A price band only tells you so much. To make it useful, this guide sets out four example jobs of the kind we see in a town like Guildford, explains where each would sit in the band and why, and then covers the local planning picture. The examples are illustrations to explain the factors, not past jobs or fixed prices.
The bands
| Installation | Price + VAT |
|---|---|
| Single room split | £1,200–£2,200 |
| Two-room multi-split | £2,800–£4,500 |
| Three to five room multi-split | £4,500–£8,500 |
| Air-to-water heat pump | £8,000–£16,000, before grant |
| VRF / commercial | After survey |
Prices include supply, installation, commissioning and F-Gas documentation. Servicing is £95–£150 and repairs start with a diagnosis from £75, both + VAT.
Example 1: a back bedroom in a semi
The bedroom is above the garden, the outdoor unit can sit on the ground just below, and there’s space in the consumer unit. This is about as simple as it gets, so it would sit towards the lower end of the single-room band. A cavity wall, a short pipe run and a drain close by all help.
Example 2: a home office at the front
Same size room, but at the front of the house. If the street side can’t be used, the pipes run through the house to a unit at the back. More drilling, more trunking and more time push it towards the upper end of the band. In a conservation area, this is often the only route.
Example 3: three bedrooms and a loft
A multi-split with three or four indoor units on one outdoor unit. The price depends on how the pipes can be hidden between floors, whether a loft room needs a condensate pump, and whether the electrics need an upgrade. This would usually land in the £4,500–£8,500 band.
Want it done properly? AirCon Doctor installs, repairs and services air conditioning and heat pumps across London and the South East, from our base in East Grinstead. We’re an F-Gas certified company and NICEIC approved. Get a fixed-price quote.
A note on what isn’t in the examples
None of the examples include scaffolding, a new consumer unit or building work, because most jobs don’t need them. If yours does, the quote lists it separately with its own price, so you can see exactly what it adds and decide whether a different position or route would avoid it.
Example 4: a town centre shop or office
Commercial work starts with a survey. Landlord consent, roof access, ceiling type and working hours all count, and a listed building needs consent for external work. We give a fixed price once we know the building. See our retail and office pages.
Guildford’s conservation areas
Guildford Borough Council’s historic environment guide says the borough has 40 conservation areas, covering much of Guildford town centre and many villages. Areas in and around the town include Guildford Town Centre, Bridge Street, Charlotteville and Warren Road, Millmead and Portsmouth Road, St Catherines and Stoke Fields.
In a conservation area, permitted development for a heat pump doesn’t extend to a unit on a wall or roof that fronts a road, or one closer to the road than the house. If your home is listed, listed building consent is needed separately. Our listed building guide can help you prepare.
National planning rules
The Planning Portal lists the conditions for permitted development: outdoor unit no more than 1.5 m³, MCS 020(a) compliance (which includes a noise check), not used only for cooling, not on a pitched roof, and at least 1 m from the edge of a flat roof. Air-to-air heat pumps are included since 2025. Cooling-only air conditioning isn’t, and flats have lower limits.
From 1 April 2027, Guildford becomes part of the new West Surrey Council, as the Surrey reorganisation hub explains. Until then, Guildford Borough Council deals with planning.
Grants and VAT
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £7,500 towards an air-to-water heat pump, or £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump that replaces fossil-fuel heating and heats the whole home. It isn’t available as an add-on to a boiler. VAT on qualifying heat pumps in homes is 0% until 31 March 2027, then 5% (HMRC Notice 708/6). We confirm the VAT on your quote. This is general guidance, not tax advice.
More: our Guildford air conditioning page and the Guildford local page.
Quick answers
Why does a front room cost more than a back room?
Often because the outdoor unit can’t go on the front, so the pipes travel through the house to the back. That adds time and materials.
Is Guildford town centre a conservation area?
Yes, Guildford Town Centre is one of the borough’s 40 conservation areas, so outdoor units facing a road need planning permission.
Who do I contact about planning after April 2027?
The new West Surrey Council. Until then, Guildford Borough Council.
Related services
More advice
- Air Conditioning Cost in Farnham and Godalming: 2026 Price Guide
- Air Conditioning Cost in Woking and Camberley: 2026 Price Guide
- Air Conditioning for a Home Office: Complete Guide 2026
- Air Conditioning Installation Cost: What the Quote Should Include
- All advice
This guide is general information, checked against the sources linked on 30 October 2026. It isn’t legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, grants and product ranges change, so check the current position before you rely on it.