postcode district
- KW14
- Nation
- Scotland
- Guide price
- From £10,650 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Oil and LPG boiler replacement for Thurso homes
In Thurso, 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.
For homes outside Thurso reached by a long drive or narrow lane, delivery of the unit and cylinder is planned in advance. Bungalows and detached houses near Thurso running on LPG can move to a heat pump, with the tank collected by the supplier.
Off-gas homes have a lot to plan when switching to a heat pump: the fuel tank, older walls, rural power supplies and higher heat loss.
- Detached houses and bungalows with garden space for the unit
- Rural and village homes off the mains gas grid
- Owners tired of fuel deliveries and tank maintenance
What's included
- Removal of the oil or LPG boiler and flue
- Help arranging LPG tank collection with your supplier
- Oil tank draining and removal or making safe, as set out in your quote
- Free survey with a detailed heat loss calculation for older construction
- Network operator notification and electrical connection
Owners across the Highlands and Islands can have oil tank removal arranged alongside a heat pump installation in Thurso.
Grants and rules for heat pumps in Scotland
In Scotland, heat pump funding comes through Home Energy Scotland rather than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: a grant of up to £7,500 (up to £1,500 extra for eligible rural and island homes) and an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. For a Thurso home, apply and receive the written offer before the installation date is fixed.
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.
Guide prices for replacing an oil or LPG boiler with a heat pump in Thurso
Guide prices for Thurso and the rest of the Highlands and Islands 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Short winter days in Thurso and what they mean
Thurso has about 6 hours 17 minutes of daylight at midwinter against 18 hours 22 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 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 an oil or LPG boiler with a heat pump in Thurso: questions
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.
How soon can you survey a home in Thurso?
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.
Can you service a heat pump in Thurso that someone else installed?
Yes. We arrange servicing and repairs for most air source heat pumps in Thurso, whoever fitted them. Tell us the make and model when you book.
What happens with a leased LPG tank?
Leased LPG tanks belong to the supplier, so the supplier arranges collection. Check your contract for notice periods and any charges before you fix a date. We time the switchover so you are not left without heating, and once the heat pump is commissioned the supplier can empty and remove the tank. Bottled LPG cylinders are simply returned.
Can a heat pump cope with an exposed rural spot?
Yes. Air source heat pumps are designed to keep working well below freezing, and they periodically defrost, giving off a little vapour, which is normal. In exposed locations the installer chooses a sheltered position where possible, raises the unit to clear snow and let defrost water drain, and sizes the system for the local winter design temperature used in the heat loss calculation.