What should I provide for an accurate air source heat pump quotation?
For an accurate air source heat pump quotation, provide details of your home, current heating system, hot water arrangements, insulation and recent energy use. We then confirm the information during a survey, checking the heat loss, radiators, pipework, electrical supply and outdoor unit position before pricing the installation.
An accurate air source heat pump quotation needs enough information to calculate the heat loss, size the equipment and identify every part of the installation. The most useful details include the property’s construction, existing heating arrangement, hot-water demand, electrical supply and any restrictions affecting the outdoor unit.
Start with the property details
Tell us the property address, approximate age, number of bedrooms and floors, and whether it is detached, semi-detached or terraced. Floor plans, an EPC, building plans and clear photographs can help us understand the layout before the survey.
Older houses need particular care. A solid-wall home, barn conversion, listed building or property with several extensions may have different levels of insulation and different floor, roof and wall construction. Details of alterations, listed status and conservation restrictions help us avoid making assumptions about what can be changed.
Describe the current heating system
Tell us what currently heats the home, such as oil, LPG, gas, direct electric heating or another system. The boiler make, model, age and output are useful if you have them. A photograph of the boiler rating plate can provide this information.
Recent fuel bills can show how much energy the property uses, although we do not use bills alone to size a heat pump. Occupancy patterns matter too. Let us know if rooms are heated continuously, if parts of the house are normally left unheated, and if the property is used as a holiday home or rental.
Give us room-by-room information
A heat pump quotation is more reliable when we can understand how each room is used. Tell us about unusually cold rooms, rooms that need higher temperatures, large glazed areas, open-plan spaces and rooms that have been added or converted.
Radiator sizes and locations are useful starting information. Photographs can help us identify the existing emitters and pipework. During our survey, we check whether the radiators can heat each room at the lower water temperatures used by a heat pump. Some may need replacing or enlarging, while others may be suitable already.
Insulation details also affect the calculation. Useful information includes loft insulation, cavity or solid-wall insulation, floor insulation, draught-proofing and the age and type of windows. If you are planning improvements, tell us before we prepare the quotation because those changes may affect the design.
Explain how you use hot water
Tell us how many people usually live at the property and whether demand is concentrated at particular times. Several showers, frequent baths, an airing cupboard or a large household can affect the cylinder size and available space.
We also need to know where a hot-water cylinder could go. A heat pump normally needs a suitable cylinder, along with space for associated pipework and controls. If the present system has an unvented cylinder, thermal store or other equipment, include photographs or details if available.
Include the electrical information
The heat pump, immersion heater and circulation equipment all use electricity. Tell us whether the property has a single-phase or three-phase supply, if you know, and provide a photograph of the meter, consumer unit and main fuse where practical. We check the supply during our survey rather than relying on photographs alone.
If the property has solar panels, battery storage, an electric vehicle charger or plans for any of these, mention them at the start. We can then consider how the heat pump will sit within the wider electrical installation and identify any consumer unit or cabling work that may be needed.
Tell us about the outdoor unit location
Suggest possible locations for the outdoor unit, but do not assume that the nearest wall will be suitable. We consider airflow, access, pipe routes, drainage, proximity to windows and neighbouring properties, and the visual effect on the building.
A rural property may have more space but longer routes between the house, plant room and outdoor unit. A compact property may need a more careful layout. Listed buildings and properties in conservation areas may also have planning restrictions. Photographs of the possible locations, access route and boundary can help us identify these issues before the survey.
Provide any documents that affect the design
- Floor plans or room dimensions
- An EPC or recent energy assessment
- Boiler installation, service or replacement records
- Recent electricity and heating fuel bills
- Details of insulation work already completed
- Planning, listed-building or conservation-area information
- Photographs of the boiler, radiators, cylinder, consumer unit and possible outdoor-unit locations
These documents do not replace our assessment. They help us ask the right questions and distinguish known information from assumptions.
What we check before finalising the quotation
Our survey includes the building fabric, room sizes, heat emitters, pipework, hot-water arrangements, electrical supply and access for the installation. We use the findings to assess the property’s heat loss and select equipment that matches its actual demand.
We also check practical work that can be easy to miss in an early estimate. This may include radiator changes, pipework alterations, cylinder installation, condensate drainage, electrical upgrades, controls, concrete or mounting work for the outdoor unit, and making good after the installation.
If the property is not suitable without further improvements, we explain why. For example, insulation or radiator changes may be needed before the heat pump can operate effectively. We do not treat those requirements as hidden extras; they form part of the discussion before you decide.
What the quotation should show
A clear quotation separates the heat pump equipment from the associated installation work. It should explain the proposed design, cylinder and controls, radiator or pipework changes, electrical work, commissioning and any exclusions or assumptions.
If grant funding may apply, the property and installation must meet the current scheme rules. Our MCS certification allows us to make a Boiler Upgrade Scheme application on your behalf where the installation is eligible. It also means the installation can qualify for the Smart Export Guarantee where the relevant requirements are met. We confirm the position for the proposed system rather than assuming that every property qualifies.
Once the survey is complete, we provide a written quotation before work starts. That gives you a defined scope to compare, including the work needed to make the system operate properly, rather than a low initial figure that leaves important items unresolved.
You don’t need to have every measurement or document ready before asking for a quotation. Send the information you have, and point out anything you’re unsure about rather than guessing.
We separate confirmed details from assumptions, then test them during the survey. That matters in older homes, where an extension, unusual ceiling height or partly heated room can change the design. The final quotation can then show which parts are included, which information still needs confirming and what would change if the survey finds something different.
