Oxfordshire · Heat pump installation
Heat pump installation in Bix, Oxfordshire
We cover Bix for air source heat pumps. A look at the job first, a fixed-price quote and written records at the end.
- Wanting to stop using oil, LPG or gas for heating
- Checking eligibility for a heat pump grant
- Ageing boilers that will need replacing
Air source heat pumps in Bix: the local picture
About 41% of homes in Bix and the neighbourhoods around it date from 1945 to 1972, according to the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax figures. Whether the walls and loft have been insulated makes a real difference to the heat pump size for homes of that period.
Historic houses such as Greys Court, about 1.3 miles south, are a reminder that listed homes need consent before a heat pump goes in.
Bix is about 6 miles north of Caversham, in Oxfordshire. Whether you’re in the middle of Bix or further out, we cover air source heat pumps, from a single room to a whole building. In Oxfordshire alone we list 443 places and Bix is among them. Our Guildford page covers places nearby, about 27 miles away.
Local streets include White Lane and Rectory Lane, all of which are in our area. Our engineers cover all of RG9 and the streets around it. Close by, we work in Middle Assendon (1 mile north-east), Lower Assendon (1 mile south-east), Fawley Bottom (1 mile north-east), Catslip (2 miles north-west) and Shepherd's Green (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (13 miles west), Thame (13 miles north), Henley-on-Thames (3 miles south-east) and Benson (8 miles north-west).
Near you in Bix
Locally, jobs take us to houses, flats and workplaces close to The Fox Public House and the streets around them. Bix’s nearest station is Henley-On-Thames station, about 2.9 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Frazer Nash Archives (3.2 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s Warburg Nature Reserve.
How we handle air source heat pumps in Bix
A £2,500 grant is available for some air-to-air heat pumps, with conditions. It has to replace the fossil-fuel heating, cover the whole heating demand, be fitted by an MCS certified installer and be in a home, so an add-on next to a boiler is not eligible. If the problem is working out where a cylinder could go and choosing between air-to-water and air-to-air, we can sort it out.
For a home around Bix that’s off mains gas and heated by oil or LPG, an extra £1,500 is available through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme until March 2027, on top of the £7,500.
Warranty periods vary by brand and by product. Daikin, for instance, gives a standard 2 years on split air conditioning, with longer extensions only on its air-to-water heat pumps. For any other brand, we explain the manufacturer’s terms on your quote.
- Place
- Bix (RG9)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Quote
- Fixed after a survey or photos
- Credentials
- NICEIC and F-Gas, MCS
- Prices
- £8,000–£16,000 before the grant, 0% VAT on homes
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
Towns and villages near Bix
What else we do in Bix
What we do, step by step
We keep the work area tidy as we go, with sheets down and mess cleared as we go. Any holes, fixings or cable routes are agreed with you before we drill. The visit takes a few days on site, depending on the cylinder, the radiators and the pipework involved. We plan the trip to Bix around you.
- First, a chat about the property and your goals for the heating.
- We survey for heat loss and look at radiators, cylinder space and outdoor unit options.
- You get our view on the right type for the house, and on whether the Boiler Upgrade Scheme applies.
- Installation follows on the agreed dates.
- The job ends with commissioning, the MCS certificate and a walk through the controls.
How to prepare
- Clear the space around the indoor unit, or where it will go
- Keep pets out of the rooms we are working in
- Tell us about access, such as roof hatches, high walls or locked plant areas
Getting a price
To get a fixed-price quote, call 07833 053749 with the address and a few details about the rooms or units involved. A few pictures make it quicker. You’ll hear back from us the same working day.
Related advice
Bix questions
Do I need planning permission for a heat pump in Bix?
It depends on the property. Historic England lists about 9 buildings and structures within half a mile of the centre of Bix. Heat pumps on houses are often permitted development, but listed buildings need consent and conservation areas restrict outdoor units facing a road. Where it’s needed, we check with the planning department at South Oxfordshire council, typically the authority for Bix.
Does the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cover homes in Bix?
Yes, if the home and the heat pump meet the scheme’s rules: Bix is in England, where it applies. The amount depends on the type of heat pump, and the survey confirms which applies. The installer applies, and we’re MCS certified.
Which type of heat pump is right for my home?
Air-to-water replaces the boiler for heating and hot water, while air-to-air heats and cools rooms, and we help you choose. Both are part of what we install.
Can I fit air conditioning or a heat pump myself?
No, not the refrigerant side. The F-gas rules require certified companies and qualified engineers for it, and a new electrical circuit is notifiable building work unless a registered competent person does it.
Whose job is it to check the system for leaks?
The F-gas rules share it between the equipment’s operator and the engineers who work on it. How often depends on the size of the refrigerant charge in tonnes of CO2 equivalent: at least yearly for 5 to under 50 tCO2e, and every 6 months for 50 to under 500 tCO2e.
What warranty do I get?
The manufacturer’s warranty, on the manufacturer’s terms. Each brand sets its own conditions and periods, so we explain them on your quote.
Do you protect the property while you work?
We start with protection: dust sheets over floors and anything close to the work. Holes and fixings are agreed with you, and we clean up afterwards when we finish.
Fixed-price quotes for air source heat pumps in Bix
Before we fix a price, we need to know a few things. We look at:
- The pipe route between the units
- The equipment or parts the job needs
- Access, including height, roofs and ladders
The pipe route, the height of the units and how we reach them all affect the cost. Each of those is built into the quote, and the price is fixed before any work starts.
What to send for a quote
Photos and a few facts are often enough to price a simple job. Send what you can of the following:
- Your consumer unit or fuse board
- Your installation or service records
- A few photos of the room and the wall the unit is on, or will go on
VAT is set out clearly on every quote, with the rate that applies to your job. Homes, businesses and different kinds of work can be treated differently for VAT, so we confirm it in writing rather than guess. To get one, ring 07833 053749 or drop us a line.
Owner checks or an engineer?
For air conditioning, cleaning the indoor unit’s filters is the main job owners can do, if the manual says so. With the power off, they lift out, can be vacuumed or rinsed and must be fully dry before they go back. On a heat pump, the equivalent is keeping the outdoor unit clear and checking the controls.
There are a few things you can safely do yourself: keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, plants and clutter, check the settings and the remote, and follow the cleaning the manual describes. Anything inside the units, the electrics and the refrigerant is engineer’s work.
What we are called out for in Bix
A common reason is wanting to stop burning gas, oil or LPG. With a heat pump, the heat comes from the air outside and the system runs on electricity and that is the appeal for many households.
It’s time to call us if you’re dealing with:
- Radiators that may be too small for a heat pump
- Not knowing whether a grant applies
- Plans to switch to electric heating with a heat pump
Period properties close to Church of St James can suit a heat pump, though insulation and any heritage protection are checked first.
Comparing quotes
- Whether extra work needs your approval first
- How VAT is shown, and which rate applies
- Which brand and model they’re proposing, and why
From one of our customers
“Very professional from the initial survey through to installation. The engineer explained everything clearly and the quote was exactly what we paid. Would not hesitate to recommend AirCon Doctor.”
David W., Haywards Heath